In August 2022, after joining more than 4,000 certified B Corporations around the world in 2018, we completed our first recertification. Every three years, B Lab re-evaluates certified B Corporations to ensure companies are staying true to their commitment to people and planet. This rigorous process reinforced our commitment to the triple bottom line.

Our overall score improved by 25%, an achievement we are particularly proud of. Of the five B Corp assessment categories, we improved on four. Looking to the future, we have our sights set on improving in all categories, as well as adding the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 “I continue to be excited by what B Corporations can do when we put greater focus on people and community as we make business decisions,” shared Corrie Herman, one of Mad Fish Digital’s co-owners. “That has been our guiding principle at Mad Fish from the beginning. Our continued growth as a B Corp is a testament to the ongoing commitment and passion for good that our team has shown over the last few years.”

How We Measure Up

B Lab evaluates and scores five categories for the certification process. They are Governance, Workers, Environment, Community, and Customers. 

GOVERNANCE

A company’s overall mission, engagement around its social/environmental impact, ethics, and transparency. 

WORKERS

A company’s contributions to its employees’ financial security, health and safety, wellness, career development, and engagement and satisfaction.

ENVIRONMENT

A company’s overall environmental management practices as well as its impact on the air, climate, water, land, and biodiversity.

COMMUNITY

A company’s engagement with and impact on the communities in which it operates, hires from, and sources from. Topics include diversity, equity, inclusion, economic impact, civic engagement, charitable giving, and supply chain management.

CUSTOMERS

A company’s stewardship of its customers through the quality of its products and services, ethical marketing, data privacy and security, and feedback channels.

Here’s how our scores compare to our original certification in 2018.

Section 2018 2021 Difference
Governance 10.5 17 +6.5
Workers 30.4 35.5 +5.1
Environment 3.6 12.7 +9.1
Community 28.6 24.1 -4.5
Customers 7.3 10.9 +3.6
TOTAL 80.4 100.3 19.9

 

How We Did It

It’s tough to quantify all the actions, big and small, that contributed to our improvement over the last three years. Many folks contributed to this big accomplishment—we couldn’t have done it without the support of our team members, leadership, and community partners.

Here are just a few of the actions we took to improve our scores in each category.

Governance

  • Mission lock: We implemented an Impact Business Model that’s intentionally designed to create a positive outcome for our customers. 

Environment

  • New, environment-friendly policies: We put carbon offsets, composting, low-flow fixtures, and work from home sustainability resources in place to focus our efforts on environmental impact.

Community

  • A revamped pro bono program: During the pandemic, we took the opportunity to refresh our pro bono program to support more nonprofit organizations that align with our SDGs of focus, including gender equity, racial equity, climate action, access to food and clean water, affordable housing, and justice and peace. 

Workers

  • Role progressions: We developed career roadmaps for all roles at the company.
  • Compensation: We implemented an equitable compensation adjustment plan with the help of an external consultant. 
  • Remote work: We introduced remote work and work-from-home options to support employees during the pandemic. We will remain a remote-first organization for ultimate employee flexibility.

Customers

  • Renewed commitment to in-need populations: In 2021, our pro bono program specifically served in-need populations in the Portland, Oregon area and supported an organization that helps employ individuals who have been traditionally excluded from employment. We do our best work when we can provide results for clients who are purpose-driven and prioritize the triple bottom line.

Next Steps

We’re committing to a 126% increase in resources to support our social impact efforts in 2022 compared to 2021. We will continue to improve our score based on the B Lab assessment but will also incorporate initiatives that align with the UN’s SDGs. 

Specifically, we will:

  • Explore ethical marketing and the future of paid media platforms.
  • Donate $36,000 worth of pro bono services annually to 501c3 organizations. 
  • Continue to partner with vendors who are minority owned or led, women owned or led, LGBTQIA+ owned or led and companies who commit to sustainable business practices, fair wages, and benefits.
  • Hire people who have been traditionally excluded from employment (undocumented, refugees, incarcerated).
  • Dedicate resources to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to ensure that all systems, policies, and practices are built with this foundation at the center.
  • Conduct annual volunteer time off (VTO) challenges with 100% team member participation.
  • Forge meaningful B Corp partnerships to make an impact on three SDG initiatives.
  • Offset 100% of our carbon footprint.
  • Source client and team gifts that meet our sustainability criteria.

The Best Digital Marketing Agency for the World

Our true north is to be a force for good for our employees, our partners, and customers, as well as the world at large. This is our focus as we plan future priorities to expand our impact. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we’re only getting started. Want to learn more? Fill out our form or send us an email.