Cabaïa is now a B corporation!
After becoming a mission-based company in 2021, launching 100% recycled collections and offering second-hand bags for sale, we are proud to join the B Corp™ movement today by officially becoming B certified®!
Obtaining this B Corp™ label means proving to you that we are committed to high social and environmental standards, while at the same time being committed to progress and transparency on these issues.
Does this still sound obscure to you? You see this term everywhere, but you don't understand what it means?
We let Amandine, our product manager, buyer and responsible for the ecoresponsibility of our products, tell you more in this article!
Cabaïa joins the B Corp movement... But what does that mean?
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Amandine, and I am the product manager for luggage, a buyer, but also responsible for the eco-responsibility of our products! I am the one who coordinates all the products we are going to develop and who is in daily contact with our suppliers. Negotiating, ensuring that deadlines are met, finding the rare pearl in recycled materials... That's what my daily challenges are! At the same time, I am also in charge of reducing the carbon footprint of our products as much as possible.
What does B corp mean?
It's several things at once! B Corp™ is a French and international community of impact companies, a tool for steering and measuring impact, as well as a label that certifies companies that meet high social and environmental standards.
Okay, that's all well and good on paper, but in concrete terms, what does it mean when we say that Cabaïa is a certified B company?
It means that we have been able to prove to an independent organization that we are committed to a positive approach in favor of fairer social and environmental standards. This is a guarantee of quality, because this certification is one of the hardest to obtain! It is not enough to pay a fee to obtain this label, the process is long, demanding and very strict.
How does the certification process work?
It is very long... First, we had to answer a questionnaire, then submit an ultra-complete file to justify each of our commitments and measures taken. Then, there were several rounds between us and B Corp to dig into the answers given and to ask for new proof of what we were saying... In total, we had to answer 264 questions. And for each answer given, it is imperative to have a proof, or we might lose points! This can be invoices, certificates, salary slips, documents such as codes of conduct... The goal is to avoid empty words and measures without real basis. That's why it took us two years to get this label. In short, after two years of hard work, Cabaïa has managed to obtain a score of 92.9, knowing that a minimum of 80 points is required to be certified.
"For each answer given, it is imperative to have a proof, or we might lose points! This can be invoices, certificates, salary slips, documents such as codes of conduct... The goal is to avoid empty words and measures without real basis."
What are Cabaïa's commitments?
1) To raise awareness of environmental issues among the current generation and to encourage eco-friendly behavior! For example, since 2021, we regularly organize a second-hand sale of our backpacks. We also guarantee our bags for life, because we encourage the long life cycle of the products rather than a replacement at all costs.
2) Design sustainable products. This means working with eco-responsible materials, whether they are recycled, vegan or organic. Without compromising on quality and durability! This is my daily work.
3) To protect animals and actively support the improvement of their living conditions. 98% of Cabaïa accessories are EVE Vegan certified and each year, a part of our profits are entirely donated to the Société Protectrice des Animaux. ( A french Society for Animals protection).
4) Protecting the planet and reducing our carbon footprint. We have calculated and communicated our carbon footprint on our website. It is also for this commitment that we no longer use airplanes to transport goods, and we work with carbon-neutral delivery services.
What will the team remember from these two years of work?
When we submitted our application in 2020, we were so far from imagining what an obstacle course it would be... But we came out of it so much better! We had to take many actions internally with our employees and be more demanding with our suppliers to meet the requirements of this certification. In short, we have only positive things to show for it.
" Cabaïa a réussi à obtenir la note de 92,9 sachant qu'il faut avoir minimum 80 points pour être certifié !"
And then, what's the next step?
The next step is to reduce our carbon emissions even more, to have an in-house backpack repair workshop and to make sure that 80% of our products are 100% recycled (today, we are at about 50%). Once again, these are not empty words: every three years, we will be audited to check if we have made progress on these commitments. If not, we will lose the certification!
And now, we leave you, we are going to celebrate the certification with the team!
If you want to know more, we invite you to discover our commitments, read the article about our certifications and our means of transport.
And if you want to know more about B Corp and the certified companies, go to their official website!
