In the year of its 225th anniversary, Johnstons of Elgin, one of Scotland’s oldest family-owned businesses, has achieved B Corp status, recognising the brand’s commitment to being a force for change in the social and environmental sphere. The Royal Warrant holders have been experts in the world’s best natural fibres since 1797, combining exceptional quality and craftsmanship with a focus on their communities. The brand crafts the finest cashmere and Merino wool products in their Elgin and Hawick mills, the former being Scotland’s only vertical weaving mill.
Becoming a B Corp reinforces the community purpose that has been a feature of the company for generations.
"Our team at Johnstons has done great work to get us to the point where we could meet the stringent criteria required to become a B Corp and this, in turn, has made us a better company," says Chris Gaffney, CEO of Johnstons of Elgin. "There remains much work to do, but it is very fulfilling as a Chief Executive and as a board to be so clearly empowered by our family owners to make decisions that will continue us on a journey to becoming a fully sustainable company."
Attaining B Corp status requires business transparency emphasising environmental and social factors. The business must benefit all stakeholders, the suppliers, and employees whose lives depend on the company, not just shareholders.
To reflect this, Johnstons of Elgin has made a legal change to the company’s founding, underpinning documents declaring the brand’s intention, ‘for the benefit of its members as a whole and through its business and operations, to have a material positive impact on society and the environment.’
This formalises a dedication to community spanning more than two centuries. When founder Alexander Johnston retired in 1845, his son James wrote, 'For upwards of fifty years he carried out the business of woollen manufacture, with credit, if not much profit for himself, and much benefit to the community.’
The current family owners have driven the business’s ambition of B Corp certification in alignment with the brand’s values. There are 120 family-owned firms among the 1703 B Corp companies in the UK. There are 6,693 B Corp businesses worldwide. Brands are required to recertify every three years.
Read more at johnstonsofelgin.com
