We are B Corp and this is only the beginning

After a nearly three-year journey, it’s official: we’re B Corp. And not without reason – with 89.9 points, we are doing better than many other agencies. An achievement we are proud of. But we are far from there. In the coming years, we aim to make significant improvements. Not just creatively or financially, but as a whole: as a human, sustainable, and responsible company.

Not only in creative-strategic terms, in which we have excelled for 62 years, nor only in financial terms. We strive to be a good company in all aspects: good for our employees, the environment, the climate, and our customers. Through our work for customers, we want to increase that impact even more. We want to improve the world around us – and believe that we can do so by setting a good example ourselves every day, in every project.

But first, I look back at what it has given us so far. That’s what this article is about.

A tender as wake-up call

We began preparing a CSR plan in 2022. The immediate cause was a tender requesting it. Once engaged, we noticed that we already had many initiatives underway in the area of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG), but that these were often not well-known or established. Our intent was good and the initiatives strong, but their structure, communication and impact remained limited.

There were also discussions about what we should or should not do. Corporate social responsibility can be broadly defined, but if you want to tackle everything at once, you end up not doing anything really well. That led to our first real discussions about what we, from our strategy, do and do not want to prioritize. The start was made.

From goodwill to good policy

After creating the CSR plan in late 2021, we began completing the B Corp Impact Assessment in early 2022. That completion alone took more than three hours! After an initial critical completion, we ended up scoring 58 points. Not enough for certification – you need a minimum of 80 points. The good news: we saw opportunities to get above 100 points if we maxed everything out.

Based on these insights, we drew up an ambition and action plan. The assessment gave us something to hold on to: you see exactly what yields many points, what yields few, and what is feasible within your organization. That’s how we got moving.

The power of the scoring system

You may be thinking, “It’s not about points, is it?” True – but to become B Corp, you do have to get those points. And they are based on B Lab’s experience and vision. Whom I trust. It saved us a lot of time: we didn’t have to figure out for ourselves what a ‘good company’ is. It also helped enormously internally: in discussions on the shop floor and in the boardroom, we could refer to a shared frame of reference. This is B Corp – and that’s where this list comes in.

Moreover, we soon noticed: the points are justified. They stand for something. And as an organization you can place accents within them – what is important and feasible for you. It helps to get direction and to make choices. It may not be new, but it sure is effective.

Specifically, what we changed

B Corp’s questionnaire is long, just as CSR is broad. There are more than 250 questions divided into five areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers. You can score points on each section.

They look at issues like commuting, waste management, training opportunities, and whether you have an anti-corruption protocol. We started with 58 points, and based on the assessment, we set up, tightened up, and established a huge number of things. From board structures and minutes to very practical things like buying a Quooker or replacing fluorescent tubes.

It takes a long time!

What stood out: the process took a long time. We submitted the impact assessment as early as late 2022 and have only been a B Corp since July 2025. Almost three years! While we were told it would take about six months.

The length of the process had several causes. For example, our ownership structure changed on Jan. 31, 2023, due to the acquisition by Yuma. That meant we had to review and update a number of components in the assessment. In addition, we noticed that B Lab itself is rapidly evolving: as a network and as an organization, and that the certification process is becoming more mature with them as well.

In the review period, we gained a better understanding of the next steps and progress, and from then on, the process continued. It may have taken a little longer than hoped, but it was a valuable journey.

Let’s celebrate and keep going!

On June 26, the review was completed, and since then we are officially B Corp! Very TD: Total Design, Zuiderlicht, and Cascade. Celebrations!

Of course, we want to share this with everyone. We have worked long and hard on this. Much work to be a “good company,” we have already done – otherwise, we would not have achieved this. But there is still a lot on the table.

Your role

First of all, we want everyone internally to know what has been done and what opportunities there are to contribute. Both as object and subject, you could say. We have created all kinds of schemes and initiatives that employees can make use of – but then they have to be aware of them.

We have also started working groups and initiatives for improvement that colleagues can join. And that doesn’t just apply to employees: we also want to involve customers and suppliers. We want to use the B Corp status to inform, activate, and grow together.

What’s next?

We won’t stop here. We want to keep improving. Not just creatively or financially, but across the board. Based on the assessment, we want to add new actions and anchor existing ones in our daily work.

In this way, we think we will not only exceed the 90 points, but above all: become the best version of Total Design we can be.

Do you have questions about B Corp?

Feel free to talk to anyone from the B Corp working group: Nils Lenstra, Martijn Noortman, Guus Baltussen, or me. Recently, this group merged with the Employee Satisfaction Survey (ESS) working group – we now form the ESG group. And we continue unabated to improve TD and our impact on the world.

Author: Martijn Arts, CEO Total Design