Montanya Distillers, a Certified B Corporation, has been named a Best For The World™ B Corp in recognition of its performance beyond commercial success. Montanya Distillers ranks in the top 5% of all B Corps in its size group worldwide for its environmentally sustainable business practices. The American craft rum distillery earned this honor because of initiatives such as using Cradle to Cradle glass, sourcing American sugar cane from a family co-op that operates sustainably, and using 100% wind power to run its Tasting Room and distilling operations. Since the distillery’s certification in 2018, it has also become certified plastic neutral and has installed an onsite biodigester.
“From the beginning, I wanted to create a business I could be proud of when I spoke to my own sons. I couldn’t be responsible for degrading the environment they will inherit,” noted Karen Hoskin, Montanya Distiller’s founder and owner, in a press release. “I wanted to create a business that put people, the environment and social responsibility on equal footing with growth and profit. Historically, the rum and spirits industries have had a poor track record regarding environmental and human impact, so I knew I had to change that narrative for Montanya. I’ve always believed business could be a force for good. It’s exciting, yet often challenging, to build an international rum company that demonstrates that the environment and community don’t need to suffer at the expense of success.”
The Best for the World recognition is administered by B Lab, the global nonprofit network that certifies and mobilizes Certified B Corporations, which are for-profit companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Today there are more than 4,000 Certified B Corporations across 77 countries and 153 industries, unified by one common goal: transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.
B Corps meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. The B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it—like Montanya Distillers. Using the B Impact Assessment, B Lab evaluates how a company’s operations and business model impact its workers, community, environment, and customers. To achieve the B Corp Certification, a company must achieve a score of at least 80 points on the assessment. Montanya Distillers has a score of 119 and is recertifying this year as part of a continued commitment to doing better.
“Best for the World is a special program for the B Corp community, and we’re thrilled to resume it after pausing the program in 2020 due to COVID-19,” said Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global. “This year’s Best for the World companies are operating at the very top of their class, excelling in creating positive impact for their stakeholders, including their workers, communities, customers, and the environment. We’re proud of the community of stakeholder-driven businesses we’ve cultivated over the last 15 years; together we’re marching toward our collective vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.”
More than 800 B Corps from more than 50 countries were named to the 2021 Best for the World lists, including 4G Capital, KeepCup, Natura, The Big Issue Group, TOMS, Too Good To Go, and Patagonia. The 2021 Best for the World lists are determined based on the verified B Impact Assessments of Certified B Corporations. The full lists are available on https://bcorporation.net/.