Press Release – released September 5, 2022
The Organizational Transformation consulting firm “Paradigm21” has obtained the B Corp certification and joins a global business movement committed to creating positive social and environmental impact and to accelerating and enabling an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.
Environmental issues and social engagement have been at the heart of Paradigm21’s raison d’être since its inception in 2019. Indeed, the formal certification process was initiated in 2021 although it was envisioned by the organization’s members from the beginning. The B Corp certification came after a rigorous assessment process and a comprehensive review of its activities validates the organization’s existing commitments. The 88.5-point certification follows an in-depth analysis of the company’s impact on its customers, governance, employees, community and environment. It thus rewards Paradigm21’s social and environmental commitment which, through this certification and the B Corp movement, is also part of a continuous improvement process.
Paradigm21 offers coaching, training and services in the field of organizations, management and leadership in order to promote a more sustainable global performance of organizations. The company is a pioneer in the French-speaking part of Switzerland in supporting organizations that wish to reinvent themselves, to structure themselves in a more agile way, and to evolve towards the empowerment of their employees and teams.
The company works with private companies (CIPOSA, Enigma, SIG, Viteos), non-profit organizations (Fondation de Vernand, Caritas Neuchâtel, Pro Natura) as well as public administrations (Service de l’organisation de l’Etat de Neuchâtel, Service du personnel de l’Etat de Vaud, ville de Carouge).
Joining the B Corp movement quickly appeared to be a concrete and coherent way to guarantee the alignment of Paradigm21’s activities with its raison d’être. The company aims to support initiatives that promote ecological, social and economic transition. In particular, it produces the EMBARQUEMENT podcast, hosts the Let’s Talk Waste project and it supports the IMPACTEUR programs. Each year, the organization donates 5% of its turnover to this program.
Paradigm21 has decided to use the B Impact Assessment™ tool offered by B Lab™ to experiment with new practices internally and build a constructive approach as to the awareness and management of its impact on the world in which it evolves. This practical experience will enable the team to offer coaching for B Corp certification through a global perspective of impact. Paradigm21 is a distributed governance organization and firmly believes that the implementation of a social and environmental approach can only be successful if it is an integral part of the organization’s culture. To ensure its success, the 11 current members must be fully aware of the impact of their actions.
Sébastien Chahidi, Head of Certification (SME) and Community at B Lab Switzerland: “We are very pleased to welcome Paradigm21 to the B Corp community. This strong player in the transformation of organizations joins a movement of companies resolutely committed to improving their social and environmental impact, within which the Paradigm21 team will be able to share their valuable expertise. We congratulate them on the certification of their company and for their involvement in building an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system.”
About B Lab Switzerland
B Lab Switzerland is the Swiss branch of B Lab, a global network that creates economic systems change through standards, policies, tools and programs for businesses, and certifies businesses – called B Corps. B Lab Switzerland supports companies in the B Corp certification process and provides them with the tools to measure and improve their impact. B Lab Switzerland has also developed an engagement program called Swiss Triple Impact (STI), which allows Swiss companies to measure their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To date, there are more than 80 B Corps in the Swiss community, and globally, more than 5,600 companies are certified, in 83 countries and 157 industries.
