Each year, Earth Day is observed worldwide on April 22. The holiday not only serves to celebrate nature and all that it offers, but also to raise awareness for pressing environmental issues. Earth Day is the largest secular observance in the world, honored by more than a billion people every year.
As a company with philanthropy at the heart of our mission, Beyond is proud to work with cause driven businesses. One such business, The Refill Shoppe, is committed to running a clean company. In March, we highlighted owner, Michelle Stevens, in honor of International Women’s Day.
Today, as we celebrate Earth Day, we’re exploring a bit more about The Refill Shoppe, and how Stevens found a way to give back to the Earth and use her company as a force for good.
The Refill Shoppe
Located in downtown Ventura, CA, The Refill Shoppe is an eco-conscious store challenging the standards of consumerism. The Shoppe allows customers to help reduce waste in a fun and personal way, by offering quality bath, body, home, and cleaning liquids in bulk. Customers can refill their own bottle or one of the many the store carries with the contents of their choice. Offering everything from shampoo and bubble bath to laundry detergent and window cleaner, most products can be personalized by adding fragrances and essential oils. Since its opening in July 2010, the store has refilled over 30,000 containers.
Becoming a B Corp
While the mission of the Refill Shoppe is inherently eco-friendly, Stevens took it a step further in 2015 by becoming a Certified B Corporation. B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. The nearly 3,000 B Corps around the world form a community that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.
For Stevens, being a company that has a triple bottom line—profit, people, and the planet—continually challenges her to think about how the store is affecting the environment, her community, her employees, and her customers.
Becoming a B Corp isn’t easy. The certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service; it assesses the overall positive impact of the company that stands behind it. Interested businesses must undergo a rigorous assessment of their impact on everything from employees to the environment. Stevens noted that while the application process was demanding, she was honored to join the ranks of other B Corps and would highly encourage other businesses to take the plunge.
“Becoming a Certified B Corporation is intense, but it’s such an authentic way to make it very clear what kind of company you are,” Stevens said.
1% for the Planet
Similar to Beyond, The Refill Shoppe also has a philanthropic mission at its core. Since the very first day the business opened its doors, The Refill Shoppe has been a member of 1% for the Planet—a registered nonprofit inspiring businesses and individuals to support environmental solutions through annual membership and everyday action. As a member of the organization, The Refill Shoppe can easily donate 1% of all sales directly to environmental nonprofits every month.
Through 1% for the Planet, The Refill Shoppe has partnered with organizations like The Nature Conservancy, the World Wide Fund for Nature, and the Environmental Defense Center. As a company with giving back at the core of our identity, Beyond is proud to work with The Refill Shoppe as they continue making a positive impact.
If you’re a business owner looking to make your company a little eco-friendlier, remember that small changes can have a big impact. Whether it’s encouraging your customers to use reusable bags, or simply tracking your energy use to gain awareness, there’s a lot we can do to make our businesses more environmentally conscious. Identify what’s important to you and your business when it comes to being green and make small changes that can last beyond Earth Day.
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