The 2022 B Corp Gifting Guide

Christmas is fast approaching, and the festivities are already warming up. Mince pies are on the shelves, presents are being frantically ordered, pub fireplaces are roaring, and Mariah Carey is preparing for another sizable royalty check.

There’s a lot to love about Christmas time.

However, not everything is perfect when it comes to Christmas gift-giving traditions.

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability, and a huge amount of waste is produced throughout the holiday period. Not every manufacturer is committed to eco-friendly business practices, and many gifts also come with excess packaging and waste materials that harm the planet.

Fortunately, there’s a way that you can nail your Christmas gift shopping while also protecting the environment and supporting worthy causes.

By purchasing gifts from progressive B Corp businesses, you can spend money with companies that genuinely care about their impact on the environment, the community, and their customers.

(Plus, you can secure some incredible gifts guaranteed to be a winner with friends and family.)

Let’s take a look at how B Corp gifting can transform your Christmas traditions this year, and highlight some of the best brands to add to your shopping list.

What is the B Corp certification?

Before highlighting some of the best B Corp businesses for Christmas shopping, let’s take a step back and explain exactly what the B Corp certification means.

The B Corp certification essentially highlights companies that are dedicated to improving their social, ethical, and environmental impact on the world. B Corp businesses must demonstrate a commitment to long-term sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and community support.

The certification is difficult to achieve, but it showcases companies that are truly dedicated to meeting higher standards and engaging in sustainable business practices.

At Harmonic, we’re absolutely delighted to have recently earned our very own B Corp certification.

We’re extremely passionate about upholding the values of the B Corp movement, and we’re thrilled to join other progressive businesses in giving back to our employees and the local community - as well as the planet as a whole.

Our favourite sustainable brands for Christmas gifting

If you’re keen to purchase top-quality Christmas presents while also helping to protect the environment, you’re in the right place.

Below are some of the best B Corp companies and manufacturers to shop with this Christmas.

Ocean Bottle

Ocean Bottle is on a mission to reduce harmful plastic waste in the ocean, while also empowering local communities to generate income through plastic collection.

When you purchase a new Ocean Bottle, you’ll instantly fund the collection of 11.4kg of plastic (the equivalent of 1000 ocean-bound plastic bottles) in coastal communities. Plus, these plastic collectors can exchange plastic waste for money or social resources such as education and healthcare.

Through this system, Ocean Bottle has already collected 7.9m kilograms (and counting) of ocean-bound plastic waste, which is massively beneficial for the environment and natural ecosystems.

The Ocean Bottle itself is also a fantastic gift. These bottles are manufactured in a closed-loop recycling system, meaning materials are re-purposed as often as possible to reduce waste and improve sustainability. The bottles also feature a range of handy features, from a dual-opening lid to hot and cold liquid insulation.

In fact, we love this product so much at Harmonic that we’ll be gifting our own Harmonic branded Ocean Bottles to our clients this year.

UpCircle

UpCircle offers premium, ethical beauty products that are cruelty-free and designed for long-term sustainability.

The brand is focused on creating a circular product economy and is a certified ‘plastic negative’ business. This is a stark contrast to many other global cosmetics businesses that often utilise non-recyclable materials and excessive packaging that contribute to landfills.

UpCircle’s product packaging is 99% plastic-free, and the company even offers plastic-free refill options for the remaining 1%. Customers can also return empty packages for re-filling at a 20% discount, which encourages a fantastic system of recycling and re-purposing.

If you’re searching for incredible beauty products that you can purchase guilt-free, UpCircle is the perfect choice. The brand offers a wide range of gift options, from vegan moisturisers to all-natural body scrubs and Christmas bundles

Bombas

Bombas is all about delivering two things - ultra-comfortable apparel, and impactful charity donations.

For every online purchase, Bombas donates a highly-requested item to a homeless shelter, meaning you can actively help those in need with your Christmas shopping. The brand works with an extensive network of over 3,500 charity partners, and has made over 75m donations through this one-for-one scheme.

Bombas offers a huge range of comfy gifts and stocking fillers, including wool socks, soft slippers, and pre-prepared Christmas gift boxes. They also provide apparel for every occasion, from athletic gym pieces to everyday casual wear.

(And who doesn’t love a cosy pair of socks for the festive period?)

The Uncommon

The Uncommon is the first (and only) Certified B Corp wine business in the UK. The brand also has a few unique values that set it apart from other alcohol brands.

For one thing, The Uncommon places a huge emphasis on local winemaking. The company focuses on using the highest quality grapes and soil to produce amazing products, and all of its vines are located within 50 miles of London.

Secondly, the brand isn’t afraid to break tradition. The Uncommon distributes its wines in aluminium cans - not only does this keep the wine fresher for longer, but it also massively cuts down on the carbon footprint produced by traditional bottles.

The Uncommon is a pioneer in the world of quality English wine, so if you’re hunting for a sustainable gift for a wine aficionado, look no further.

Aromatherapy Associates

Aromatherapy Associates offers a selection of all-natural, sustainably sourced, and cruelty-free essential oils.

The brand is a B Corp-certified company that has implemented several positive initiatives that prioritise employee well-being, environmental protection, and workplace inclusivity.

For example, 55% of the business’s operating board are women, and Aromatherapy Associates is openly committed to improving diversity and representation throughout the company. The brand’s headquarters is also run entirely on renewable energy, and the organisation utilises paper from 100% sustainable forests to produce its retail cartons.

Aromatherapy Associates also encourages employees to actively partake in charity work and makes regular charitable donations to causes such as Mind and the Defence Against Cancer Foundation.

The business prides itself on creating a stunning array of hand-crafted and refined essential oil blends that offer many different benefits. There are some ideal Christmas gifts available in the online store, from relaxing shower oils to energising exfoliators.

Divine Chocolate

Divine Chocolate offers customers a number of eco-friendly, vegan, and delicious cocoa products from across the globe.

The brand is built around the idea of the ‘Divine Difference’, which looks to combat the mass exploitation found in the cocoa industry and support as many farmers as possible. Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union (a cooperative of 100,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana) and the business is extremely vocal about this topic.

Divine Chocolate and the Kuapa Kokoo Farmers’ Union are also both led by women, and gender equality is another pressing issue that the company is active in tackling.

Beyond fighting for fairer business practices in the world of cocoa, Divine Chocolate also produces a broad selection of tasty products. The brand is selling a full range of Christmas treats, including advent calendars, hampers, and hot chocolate powders.

Leo’s Box

Struggling to pick out the perfect Christmas gift this year?

No problem. Leo’s Box allows customers to send out multiple sustainable gifts and B Corp-certified products through a simple subscription model.

Once consumers sign up for the Leo’s Box members club, they gain instant access to a huge range of eco-friendly gift items. All of these products are sourced from ethical and progressive brands, and members can also unlock significant discounts on certain orders.

Subscribers can enjoy everything from bamboo toothbrushes to organic soaps and all-natural deodorants. Plus, all of these products make for truly unique and memorable Christmas gifts.

If you’re scrambling around for gift inspiration this year, Leo’s Box might be exactly what you need.

When you buy Christmas gifts from B Corp businesses, you’re not just purchasing quality items that your loved ones will cherish.

You’re also actively contributing towards a worthy cause - all of these companies are making huge strides towards achieving environmental protection, workplace diversity, and charitable efforts.

If you want to delight friends and family while also shopping sustainably, don’t hesitate to explore some of these incredible B Corp brands this Christmas.

If you’re looking to partner with a socially conscious agency on current or future hires then please get in touch with Charlotte on [email protected].