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B for Benefit – take a comprehensive look at the sustainability of your business

Meanwhile, we have to pass with flying colours an exceptionally rigorous assessment of our entire business, from business model to workplace culture to social and environmental impact. We also have to play nice and wait our turn. More than 6,000 applications were submitted in 2020-21 to join the growing line-up of Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Danone’s, Body Shop and other Certified B Corporation companies. A modest 38% increase from 2018-19, and the pace has only increased.

There is now a great tool for impact assessment

However: the figure for pre-application impact assessment is even more impressive. From 2020 onwards, the number of people registering for the B Impact Assessment tool increased by 84%. In Europe alone, there were more than 14,000 new users of the tool in 2021. The B Corp community is not about certification, but rather the desire to improve one’s business and increase the level of sustainability.

The assessment is a great tool for that. That includes us too, even though we thought we were already looking at sustainability from every angle. Questions with a wider view of a company’s activities help us understand what’s possible and uncover strengths and resources we hadn’t previously thought of.

Over the spring, we have taken a number of steps for our company, such as:

a sustainability strategy (focusing on impact)
a plan for implementing the strategy, i.e. how we will make a concrete and positive impact
a data collection plan for our customers and employees
an ethics code & diversity programme

We’ll keep you updated on our integration into the B Corp community, and what happens next. Being part of this team is fascinating for us, our customers and stakeholders. We promise to share everything we learn along the way with everyone interested. Find out more about the B Corp movement. Have a look at Fabrik’s Impact Branding service and see how we can help your company with sustainability assessment and development.

First steps to employer branding – start with empathy and understanding

In a changing world of work, many recruiters are still attracting talent with vague benefits – a mere “prospect” is no longer enough of an employer promise.

Skilled labor is a fading resource. Age groups are shrinking. With technological change, there is less use for traditional skills. Businesses in every sector are facing skills shortages.

In the future, the leading brands that will succeed in the employer market will be those that stand out and are credible to more than just to their customers. Now is the time to recognize that for employers, understanding the needs of their staff is as much about understanding the core business as it is about understanding the core functions of the company.

We make it easy for you. We have the data-driven analytics and process tools to create a successful employer brand:

The first step in successful employer branding and recruitment is empathy. The first step in building an employer brand is to start with a clear definition of the target group and their needs – to offer the best in the job market to them. You don’t have to please everyone, just find the right people. Get to know them.

The second step is in action: we will perfect your employer brand. After a few months of work, you’ll have a concrete employer promise targeted at your key target groups.

The third step is to consolidate the process into a permanent practice: you will be in control of your own employee image. Employee understanding becomes a natural part of the company culture, and uncertainty on the staff side is eliminated.

These are the things that will become increasingly visible in the smooth running of recruitment, but few companies are still sufficiently prepared. We support you in your employer branding – both in building your employer experience and your attraction strategy. We’ll make sure that in the future, the right job finds the right people.

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4 Facts: Why do responsible companies perform better?

Both research and concrete success stories make the case for investing in sustainable business. But what is the positive impact of sustainability based on?

1. The rules of the game have changed – What worked yesterday won’t work in the future.

From a business perspective, digitalization can provide a benchmark for change. Even now, some say they are not affected by the phenomenon – and end up with the worst-case scenario of failed change management like Kodak’s cameras or Nokia’s mobile phones. Others believe in what they see clearly ahead and turn the opportunities that this trend brings into a driver for growth.

2. Responsibility attracts capital

Companies that focus on sustainable business practices attract investors both in terms of risk management and expected returns. The EU’s green development program is the biggest driver of the trend towards responsible investment, fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Even faster than the legal requirements, new demands are coming faster and faster against companies in international supply chains – including SMEs.

3. The most sought-after talents demand relevance from their work

The transformation of work is raining on the shoulders of responsible companies. For the new generation, a salary alone will not bring fulfillment. They are thinking more carefully than their parents about where they want to work and what values they want to promote. The importance of relevance becomes particularly crucial in sectors where competition for the best talent is fierce.

4. Ethical and environmental values drive purchasing behavior

The most important asset of a responsible company is a committed customer base. People want to be part of the solution to global challenges, and they are looking to companies. Brands are expected to deliver on promises, not concrete actions, which require more than just fine words.

So, what to do?

For sustainability to be a true driver of growth, it must be seamlessly integrated into all aspects of business and speak the same language as both marketing and corporate culture. It all starts with knowing yourself and understanding your impact on the world around you. With a clear focus and a plan in place, it’s easier to start the journey to a better business – and that’s where we can help you.

Rainbow Collection

Companies strive for a positive impact is a global trend – Dutch Rainbow Collection and Finnish Fabrik launched strategic partnership to meet the demand.

Fabrik, located in Helsinki and Joensuu, has started cooperating with the Amsterdam-based impact agency Rainbow Collection.

