B Corp month: A conversation with Phil Gendall

I grew up in New Zealand and Cornwall, both places of astonishing natural beauty. Mum was the local GP, at the hearty of the community. She held surgeries in the front room, with a queue of patients in the porch. Dad was a romantic; teacher, linguist and songwriter. He wrote over 350 songs for Brenda Wooton, many of them in the Cornish language [Brenda Wooton was Cornwall’s “First Lady of song” in the 1970s and 1980s], he also planted thousands of trees. An early pocket-money job for us kids was to scythe around the little trees to keep brambles and grass at bay. My generation in Cornwall grew up outdoors. We didn’t know how lucky we were — cycling to the beach, canoeing the rivers, camping, or just exploring.

At the time, the last of the tin mines were closing down. Cornwall had already been suffering economic decline for decades. Just about every young person in Cornwall wanted leave when they could. Can you believe that now? An old teacher of mine said… “even if you grew up in the garden of Eden you’d want to get out when you turned 18”. It’s what we all did if we could. My passion at school was art. It was my thing. I didn’t know that art school would lead me in to London design agencies, then branding and ultimately into marketing!  An amazing book called Person/Planet [Theodore Roszak] was on our reading list. We laughed at the tutor a bit because he looked like a hippie, but he was ahead of his time, and I never forgot the book… Roszak said “The needs of the planet are the needs of the person. The rights of the person are the rights of the planet.” That was in 1979.

For many years I was heavily involved in branding and marketing for Cornish destinations and products. Working for amazing clients like the Eden Project, Visit Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Tregothnan Tea, Cornish Sea Salt and Callestick Ice Cream. We had a lovely little beach house at Gwithian and when we decided to rent it out it was a great success. I had all the marketing experience and Maria was great at customer service and presentation. It wasn’t long before other owners asked for our help and the agency was born. So, a happy accident in a way – but a very happy one.

I’ve always been a fan of Patagonia. I knew they were a B Corp. But the eye-opener for me was when Finisterre achieved the same accreditation. To see a Cornish brand sharing values and best practices with world-leaders was inspiring. It was also Tilly, and then Sam, both Forever Cornwall team members at the time, who badgered me to make the time to engage with the demands. You can only achieve something like this as a team.

Yes it was tough. You really are taking up the floorboards. And it’s about change, not ticking boxes. Dealing with internal things first, but also making sure there is appropriate external outcomes and evidence. We had some great starting points — we were already planing tens of thousands of trees through out links with the Pole Pole Foundation. That was about net zero carbon, but B Corp encouraged us to think in terms of social outcomes as well as environmental ones. They were pushing at an open door. Most of the FC team were raised in Cornish communities so we all know how fragile they are. Cornwall’s an amazing destination to visit but for many it’s also a difficult place to grow up and build a life.

It’s a holistic thing, not one thing. Actually really simple. It’s about thinking of the business beneficiaries not just as the shareholders, but as all of the stakeholders. So that’s employees, guests, property owners, supply chains, and communities. And we could add ecosystems to that list — because we are all a part of it on a local micro level, and in a macro global way. I think a lot of business leaders get to a stage where they start to ask “what’s this for”. It’s a privilege and a responsibility to be in that zone. I have constant anxieties about whether owners will “come on the journey” so to speak. They do and are. We are very grateful. It’s amazing… I should have more faith.

It’s important to remember that B Corp is for utterly commercial organisations. You can’t be a charity, and a B Corp. You can’t be socially and environmentally generous without being businesslike, profitable and successful. So the customer — whether the guests or home owners — remains absolutely at the heart of what we do. For the owner that means profitable and sustainable letting. For the guest it means amazing paces to stay, and an engaged and engaging visitor experience, connecting with Cornish people, place and produce. We have a mantra for that — Inspiring Better Holidays. We ask ourselves; how does this make the holiday better?… Better for who?… It’s got to be better for everyone. We’re all craving authenticity, and real engagement makes for more satisfying experiences. So better for communities and better for the planet is also better for guests. It’s a philosophy – but also one that makes great business sense.

B Corp success means addressing 100 things. Some of the little things don’t seem very significant but actually have a massive impact. Like switching to ethical banking [we are with the Coop]. That took months to achieve but it means that clients can be confident that all the funds we hold are invested with a positive future for the world. But most proud?.. That has to be our Social and Environment fund. It’s a three-way team effort with owners, guests, and the company all joining together to give — with funding streamed half into carbon mitigating tree and habitat projects  — the other half to support local children and young families towards better futures. We are pledged to give over 20% of profit, always.

First, it’s essential that everyone is involved. It’s a cultural shift and a learning opportunity for all. I think we’ve all grown at FC, personally and professionally, as a result of taking this on. Also, to find a similar business that’s already gone through it, and to learn from them. There are some big wins and understanding what they are and what changes to make will help with priorities. B Corp is a long and arduous process but you come out with a better business. I think that’s the most important take-away. If you just want a badge, forget it. If you are prepared to lead your business through a rigorous ESG-driven process, and have an appetite for innovation, excellence and change — welcome to the journey.

Ah well, there’s always the next thing. One of our current projects is putting together clearer sustainability information for guests so they can make choices that are informed better. To do it properly is much harder than you’d think. We’ve working with another B Corp letting agency and a sustainability consultant on that one. Another is the possibility of channelling our company-led giving through a Trust. It would mean more transparency and stakeholder engagement, both of which would be good.

One! That’s hard. With global tourism and carbon reduction in mind I’d tax aviation fuel. It’s insane that the fuel in trains and a busses is taxed but fuel in aircraft is not. Domestic holidays are better for the planet, and better for the UK national and local economy.

To find out more about our B Corp journey, visit https://www.forevercornwall.co.uk/inspiring-better-holidays/b-corp/