17 Sport News
We are proud to announce that 17 Sport is now a certified B Corporation. It is an honor to join this growing movement, legally committed to using our businesses as a force for good. Currently there are 4,621 B Corp companies across 78 countries worldwide, including household names such as Danone, Patagonia, and TOMS.
“We need an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet. Let’s use business as a force for good.” - B Corp UK
Benefit For All
Founded in 2020, 17 Sport exists to use the power of sport to build a positive future for the world. Our name is inspired by the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and is anchored to SDG 17 and our profound belief in the power of partnerships.
“At 17 Sport, we know that the business of sport has immense untapped potential to build a fairer world for all. The starting point is cleaning up our own house — and that starts with our own operations,” said 17 Sport Co-founder Neill Duffy. “Being certified as a B Corporation crystallizes our commitment to not only helping our clients deliver on social, environmental, and commercial goals, but also to operate our business at the highest standards, and in a way that benefits all.”
Passionate Responsibility
Why did we commit to becoming a certified B Corporation? We believe that the buck stops with us. We embrace our personal responsibility to our goals. and our shared goals for the planet and society. We must walk the walk. We believe that doing good is not mutually exclusive to doing well. In fact, we believe that the most successful organizations in the near future will be the ones solving some of the issues that the world is facing.
“We believe that placing purpose and impact alongside profit will lead to sustained business growth that enriches our world. It’s about moving doing good from the fringes of your organization or project to the center of everything you do. Following the B Corp pathway is us bringing this belief to life,” added 17 Sport Co-founder Fabien Paget.
A Purpose Challenge
Anyone that has undertaken the B Impact Assessment knows that it is a painstaking and meticulous process, and herein lies the value - and the challenge - of becoming certified.
Our unique set up - whilst bringing a wealth of experience and diversity in viewpoints - makes calculating certain metrics tricky that would typically be more simple in a more “traditional” company setup. As a global, remote team spread between 7 countries across 3 continents, our mix of office setups makes it almost impossible to accurately calculate office water and energy use, and waste production. This made it a challenge to account for our environmental impact, despite our commitment to calculating, reducing, and offsetting individual team member carbon emissions. We drive a lot of impact through our services and client work, but recognise we can certainly improve in many areas of our operations.
A Powerful Ongoing Positive Commitment
B Corp is an ongoing journey, and the work is not over. “Becoming B Corp certified is a way for us to remain accountable”, explained Halina Myers, 17 Sport Creative Director and lead on the B Corp certification process. “It is a rigorous process. Knowing our strengths and weaknesses, and having a roadmap to improve, will help us continue to do the work, embed best practice into our day-to-day culture, and push us to live our values and our purpose as a business.”
Becoming B Corp certified is the first step. 17 Sport commits to improving our score, maintaining our certification - ultimately to have genuine and sustainable impact, for our employees, our partners in the sports industry, and the world beyond. And that surely is all that matters.
FAQs
What is a B Corp?
A B Corporation, or B Corp, is a for-profit company that meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. A B Corp is legally required to consider the impact of their business decisions on all stakeholders, including communities and the environment. Ultimately a certified B Corp is committed to using their business as a force for good. Learn more about the movement here: “Everything you need to know about B Lab and the B Corp Movement.”
What is the BIA?
The B Impact Assessment is a tool any business can use to measure its impact. It includes more traditional metrics but also in-depth assessment of impact on your workers, community, environment, and customers. Over 100,000 companies have used this tool, and it is widely recognized as one of the most credible impact assessments globally. Start your B Corp journey here: B Impact Assessment.
Who is 17 Sport?
17 Sport is an impact company operating at the intersection of sports, business and purpose. We provide strategy, partnership, implementation, and measurement services to transformational leaders in sport and business committed to forging a better tomorrow for people and planet. Check out our B Corp profile here.
