Want to make ethical choices easier with brands making a positive impact? B Corp certification sets the global standard for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Hear from Lucy Butler, HealthPost Values Lead, who shares how you can make a positive difference through purchasing with purpose, and her favourite B Corp brands leading the way.
Congratulations on reaching HealthPost’s one-year anniversary as a B Corp, how would you describe the journey to get here?
As an ethical retailer of 350+ different brands, it was a big and involved process for us to become a certified B Corporation.
It took us a full 15 months, and we learned a lot along the way. We had already done a heap of work on supply chain and transparency, customer stewardship and environmental sustainability, and this stood us in good stead.
Deeply engaging with B Corp’s Business Impact Assessment process gave us lots of pointers to international best practices which we’re still integrating into our business and will continue to be guided by.
What does B Corp mean to the HealthPost community, and you personally?
It’s powerful for our team, customers, and supply partners to know that we’re committed to independent assessment of our business practices.
We have an ethical leadership position in the natural products industry in Aotearoa, and with that comes the responsibility to keep raising the bar and holding ourselves accountable.
B Corp gives us a clear path to do this, to measure our impact and keep improving. We really value being part of a community of businesses that are doing things better – there is great knowledge sharing and inspiration here.
What’s been the biggest learning as a B Corp business?
There’s so much overlap in the challenges we’re trying to solve as businesses in this rapidly changing and challenging environment – we can’t do it alone, and we don’t need to.
A big learning for us has been to reach out, say what we’re working on, and draw lessons from others’ experience.
People are so generous about sharing their knowledge, as we’re all working to make things better in our different ways. It is a lovely antidote to the more competitive mindset that has dominated business for decades.
Why do you think consumers should choose to support B Corp brands?
Having now been through the B Corp certification process first-hand, it is even more meaningful to me as a consumer.
I’m very impressed when I see that a brand is a certified B Corp and I want to support them because I know how much work is involved!
Any B Corp business has put a huge amount of time and energy into getting a 360-degree perspective on how well they’re doing for people and planet and has committed to considering a range of stakeholders in decision making, including customers, team and the environment.
It’s a way forward that we as consumers can know that our purchase is part of making a positive impact, and in a world of rife greenwashing, that’s powerful.
Tell us about HealthPost’s commitment to responsible product sourcing?
Before stocking any new products, we thoroughly ETHICS-check and assess them according to our industry-leading ethical, environmental, and ingredient standards.
We often lead conversations with supply partners about their ingredients, sourcing, and practices – and are grateful to have helped inform many positive changes across the industry, including changes to brands’ packaging, formulations, and their supply chain transparency.
It’s about information sharing and supporting each other to do things better, recognising that there are no perfect choices.
That said, there are a lot of ingredients and practices that are a 'no' for us. We recently made the decision to remove krill oil products, for example, due to detrimental impacts on the Southern Ocean ecosystem.
We regularly review and improve our standards, to meet the needs of our changing world, and to better reflect our customers' values.
What would you share with someone just starting out on their ethical shopping journey?
Be clear about what matters most to you, and choose brands that share these values, ideally backed by independent certifications like B Corp.
No one can do it all, so start with what you care most about and go from there.
If in doubt, look for transparent product information: if a product lacks a full ingredient list, for example, or appears to be overstating its claims, that’s a sign to dig further – don’t be afraid to ask the important questions as this encourages brands to do better by showing them that you care.
What B Corp products do you love and use every day?
1. BioBalance Liposomal B Complex
A trail blazer of the B Corp movement here in NZ - as the first B Corp supplement brand in Australasia, BioBalance has a strong focus on ethical sourcing, and this Liposomal B is brilliant. I take it first thing in the morning, and it really helps with my energy levels.
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2. Ethical Nutrients Mega Magnesium
I take this at the end of each day, and it supports my sleep quality throughout the night. I admire Ethical Nutrients for being one of the first sustainable supplement brands in Aotearoa to become a B Corp.
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3. Goodbye Ouch Manuka Balm
This is such a great all-rounder and I always have it in my handbag. Goodbye Ouch give back to Oceans Watch and make products with so much care and integrity.
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4. Bennetto Chocolate
This generous B Corp gives its profits to Forest and Bird! And their chocolate is well-priced, delicious, and gorgeously packaged with images of the native birds they work to protect. Bennetto are one of a particularly strong community of B Corps based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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5. Weleda Skin Food
Weleda have been such pioneers of ethical beauty and natural wellbeing. They are an inspiring B Corp partner for us, and I personally swear by their products. Skin food is just what my hands need after a session in the garden for sure.
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6. Chia Sisters Tonic
Love Chia Sisters! They have done so much for ethical business in our region of Nelson-Tasman, and they work actively to inspire and support other businesses (small and large!) to raise the bar. This tonic is so tasty and helps keep the bugs away.
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7. Ethique Flash Stain Remover
Another true leader from the South Island, Ethique have had an impact on ethical business worldwide. This stain remover bar is so effective, and we can thank it for saving many of the kids’ clothes over the years!
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What’s ahead for HealthPost’s B Corp journey?
We’re expanding our focus on people and community this year.
We have recently introduced a volunteering policy, inspired by other B Corps, to support our team to help out in our community and to encourage team participation in the charitable projects we have underway, like our work regenerating biodiversity through the HealthPost Nature Trust.
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