Where Conscious Style Meets Purpose
Womenswear brand Nobody’s Child wanted expert support not only on B Corp requirements but in the implementation of the changes needed both internally and with its supply chain. As experts both in the B Corp standards and in closing impact gaps, Greenheart was chosen to support the internal Nobody’s Child team as it embarked on this process.
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London-based Nobody’s Child was founded in 2015. It creates clothing made from carefully selected materials at accessible prices, and is known for its commitment to trust and transparency, especially when it comes to its supply chain. Since its inception, its values and purpose have driven business decisions and B Corp certification was the next natural step.
The goal: building on existing wins towards B Corp success
Nobody’s Child approached Greenheart wanting to become a B Corp and looking for a partner who could go beyond simply advising on the certification requirements. The team wanted to work alongside consultants who could help implement the actions required across a range of technical areas including in their complex supply chain. In addition, Nobody’s Child wanted to ensure their impact partner could understand and integrate all the excellent work that had already been completed with its supply chain, across internal teams and other stakeholders to avoid duplication or redoing work.
What we did: beyond advice to action
As Nobody’s Child’s B Corp and Impact partner, Greenheart worked closely with the sustainability team to:
- review its current status against the B Corp standards and develop a detailed analysis of gaps across all areas
- develop an improvement plan with the Nobody’s Child team, integrating existing work and in-flight projects
- provide hands-on expertise in implementing the recommended actions as well as support their internal project manager with stakeholder updates and progress reports
- offer technical expertise in a range of impact areas including our in-house environmental and social experts advising on and supporting the delivery of key projects, such as a holistic value chain map and Environmental Management System (EMS) implementation
- conduct its gender pay gap analysis
- formalise policies and processes
The outcome: set up to go further
Nobody’s Child is now a certified B Corp, with an established suite of foundational processes and systems that are able to support the brand as their business and sustainability efforts grow even further. Due to the robust and engaged process the company has been through with Greenheart, the Nobody’s Child team is set up for creating even more positive impact going forwards.
Additionally, the templates and mentoring support we provided enabled Nobody’s Child to implement an EMS in line with ISO14001 standard requirements. This included a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of the business, objectives and targets, procedures and data monitoring.
This process enabled the company to truly understand the environmental impact of the business and to put clear, practical plans in place to reduce its negative impact and further increase their positive impact across the board.
Overall deliverables
The main focus of this relationship so far has been to support Nobody’s Child on its B Corp journey. Beyond that, we were able to deliver a range of other outputs, including:
- An EMS in line with B Corp and ISO14001
- A full Environmental Impact assessment and support, setting meaningful action plans and targets
- Conducting value chain hotspotting against key indicators
- Analysing supplier data to gain valuable insights
- Conducting a high-level impact and risk analysis of tier 1 manufacturers
- A gender pay gap analysis
- Guiding the brand on how to complete an impact materiality assessment and a theory of change;
- Numerous other policies and processes
Moments that mattered
Developing Nobody’s Child’s Environmental Management System was a real turning point for the business to manage their own direct operational impact. Suddenly, it could see potential opportunities for improvement that had been hidden in plain sight. Those insights have since shaped clear improvement plans, with measurable progress:
- Water tracking information in the EMS identified a water leak at one of the stores which they are now able to work with the water company on fixing
- Through analysing waste data the brand can hone in on and resolve any issues of high waste generation at stores
- Fully understanding the environmental impacts of key business decisions – for example, plans for moving to a super energy-efficient head office with a living roof!
What did Nobody's Child say about us?
"Greenheart has been fantastic to work with. The expert team quickly proved themselves to be integral to our project. Throughout the project, they have creatively engaged stakeholders, delivered wonderful briefs and resources, and tailored the working style to align with us. With Greenheart's guidance, we have learned a lot, elevated elements of our strategy, and had fun along the way. Thank you Greenheart"
Philippa Grogan, Sustainability Lead, Nobody's Child
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