We just passed B Corp’s rigorous assessment the third time running.: Here’s why we do it.

At Raisely, purpose before profit is baked into our constitution as a social enterprise. A lot of businesses talk about ‘purpose’, but talk is cheap. Let us show you how being a B Corp makes us different.

Since 2015, we have been a certified B Corp. 2021 called for us to recertify for the third time, and go through another rigorous assessment.

This year, we received our highest score yet, with the most growth seen in the stewardship of our customers 🎉

How did we do it? Read on to find out: why we continue to be a B Corp, how we increased our score, our social impact, and what’s next.

What is B Corp and why did we recertify?

You can read all about this in a previous blog, but the long and the short of it is, B Corp Certification is the only certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance. The B Impact Assessment evaluates how your company’s operations and business model impact all your stakeholders, not just your shareholders. B Corp Certification proves your business is meeting the highest standards of verified performance.

So why did we recertify for the third time?

While our mission and company have evolved a little since our first certification in 2015, we’re committed to our social impact more than ever.; We build Raisely to improve the wellbeing of people and the planet.

We take our impact seriously.

The vast majority of our customers are charities. Charities are held to an incredibly high standard of accountability by the law, and by their donors. It’s only right we hold ourselves to a similar standard. Because ultimately, scrutiny and the B Corp assessment make us a better company.

We want to build a product that makes a difference in the world, and we want our business to have an impact too.

How did we increase our score?

To become #BCorpCertified, businesses are assessed by B Lab. Requiring a minimum score of 80/200 to certify, B Corp acts as an accountability buddy for businesses, ensuring they talk the talk and walk the walk.

From 2017-2021, our B Impact Score increased from 90.3 → 108.7. The main contributor of this was in our Customer Impact Area, which scored the highest across all five categories (Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and, Customers) with 39.3 points out of a possible 40.

We received additional points as our impact business model focuses on delivering a specific positive outcome for our customers. In the last year, we have worked with over 900+ organisations who are fundraising in all sorts of ways for a better world. This has been across climate, environment, disability, equality, human rights, international development and, health.

We reviewed the charities that use Raisely, and tried to understand where the money they raise goes. We found, and B Impact verified, that the majority of fundraising on Raisely benefits organizations that serve low-income traditionally underserved populations.

What is our impact?

💚 When we talk about impact, we are evaluating the impact of our company’s operations and business model for our team, community, environment, and customers.

Let’s take a closer look at our overall impact.

60%

of the money raised on Raisely in 2020 was directed to underserved populations based on the category of that organisation's work.

40%

of the money raised on Raisely in 2020 was directed to benefit developing economies.

56%

of our funds raised were for causes working towards SDG 1.4 by ensuring equal rights to economic resources, basic services, natural resources, finance, etc.

64%

of funds raised went to organisations working towards SDG 10.2 who empower or promote social, economic, and/or political inclusion for an underserved population.

What's next?

We’re not stopping here, and there’s plenty more we can do to be a better business. On our radar are things like more civic engagement, going beyond net-zero in our fight to protect this planet, and ensuring the health and wellness of our team are always at the forefront 💪🏻💪🏼💪🏽💪🏾

From a product perspective, we’re investing heavily in making Raisely the best platform for fundraising online, for all the charities who use our product – even those locked out of other tools. For us, that means more templates, and more best-practice experiences built ready to go when you sign up.

Lastly, we’ve kicked off our 2021 carbon audit. We were proud to go net-zero last year, but each year we need to check our footprint and offset our emissions – so we’re onto that next.