B Corp status

I know the club either have this or are working towards it.
Interesting BBC article about it here:
BBC News - 'We turned down a client to uphold gay rights'
[url]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65173246[/url]

Saw this earlier, really struggling to see anything bad about it…

Quoted from aldi_01

Saw this earlier, really struggling to see anything bad about it…

Same!

Quoted from aldi_01

Saw this earlier, really struggling to see anything bad about it…

I can! "Loss of sales, Can't focus on the business due to the amount of time trying to get it and then maintaining it, increased costs."

Really?  At this stage of our development?

This is the complete opposite of Fenty, on a different stratosphere in fact, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good thing. These owners seem to have their own pet issues of sustainability and other buzz words and seem to be looking at anyone else through those rose tinted specs.

You can have an underlying ethos of fairness and empathy, of good business dealings and being good with people and transparent with fans, but this B Corp seems an unnecessary step too far. It seems more like a pet project and a feather in the owners collective caps than necessarily good for the club.

I would have put 100% of effort time and money into all the fixable problems for the next few years, and then look at this later on.

They obviously take a different view but they are already esteemed business people who will naturally gravitate to other decent people and vice versa so I am struggling to see why they are so keen on it. Business people, fans, managers and players all have faults and it seems they might be fishing in a smaller pond on the altar of B Corp accreditation.

It won't affect your average fan I don't suppose but is an interesting topic on philosophy and the order of priorities.

I think it’s just another aspect of the reinvention of the town. Everything is pointing towards sustainability and Green energy. This goes hand in hand with that. I’m pretty sure they know what they’re doing.

We're not a marketing company so are unlikely to be turning down much business. Potential investment from handchoppers or other despotic petro-regimes is somewhat unlikely so I don't think that is anything that needs to be worried about.

Ultimately, we're talking about a small annual fee for the B Corp status itself, promising to treat our staff well and the administration costs of the application. Doesn't seem overly onerous to me.

Not as if we're closing down the Main Stand because we're spending the money on the B Corp application and won't have any left for maintenance work.

Nice little earner for top bods at B Lab probably  

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I can! "Loss of sales, Can't focus on the business due to the amount of time trying to get it and then maintaining it, increased costs."

Really?  At this stage of our development?

This is the complete opposite of Fenty, on a different stratosphere in fact, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good thing. These owners seem to have their own pet issues of sustainability and other buzz words and seem to be looking at anyone else through those rose tinted specs.

You can have an underlying ethos of fairness and empathy, of good business dealings and being good with people and transparent with fans, but this B Corp seems an unnecessary step too far. It seems more like a pet project and a feather in the owners collective caps than necessarily good for the club.

I would have put 100% of effort time and money into all the fixable problems for the next few years, and then look at this later on.

They obviously take a different view but they are already esteemed business people who will naturally gravitate to other decent people and vice versa so I am struggling to see why they are so keen on it. Business people, fans, managers and players all have faults and it seems they might be fishing in a smaller pond on the alta of B Corp accreditation.

It won't affect your average fan I don't suppose but is an interesting topic on philosophy and the order of priorities.

The world and society is changing.

"It won't affect your average fan" well it just might if we engage with them and make the football club accessible, they may get off their couch, X Box, etc.. and start supporting the club and coming to games especially if they feel they want to be part of something alongside watching the football. This is far from a vanity project you're suggesting it's about doing the right things the right way.

Personally I respect the owners views and the strategy on this, they're doing something that they believe in and I'd be completely amazed if it supressed anything to do with the footballing side of the club.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I can! "Loss of sales, Can't focus on the business due to the amount of time trying to get it and then maintaining it, increased costs."

Really?  At this stage of our development?

This is the complete opposite of Fenty, on a different stratosphere in fact, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good thing. These owners seem to have their own pet issues of sustainability and other buzz words and seem to be looking at anyone else through those rose tinted specs.

You can have an underlying ethos of fairness and empathy, of good business dealings and being good with people and transparent with fans, but this B Corp seems an unnecessary step too far. It seems more like a pet project and a feather in the owners collective caps than necessarily good for the club.

I would have put 100% of effort time and money into all the fixable problems for the next few years, and then look at this later on.

They obviously take a different view but they are already esteemed business people who will naturally gravitate to other decent people and vice versa so I am struggling to see why they are so keen on it. Business people, fans, managers and players all have faults and it seems they might be fishing in a smaller pond on the alta of B Corp accreditation.

It won't affect your average fan I don't suppose but is an interesting topic on philosophy and the order of priorities.

I think the B corp achieves 2 things for them, firstly a lot has been made about the club being part of the community and being sustainably run - B corp is a form of proof that you engage with stakeholders so it validates what they've been saying.  It also then puts them in the club they want to be in for the kind of financing and partnerships they want in future, like the community training ground, and gives confidence to partners/investors/lenders in the future....say if we need a load of money for a new/redeveloped stadium at some point.

I think it's more of a building block that then opens more doors rather than a pet project, but I agree that as the average fan I really don't care about it myself but can see why the club wants it.

I cant see anything bad about this it all...feels like we are ahead of the curve doing this as a football club.
This in itself will give the club a unique selling point. Other like minded organisations will know that their brand is in safe hands being associated with GTFC. Its about doing the right thing and too may organisations are solely focussed on profit.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I can! "Loss of sales, Can't focus on the business due to the amount of time trying to get it and then maintaining it, increased costs."

Really?  At this stage of our development?

This is the complete opposite of Fenty, on a different stratosphere in fact, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good thing. These owners seem to have their own pet issues of sustainability and other buzz words and seem to be looking at anyone else through those rose tinted specs.

You can have an underlying ethos of fairness and empathy, of good business dealings and being good with people and transparent with fans, but this B Corp seems an unnecessary step too far. It seems more like a pet project and a feather in the owners collective caps than necessarily good for the club.

