Client case:
Fælleskassen ready for B Corp-application

Imprint Consulting and Sustainable Change were advisors for Andelskassen Fælleskassen throughout 2022. The focus of the consulting process was the application process for B Corp certification.

The financial institution Fælleskassen has been purpose-driven since its founding in 1985. At Fælleskassen, they work to implement green, responsible, and social initiatives—such as new housing communities, tiny houses, energy renovation of homes, acquisition of electric cars, and support for businesses with a green or social vision.

For Fælleskassen, B Corp certification was the next natural step.

"At first, the employees thought we would have to start doing everything differently. But for Fælleskassen, B Corp is a way to document what we've always done. We have become more self-aware, and now we can document the responsibility DNA that has been with us since our founding," says Lene Friis, advisor and responsible for B Corp certification.

With the certification, Fælleskassen aims to demonstrate that they are a cooperative bank that takes social responsibility seriously.

The ambition of the consulting process is for Fælleskassen to achieve B Corp certification, thereby obtaining third-party validation of their commitment to responsibility.

Dialogue, Prioritization, and Documentation

When a company wants to apply for B Corp certification, they need to complete ‘The B Impact Assessment,’ a questionnaire with up to 250 questions and documentation requirements covering every aspect of the business. The form includes questions about everything from the company’s vision, employee conditions, and customer relations to environmental impact, energy consumption, and waste management.

It was clear that many of the practices required by B Corp were already embedded at Fælleskassen.

As advisors, we helped plan and guide Fælleskassen through the process, making it easy for them to focus on the essential work of identifying and documenting their responsibility practices. We facilitated dialogue, navigated and prioritized the extensive ‘B Impact Assessment,’ clarified questions, supported its completion, and helped create supporting documentation. We ensured ongoing involvement of employees, the board, and the representatives through workshops and working groups. Together, we set a strategic direction that created synergy between Fælleskassen’s existing strategy and B Corp, and developed a plan for long-term optimization potentials.

"We have had a fantastic collaboration with Silke, Ditte, and Camilla, who have supported and advised us through the B Corp certification process with good humor and seriousness."

Lars Michael Jensen, branch manager at Fælleskassen

As advisors, we wanted to make the process manageable and tangible. Therefore, we sat at the table with Fælleskassen's B Corp working group and reviewed one impact area at a time within: Governance, Environment, Workers, Community, and Customers. We helped map out what Fælleskassen was already doing and identified which areas needed prioritization to strengthen Fælleskassen's vision.

"The entire B Corp certification process made it clear to the employees that at Fælleskassen, things are done in a completely different way than other financial institutions, and that's something to be proud of."

Silke Sønderstrup-Granquist, Senior Sustainability Advisor, Imprint Consulting