Bristol menstrual products firm Grace & Green has become the most sustainable period care brand in the UK and Europe after being certified as a B Corporation.
The firm launched in 2019 after three years of intense research and product development by founder Fran Lucraft.
She spent more than a decade in the water and sanitation sector specialising in environmental management, international development and climate change.
After seeing first-hand how conventional period products impacted water systems, she knew a solution had to be found.
Now having achieved its B Corp accreditation with a score of 146.5, Grace & Green is the highest scoring B Corp in organic-certified period care and is ranked in the top 10% of B Corps globally.
B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’s operations and covers five key impact areas of governance, workers, community, environment and customers.
To complete the certification, companies must legally embed their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company article.
Fran, pictured, said: “We believe that access to safe and sustainable period products is a basic right and it’s why ethics and equal access are at the heart of all we do.
“Grace & Green is more than just ethical products, we work to tackle period poverty and stigma on a daily basis, advocating for free period products in all public spaces.
“The majority of the company is also owned by the people who make our vision a reality everyday. Becoming the highest-scoring B Corp period brand in the UK confirms and celebrates this commitment.”
Conventional period care brands have up to 90% plastic in their products and use raw materials that are grown with pesticides, treated with bleach and often have added fragrances.
Grace & Green has the highest rating of any disposable period brand for positive environmental impact, with its products made from 100% organic-certified cotton and bamboo that is biodegradable and free from synthetic chemicals.
Grace & Green is now part of a community of 7,000 businesses globally that have certified as B Corps, joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit.
Around 30 firms in Bristol have B Corp status – making the city second only to London for take-up.
Bristol B Corps include Business West, the region’s largest business group which also runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, specialist energy investment company Thrive Renewables, workplace technology provider Amba, tea brand Pukka Herbs and financial planning firm Paradigm Norton.
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, which runs B Corps in the UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Grace & Green to the B Corp community. We know that they will be a fantastic addition and will continue driving the conversation forwards.
“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes – from start-ups to multinationals and across many different industries. Welcoming Grace & Green is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way in the sustainable period care industry.”
Grace & Green’s B Corp accreditation also recognised the company’s efforts in the community, including charitable giving and education.
Grace & Green scored 28 out of 30 for the Designed to Give business model. As part of its Period Dignity initiative, Grace & Green donate 50% of products free of charge to organisations that tackle period poverty, including councils, charities and educational institutions.
