Building Better Business

Does your business want to find the right balance between purpose and profit? Are you looking for a framework to improve and measure your company’s impact on people and the planet? Join Building Better Business to explore how you can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive economy, and pursue a B Corp or Economy for the Common Good certification! 

Building Better Business (BBB) is a collaboration of Amsterdam Impact, the City of Amsterdam’s impact entrepreneurship initiative, B Lab Benelux, and Economy for the Common Good. This new programme aims to help companies put social and environmental impact at the core of their business. There are two different track options for the BBB progamme — Economy for the Common Good (ECG) and B Corp. Both tracks will help your business become an agent for change and will provide the foundation for later certification, if you decide to take that step.

What’s included

Programme costs

The introduction event and programme tracks are free of charge. The first 15 companies per track that certify within 12 months after completing the BBB programme get a voucher of €500 to be used for certification costs, which vary by business size and certification programme.

Why join?

Application criteria

  • Your company is based in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area and registered at the Chamber of Commerce.
  • Your business has a staff of 10+ employees and has been operating for at least 1 year.
  • One or more members of your senior management can attend the entirety of your chosen track and lead the certification process.
Ready to get certified? Apply now!

Programme timeline

Enrollment deadline BBB programme

B Corp certification track starts

ECG certification track starts

Programme tracks

B Corp track // May - October 2021

Startup Amsterdam
The B Corp track to certification focuses solely on for-profit businesses. B Lab’s global movement is organised geographically by B Corp communities in 71 countries. 
Learn more

ECG track // June 2021 - February 2022
The ECG track to certification is available to anyone, including for-profit businesses, nonprofits, educational institutions, and cities. Its global movement is organised by thematic hubs and chapters. 
Learn more

Programme partners

Amsterdam Impact

An initiative and four-year programme by the City of Amsterdam to support and strengthen the ecosystem for all impact enterprises – from social enterprises to socially responsible businesses – that create both financial and social value. The programme also pays special attention to enterprises that improve the quality of life in Amsterdam’s neighbourhoods.

B Lab Benelux

Part of the European B Corp movement. Today, 150+ Benelux B Corps represent a community of leaders, driving a global movement of people using business as a force for good.

Economy for the Common Good

An economic model and global movement, which makes the Common Good – a good life for everyone on a healthy planet – its primary goal and purpose.

KplusV

A consultancy firm that strives towards a more sustainable and inclusive future by empowering innovators and building strong ecosystems for change together with SMEs, corporates and governmental organisations. 

Privacy statement (iamsterdam.com)

Building Better Business follows the privacy law. The partners of the programme (City of Amsterdam, B Lab Benelux & Economy for the Common Good) have made the City of Amsterdam responsible for data processing and follow the privacy protocol of the City of Amsterdam. The general privacy statement applies for all Building Better Business events. The partners of the Building Better Business programme will also ask you if you are interested in receiving their respective newsletters.

For the selection of companies wishing to join either the Economy for the Common Good or B Lab Benelux certification tracks, all partners follow the Privacy Statement ’Challenges, Competitions and Entrepreneurial Programmes’ of the City of Amsterdam. Data collected in this regard is shared with City of Amsterdam officials, Economy for the Common Good,  B Lab Benelux and KplusV, just as evaluation data. From the moment a company is selected for one of the tracks of Economy for the Common Good or B Lab Benelux, the privacy statement of either B Lab Benelux or Economy for the Common Good will apply, meaning the collection of additional data during/as part of the masterclasses and certification.

Recipients of data & data retention

When you apply for a certification track, your data will be shared with either Economy for the Common Good or B Lab Benelux as part of the Selection Process. Processing agreements are in place between the partners of Building Better Business. Economy for the Common Good and B Lab Benelux will delete your data in the event that your organisation is not selected. If your organisation follows a track, Economy for the Common Good and B Lab Benelux will delete your application data after completion of the track. The City of Amsterdam archives your data for 5 years within the boundaries and obligations of the Dutch Archive Law. The above on data retention does not apply for newsletters of the partners of Building Better Business. Persons or companies that have subscribed to individual newsletters can unsubscribe at any moment in time.

Privacy Statement: Challenges, Competitions and Entrepreneurial Programmes

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