FatFace receives B Corp certification

British lifestyle brand FatFace has been certified a B Corp company. With 1,100 companies certified in the UK, FatFace is the biggest retailer by turnover to become certified.

Becoming a B Corp business means brands have to meet high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.

FatFace in its manifesto focusses on three key areas including product, planet and community. For its products, 100 percent of its cotton is responsible sourced while just 28 percent of its polyester is generated from recycled sources. The company aims to be carbon neutral by 2025.

Last year FatFace planted 60,000 trees as part of its 75-year partnership with the National Forest, achieving carbon neutral status in the UK.

B Corp certification is not without criticism, with some critics arguing the standards set by parent B Lab are not strict enough and that companies can still receive certification despite engaging in harmful practices, such as selling products that harm the environment or exploiting workers.

Other say the cost of becoming a certified B Corp may be too high for smaller businesses, which could create a barrier to entry and favour larger, wealthier corporations.