At Natracare, our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility has been at the heart of everything we do since 1989. That’s why we’re excited to announce that Bodywise (UK) Ltd, Natracare’s founding company, is now officially a certified B Corporation! This new certification is another string to our bow and proudly recognises our dedication to providing natural, period and personal care products as a force for good.
But what does it mean to be a certified B Corporation? And why does it matter for Natracare, and our customers? Let’s break it down.
What is a B Corporation?
Certified B Corporations, or ‘B Corps’, are businesses that balance profit and purpose by meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and legal accountability.
B Lab, the non-profit behind the certification, assesses companies’ impact on all stakeholders including employees, communities, customers and the planet. Businesses must complete a B Impact Assessment (BIA) which deep dives into many areas of a company and how it operates. Each area of the assessment is scored against different measures and the ability to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and ethical innovation.
At its core, being a B Corp means prioritising people and the planet – something Natracare has been dedicated to since the very beginning.
What does it take to become a B Corporation?
Becoming a B Corporation is not straightforward. To be certified, businesses must:
- Score a minimum of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, demonstrating their commitment to using business as a force for good.
- Undergo a rigorous evaluation of their governance, policies, environmental impact, contributions to the wider community and customer relations.
- Demonstrate total transparency and provide full disclosure of all operations and practices, which are independently vetted by B Lab.
This stringent assessment ensures that only businesses that are truly committed to ethical practices and sustainability achieve the certification.
Bodywise (UK) Ltd: Natracare’s B Corp Journey
As the world’s first organic and natural period care brand, Natracare is a market leader and category pioneer for sustainable, biodegradable, and certified compostable period care. And it has been for over three decades. Founded by Susie Hewson in 1989, Natracare was created as a campaigning brand to challenge the harmful chemicals and materials used in conventional period products. Since then, Natracare’s mission has been to make organic and natural period care accessible while advocating for safety, transparency, and better regulation in the industry.
Achieving B Corp certification is another milestone for Natracare that reflects our commitment to responsible design and social change. We are proud to have achieved four Impact Business Models (IBMs) – an impact business model shows deliberate design for positive outcomes:
- Three for Environment: Resource conservation, Land/Wildlife Conservation, and Toxin Reduction/Remediation.
- One for Customers: Health and wellness improvement.
One of Natracare’s key areas of impact is plastic education and reduction. Did you know that on average, conventional period pads contain 36 grams of plastic per pack? That’s the equivalent of five plastic bags! Under our plastic-free manufacturing practices, Natracare has made a considerable difference:
- 5,444,330 packs of plastic-free period pads sold in 2024 prevented an estimated 195,995,880 grams (around 430,000 pounds) of plastic from entering the environment – more than a blue whale!
- By switching to biodegradable cardboard applicators instead of plastic ones, Natracare has prevented 11 million plastic applicators from ending up in landfills or flushed into the ocean.
“The very foundation of my company was laser-focused on designing for environmental and social change” says our founder, Susie Hewson. “Achieving B Corp Certification is an acknowledgement of how well we got our principles, practices and processes right these past 35 years. We are proud to have met the B Corp criteria by staying committed to the values the company was founded on.”
Why B Corp Certification Matters to Natracare and You
Becoming a Certified B Corporation affirms Natracare’s longstanding commitment to ethical business practices and sustainability. It means that when you choose Natracare, you are not only choosing products that are kinder to your body and the planet – you’re supporting a business that works towards a greener, safer future.
We are thrilled to share this milestone with our customers, who we would not be where we are without. Together, we can continue to campaign for change, protect the environment, and promote health and wellness for everyone.
Want to learn more about our sustainability efforts or how we’re leading the way as a Certified B Corporation? Explore Natracare’s sustainable practices. Together we can continue to create a future that places people and the planet first.
