We proudly became a certified B Corp at the start of 2023, formalising our long-standing commitment to balancing purpose alongside profit. Achieving B Corp certification was a milestone in our sustainability journey, providing external validation that we meet the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Becoming a B Corp has helped reinforce our core values and has inspired us to embed social and environmental stewardship throughout our organisation and to continually raise the bar on the positive impact we aim to have on the world.
As part of our certification, we established cross-functional working groups to drive progress on material ESG issues. One group we’re especially proud of is our Wellness & Inclusion working group. As group member Simon Patterson notes, “I wanted to write this article after reflecting on the journey the team has been on, while highlighting what has been delivered and how they relate to our B Corp values and accredited member principles.”
Earlier this year, this group came together to continually improve our employee experience at Tactical Solutions, while building on our longer-term diversity and inclusion efforts. After thoughtful discussion, they aligned on 14 ambitious objectives tied to areas like mental health, cost of living, personal development, recruitment and retention. The goals were intentionally scoped to have an outsized impact while remaining feasible alongside the team’s normal responsibilities.
We’re thrilled to share that through dedication and tenacity, 12 of these 14 initiatives have already been implemented! A few highlights include:
- Establishing wholesaler access to help employees save on day-to-day costs. We partnered with local wholesalers to offer all employees discounted access to essential household items.
- Organising an online Career Fair open to all employees to facilitate professional growth opportunities. This virtual event connected employees across teams and regions.
- Launching a sustained mental health awareness campaign to educate employees on available health benefits and reinforce that it’s okay not to feel okay. The launch has sparked positive conversations and reduced stigma.
- Interviewing long-tenured Tactical Solutions employees about why they love working here and find it meaningful. These testimonials will be shared internally and externally to showcase our vibrant culture.
As Simon continues, “these efforts strongly reinforce our core values of being trusted, making a difference and being inclusive. They also reflect our B Corp principles and help make this an even better place to work with each passing year”.
We’re incredibly grateful to Alan, Vanessa, Will, Kerry, Simon, Shane, Dave, Gerrie and the entire Wellness & Inclusion group for pouring their energy into this work over the past 12 months. Their commitments have already had tremendously positive impacts – helping colleagues save money, facilitating career growth, supporting mental health and making people feel valued. We firmly believe this is just the start, with still more progress to be made as we head into 2024!
As a business, we’re always prioritised making a positive difference alongside pursuing our business objectives – and becoming a B Corp has only strengthened this resolve. We know there are always more opportunities to support our people, communities and planet. Our Wellness & Inclusion working group has done admirable work this past year bringing such opportunities to life, and their efforts inspire all of us to listen to our stakeholders, tap into our creativity, and continue stepping up.
We know that profitable business growth and purpose-driven progress can go hand-in-hand. Our B Corp journey is showing how values and value creation reinforce one another, and we’re committed to realising this throughout our business. If our Wellness & Inclusion group is any indication of the passion and imagination within our people, we have all the momentum needed to build a future that benefits all stakeholders.