“Our collaboration started a few year ago. We found that we has a same purpose and principles. We believe that companies can be the force for good and at the same time they can make a make more successful bussinesses, ”says Perttu Kouvalainen, CEO of Fabrik.

Founded in 1996, Fabrik has come a long way from a traditional advertising agency to a creative and strategic player that helps companies make responsibility a differentiator.

The Rainbow Collection started in 2010 with a responsibility project and has grown into a well-known Central European player in the design and implementation of corporate responsibility strategies. In recent years, the company has excelled especially as a coach for the B Corp responsibility certificate.

According to research, Dutch companies have ranked ahead of Finns in global responsibility ratings.

“From better products to better companies”

“I believe that this is due to the strong rise in cooperation and networking. For example, the B Corp community has really gone big in the Central Europe, and it has already nearly 5,000 companies registered globally. The program and tools help companies to manage the day-to-day impacts of running a business in a sustainable manner and at the same time to create a specific, positive benefit for its stakeholders,” says Dieuwertje Dame, the CEO of Rainbow Collection.

The first projects of the cooperation will start this spring. The Rainbow Collection brings with it extensive experience in designing corporate responsibility strategies, while Fabrik brings its expertise in brand management and communications.

“The goal is to create more impactful companies and brands – and at the same time raise the responsibility expertise in Nordic countries,” says Damen.

Read more:

Fabrik: Impact branding

Rainbow Collection >

B Corp movement >

Our work as a creative agency continues, but the focus is now on making a positive impact

These days of May will remain particularly meaningful in Fabrik’s story.

1) We just sent off our Certified B Corporation application… hopefully in 6 months we will be the 4th B Corp in Finland!

2) The change of our company name took effect, and we are now Impact Agency Fabrik Ltd.

Sustainability creates a competitive advantage

Both of these things speak of commitment and sum up the work we have been preparing for a few years now. We believe that businesses and their customers are at the epicenter in the shift towards a more sustainable culture and that sustainability creates thriving businesses.

From the perspective of the FIBS Corporate Responsibility Meter 2021, it’s not a choice you have to think twice about: 84% of companies felt that the business benefits of sustainability were greater than the resources needed to ensure it.

But it is what happens after the choice that needs considering: according to the same survey, 97% of companies believe they are making a positive impact on the environment or society, but only a few have solid evidence of this. And in fact, according to the Edelmann Trust Barometer, consumer confidence in corporate responsibility communication is slowly eroding.

The impact of actions matters

In this respect, B Corp is more than welcome as the best tool to put your money where your mouth is today – nearly 5,000 companies globally already agree and the number is growing fast.

The certificate holistically permeates sustainability as an integral part of a company’s competitiveness and as a genuine force for change in society. If you are struggling to make your own sustainability impact or take the first steps, the certificate is the clear tool and answer to your situation.

In addition to our own certification, we specialize in helping others embark on the same path. We have the help of our Amsterdam-based friends from the Rainbow Collection, who have more than ten years and over two hundred projects of experience in building impactful business.

Our work as a creative agency continues, but the emphasis now lies on making a positive impact with our partners. In the near future, we’ll be sharing more about the application process and our development work through our various channels – and we’d love to meet you face-to-face if you’re inspired.

Check out Fabrik’s products tool and see how we can come together to develop your company’s impact.

Fabrik is now owned by four of its employees

“We are a growth company that encourages companies to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage”

The ownership of Fabrik Ltd, based in Helsinki and Joensuu, has changed. Together with CEO Perttu Kouvalainen, the company’s shares are now held by employees Ville Timonen, Samuli Kuittinen and Jonna Ekroos, who is returning to Fabrik from other duties.

Founded in 1996, Fabrik has come a long way from traditional advertising agency to creative and strategic player that helps companies differentiate themselves through sustainability.

“Sustainability is no longer a silent signal. It’s a supporting pillar that keeps a company competitive and relevant to its employees and customers. In Finland, many companies already have a solid sustainability record, but the big picture needs clarification, as well as internal and external communication and marketing. This is how it becomes genuinely impactful.”

In developing its sustainability services, Fabrik has been partnered for a few years with two leading European players, the impact company Rainbow Collection and “Mr. Goodvertising” Thomas Kolster.

“Fabrik’s mission is important and it is in everyone’s interest to succeed. Both for businesses seeking a boost in sustainability, and for the people and environment whose well-being companies can positively impact.”

The global political crisis is worrying for the new entrepreneurs, but also a catalyst for action.

“Businesses and communities are building a world around their own values. Being responsible and doing good is a choice most of us are happy to make, luckily.”

Fabrik, employing 21 people, works with partners such as Abloy internationally, VR nationally and Viherkaste and the North Karelia Cooperative regionally.

“Fabrik is a growth company as of today, but it will neither contribute to creating instant profits nor a disposable culture. A lasting positive impact requires a clear goal, concrete actions and long-term work to achieve it.”