Secret Smokehouse becomes a Certified B Corporation
The fish curer & smoker from Hackney, London, becomes first smokehouse in the world to join the growing movement of companies using business as a force for good.
London, 9th July 2024 — Secret Smokehouse has today announced its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp), the first fish curing & smoking smokehouse in the world to join a growing movement of companies that are reinventing business for the benefit of all people and our shared planet. Verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, the achievement demonstrates that Secret Smokehouse meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability alongside a commitment to goals beyond shareholder value. Becoming a B corp, follows last year’s move to use land based salmon, and another step in its journey to lead the way in sustainable practises in the industry.
B Corp Certification assesses the entirety of a business’ operations and currently covers five main impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, with companies required to reach a score of 80 points in the B Impact Assessment while providing evidence of responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency. A business must also legally embedded their commitment to purpose as well as profit in their company articles.
Secret Smokehouse is now part of a growing community of over 8,000 businesses globally that have certified as B Corps. The B Corp community in the UK is one of the largest and fastest-growing in the world, with over 1,700 companies spanning a range of different industries and sizes. Names include The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely, The Big Issue, Finisterre, Elemis, and Sipsmith Gin.
Max Bergius, Founder and Owner of Secret Smokehouse, says:
“Being the first smokehouse in the world to become part of the B Corp community is hugely exciting and I am very proud of the team and our constant pursuit to be the best at what we do. It is a great testament to our commitment and hard work into doing business differently. With this move, we hope we can inspire others to put their ESG’s on top of their agenda and help us improve the industry practises as well as educate consumers.”
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, says:
“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community — from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that positive impact is possible in any sector. Welcoming Secret Smokehouse is an exciting moment for the fish smoking and curing industry. B Lab UK and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased that Secret Smokehouse is paving the way for a new way of doing things.”
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For further information please contact: teresa@secretsmokehouse.co.uk
About Secret Smokehouse: Fish curers & smokers from Hackney, producing the finest handcrafted oak smoked salmon, trout, haddock, kippers, fish pies, fish cakes and patés. Founded in 2016, and keen to stay true to the original ethos and techniques from the West Coast of Scotland and London’s previous generations of smokers, Secret Smokehouse have honed its skills to produce the absolute best handcrafted oak smoked fish to the highest standards possible for Michelin Star chefs, top restaurants and hotels. Since its inception, the business has grown significantly and today smokes salmon, trout, kippers and haddock as well as provide ready-to-eat delicatessen from its production arch & shop in London’s Hackney. The team supplies some of the best in British food in London and has a brilliantly loyal customer base both in shop and online. www.secretsmokehouse.co.uk
About B Lab: B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 730,000 workers in over 8,000 B Corps across 95 countries and 162 industries. More than 280,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager. B Lab has created and led efforts to pass over 50 corporate statutes globally that enable stakeholder governance, with over 10,000 companies using the legal framework. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net.
About B Lab UK: As part of this global non-profit network, B Lab UK’s purpose is to redefine success in business through building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp movement and influencing change in the UK economy. Find out more.
About B Corp Certification: B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. B Corps recertify every three years and once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive and regenerative businesses.
B Lab Contact: media@bcorporation.uk