French vegetable processor Bonduelle, whose wholly owned subsidiary Bonduelle Fresh Americas markets the Ready Pac Foods brand, has joined three other companies in establishing the B Movement Builders initiative.
B Movement Builders must be committed to the principles of the B Corp. community, according to a news release. Certified B Corporations undergo a certification process to ensure they meet standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability to balance profit and purpose, according to https://bcorporation.net/about-b-corps.
“We hope that we will embark more multinational companies in this movement, emphasizing the necessity and importance to have a clear governance with a strong and powerful alignment from shareholders to management to associates and stakeholders,” Guillaume Debrosse, CEO of Bonduelle, said in the release. “Business can be a powerful force of positive change and collective commitment. Doing good is no longer a nice to have but a must do.”
The other founding members of B Movement Builders are:
- Gerdau, a steel manufacturer based in Sao Paulo, Brazil;
- Givaudan, a multi-national manufacturer of flavors, fragrances and cosmetic ingredients, based in Vernier, Switzerland; and
- Magalu (Magazine Luiza), a Brazilian retailer with more than a thousand stores.
All members have at least $1 billion (U.S.) in revenue, and “are committed to the principles of the B Corp. movement as well as company-level actions and collective actions that bring these principles to life,” according to the release.
B Movement Builders are screened for eligibility and B Lab’s independent Standards Advisory Council will oversee their participation in the initiative, according to the release.
“We are proud to be a founding member of this progressive movement, reinforcing our commitment to be a successful, purpose-led company using business as a force for good,” Givaudan CEO Gilles Andrier said in the release.