I would have put 100% of effort time and money into all the fixable problems for the next few years, and then look at this later on.

They obviously take a different view but they are already esteemed business people who will naturally gravitate to other decent people and vice versa so I am struggling to see why they are so keen on it. Business people, fans, managers and players all have faults and it seems they might be fishing in a smaller pond on the alta of B Corp accreditation.

It won't affect your average fan I don't suppose but is an interesting topic on philosophy and the order of priorities.

This is premised on the idea that you can’t do one thing whilst doing another. From what I understand, B Corp is about having set policies, behaviour and ways of working in place which accord with the aims/pillars of B Corp. A new culture and ways of working were always going to be needed after the last 20-30 years, might as well have some guiding principles and get some good PR while you’re doing it.

To the vast majority of fans, having B Corp status will mean sod all.  

But if you're a prospective employee, perhaps not just on the footballing side but operationally too it could be crucial.  It might be the difference between an applicant or a key position opting for us over a rival side simply because of our values.  Everyone goes to work for pay, but anything else you can add to the bargaining chip is always a benefit.

I think the B Corp status also puts us in a niche little bracket (for now at least) where we can tap into other similar minded organisations and people for future endeavors.

There's little to nothing to be lost from going for it.

Seems like just another old boys club to me.

Thank you for that considered interjection.

I must admit the admission that the company in the article were turning away 70% of potential clients in order to be B corp was staggering - and a bit concerning. Just how stringent are we going to have to be with firms wanting to be commercial partners (hire an exec box, sponsor a game or ball, advertise). Is it the realms that a London based PR company deals with that means so many companies are deemed unsuitable by b Corp, and it won't be like that for us, or is it excessively stringent rules by B Corp?

Lots of stuff that needs to be done for B Corp helps with grant bids  - sustainability, social value, equality and diversity, health and well-being outcomes - all need to be demonstrated. The public sector will latch on to GTFC being a leader in the space and it all helps get the club noticed nationally - we were the club that government chose to launch the Football Regulator at and, after hopefully this lot are dumped at the next election, this stuff will matter even more to the incoming goverment.

As some that works for a large B Corp, I don’t see any reason to be negative about it and plenty of reasons to be positive. I’m proud to support a club that wants to do this.

Quoted from GYinScuntland

Seems like just another old boys club to me.

Given the fact it's about equality, diversity and gender recognition at the heart of the values, couldn't be further from your statement.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Nice little earner for top bods at B Lab probably  

Like anybody else they do a job for a wage.

So we pay a subscription based on turnover to get a badge on the wall telling us we’re doing what we should be doing anyway.  Sounds like it’s up there with ‘Investors in People’ as a pointless vanity exercise.  Looking forward to the coaching from the dugout, ‘Luke old chum, would you be so kind as to clear the ball to a safe area, and while your at it can you ensure than you ask Smithers to step forward a little, many thanks old bean’.  Much better than ‘hoof it ya wānker’.

However, if it gets us 3 points on a Saturday……

That story about having to turn away 70% of business is probably more to do with what industry they are in and the association they have with it. I very much doubt we would have to turn away advertising board sponsors, programme sponsors and kit sponsors because it is impossible and impractical to vet every single sponsor when you consider the amount they pay in relation to our total turnover. Where we do possibly have a duty is in who sponsors our kit because that company gets the most coverage and is associated with us. The same would apply to a stadium sponsor.

If it unlocks funding, investment or sponsorship opportunities then the annual membership would certainly be worth it.

I’d imagine the people who think the B Corp thing isn’t a great idea are the same people crying because they’ve cast a drag Queen in Dr Who…

Of course, it's always possible that having b corps status might open doors to sponsors, who otherwise wouldn't ne in the least bit interested in GTFC.
PS think I'm right in saying that the B corps application is being funded personally by 1878

I don't see why anyone would see this as a negative, to be honest.
Most large companies strive to hold things like ISO accreditation, and I know where I work, it is not only the fancy logo on letterhead where this helps, but also other things like insurance. Insurers know the business is under a strict code to maintain it's status, and this is reflected in our payments for their services. Who knows what additional benefits it could give the Club as a business, away from the things we as fans see.

It will certainly be used to our benefit if and when we do achieve it, and we all know how good it felt to be portrayed as a progressive family friendly club during the cup run, as opposed to the hooligans and thugs other press outlets have tried to sensationalize in the past. When the time comes, I'm sure we'll get extra coverage in whatever areas, and as we've heard from the gaffer, this can be the make or break sort of thing that makes a player decide to sign with us or whoever if we're a credible business to work for.

It would be interesting to think about if we would have been B Corp 3 years ago, would Alex May have even been allowed in the door? This status certainly implies that if he'd have been in discussion to invest, he would have been reviewed, and his shady doings alerted way sooner than they were. If this reduces the chances of anything like that ever happening again, then I'm all for it.

Quoted from mike_d

Given the fact it's about equality, diversity and gender recognition at the heart of the values, couldn't be further from your statement.

It wasn't a statement, it was an opinion based on what I read in the link.
Like most reasonably minded people my opinions can change as I learn more and hear the arguments for and against.

Having been involved in a couple of ISO9002 applications and, having seen the stress that ‘Investors in People’ caused, I can only applaud those that are getting this done. The aforementioned having been a momentous waste of time and mostly out of date by the time they were achieved.

Quoted from aldi_01

I’d imagine the people who think the B Corp thing isn’t a great idea are the same people crying because they’ve cast a drag Queen in Dr Who…

Actually no, well certainly not in my case.  But feel free to compartmentalise if it suits your agenda because that’s all that counts isn’t it?…….your agenda.  Life must be so frustrating for you because people have different opinions to yours….