For the past nine years, Sponge has proudly been a certified B Corp.

We certified in late 2016, recertified twice, and have passionately spoken about how much the movement, the people, and the intention behind it have meant to us.

Being a very active participant, an advocate really, of a global community of businesses committed to doing better has shaped our work, our culture, and our standards.

So this decision hasn’t been easy.

But after a lot of reflection, we’ve chosen not to recertify this time.

Not because we’ve stepped away from purpose.
Not because we’ve stopped caring about impact.
And certainly not because we’ve lost faith in business as a force for good.

Quite the opposite.

Our Purpose Hasn’t Changed

What many people don’t know is that our commitment to purpose began with a very specific moment.

In 2015, I was confronted with the true cost of fast fashion. The raw reality of human and environmental damage embedded in that business model. It stopped me in my tracks. It brought me to tears. And it forced a hard reckoning with the kind of work I was willing to do in the world.

That moment reshaped Sponge.

We let go of clients.
We rebuilt the business from the ground up.
And we anchored everything to a simple line in the sand:

We would no longer work with businesses that were about maximising profit at all costs.

That conviction is what led us to B Corp in the first place.

Holding Out for the New Standards

Over the past year, we deliberately held out on recertification.

Not because we were disengaged, but because we were hopeful.

Hopeful about the new standards.
Hopeful about where the movement was heading.
Hopeful that B Corp would continue raising the bar in ways that aligned with why we joined.

And in many ways, we still are hopeful.

But as the shift to the new standards drew near, some new certifications included business models that fundamentally conflict with the very moment that defined our purpose, so we had to pause.

For us, this wasn’t about scoring, compliance, or thresholds.
It was about alignment.

We simply can’t share a certification standard with business models that directly contradict the reason we committed to purpose in the first place.

That doesn’t make others “wrong”.
It just means this is where our line sits.

This Is Not a Rejection of the Movement

It’s important to be very clear about this.

We hold deep respect for B Lab, for the people behind it, and for the thousands of businesses genuinely doing good work under the B Corp banner.

We won’t be writing critique pieces.
We won’t be taking public shots.
And we won’t be questioning the integrity of others.

Movements evolve. Standards evolve. And so do businesses.

This decision was made quietly, thoughtfully, and without animosity.

And the door remains open.

Business for Good Is Bigger Than One Badge

What does matter to us is continuing the work.

That means:

• Continuing our Double the Goodness Grant, which reinvests directly into impact-driven organisations
• Continuing to grow the GoodNorth community and events
• Continuing to gather, support, and amplify purpose-led leaders
• Continuing to advocate for Business for Good, not as a trend, but as a responsibility

Those initiatives aren’t going anywhere.

If anything, they’re becoming more important.

We’ll Keep Looking for the Right Standards

Certifications matter. Accountability matters. External benchmarks matter.

So we’ll continue to explore certifications and standards that align with our values, including B Corp again in the future, when the standards fully reflect the business models we believe should define “better business.”

This isn’t a goodbye.

It’s a pause.

And it’s a commitment to integrity over convenience.

Because at the end of the day, purpose isn’t proven by a logo.
It’s proven by the choices you make when alignment gets uncomfortable.

We remain unapologetically in service of Business for Good.

Always.

P.S. This was personally one of the most difficult decisions I have had to work through.

Warmly
LF