Follow the Camino has joined the inaugural Cork B Corp Gathering at the Dean Hotel in Cork city centre. B Corp companies Change By Degrees, Climeaction, and Otonomee supported the event. The gathering brought together like-minded organisations to use their experience and expertise to shape their sectors and raise the sustainability ambitions of entrepreneurs and stakeholders.
The internationally recognised B Lab certifies B Corp status. This certificate designates that an enterprise meets high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency. This is assessed on factors ranging from charitable giving to sustainable supply chain practices to the reduction of operational waste. B Lab shows there are now 7,700+ B Corp organisations employing 690,000 people in 92 countries. In Ireland, there are 45 B Corps (including Follow the Camino) and the nation has one of the world’s fastest-growing communities.
Talks were on a range of topics, including protecting the environment, building communities, and creating more transparent governance structures. Panellists included leaders from notable Irish B Corps such as Ballyhass Adventure Group, Danone, Gaia Talent, OPTEL Group, and OCEANR.
Madeleine Murray, CPO and Co-Founder of host company Change by Degrees, said: “B Corp companies are on a pathway to continuous improvement and part of an international community of more than 8,000 companies measuring and managing their impact on the global economy to benefit all people.”
Marcello Palazzi, Keynote Speaker and Co-Founder of B Lab Europe, added to this in his closing remarks, “We have the power to change things more than we think…we [B Corp companies] have an opportunity to do more than just offer good jobs, but also to change society as a whole.”
Follow the Camino plans use the learnings from the Cork B Corp Gathering to achieve three goals. First, making operations in Ireland more sustainable. Second, sharing knowledge of B Corp best practices with partners in Spain, France, Portugal and beyond. Lastly, supporting our health and eco-conscious walking community.