Cork Supply celebrates B Corp certification

B Corp certification, awarded by the non-profit network B Lab, is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors ranging from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.

Going above and beyond

Sustainable and ethical practices, whether in the ancient Iberian cork forests or the local production plants staffed by skilled artisans, have been integral to Cork Supply’s identity for more than a quarter of a century.

“Our purpose has always gone beyond just business alone. We see sustainability as a duty to our teams, communities and the planet – creating long-term value for everyone,” says founder and President Jochen Michalski. “This certification is a recognition of the values that have shaped our group since its founding.”

Cork Supply applied the same dedication to gaining B Corp status as it does to perfecting its closures. Not only did the cork business achieve certification but the whole Harv 81 Group, which specialises in wood capsules, closures for spirits bottles (Bartops) and oak barrels and alternatives.

Sustainable stewardship

“Many of our standards were already aligned with B Corp principles because of our long-standing sustainability strategy and quality systems, but we strengthened documentation, improved data tracking, and formalised several policies to meet the rigorous verification requirements,” says Rui Pedro Silva, Sustainability Director for Harv 81 Group. “Rather than change who we are, the process helped us structure what we were already doing well, identify new opportunities for improvement and have more visibility of everything we are doing.”

The 6,500-plus customers who buy the group’s corks, Talis spirits closures, Tonnellerie Ô barrels, Creative Oak alternatives and Legnokaps wooden capsules now have a globally recognised assurance of the company’s social and environmental commitment across the five continents in which it operates.

The Harv 81 Group, named after the year Michalski set up Cork Supply as a one-man importer of corks to northern California, achieved a score of 89.3 points, above the 80-point B-Corp certification threshold.

Using 100% of the cork

Cork Supply has long invested heavily in research & development (10% of employees are dedicated to R&D) in pursuit of developing the most consistent corks while safeguarding important resources such as corkwood and water.

This has resulted in a circular process whereby today it uses nearly 100% of the harvested corkwood. By-products from the production of natural corks are used to make technical stoppers and a centralised system in the manufacturing plants collects cork dust to fuel the boilers. The high-efficiency boiler system, a process which flattens and sterilises the cork planks, uses heat exchangers and steam condensation collection to optimise both energy and water usage.

Responsible management of both natural and human resources begins in the forest. Cork Supply has forged long-term partnerships with estate owners – many of whom have tended the cork oak trees for generations. By working directly with growers, it has developed advanced forest management and rehabilitation programmes to promote cork oak quality, support local economies and preserve biodiversity.

Unique regeneration

Cork oaks are harvested in a sustainable way, roughly once a decade, so the tree is left unharmed. The trees, which have a lifespan of around 200 years, are unique in their ability to regenerate their outer bark. And as they do so, the tree's ability to absorb carbon dioxide increases. In fact, a harvested tree absorbs 3 to 5 times more than an unharvested one, according to a report by WWF (The World Wide Fund for Nature).

About B Corp

B Corp certification is awarded by the non-profit organisation B Lab, which is unique in its ability to measure a company’s entire social and environmental impact. After answering hundreds of questions around governance, workers, the environment, community and customers, a company is awarded a score. Subject to an audit, it can then be certified as a B Corp if that score is at least 80 points. The company must re-certify every three years. Harv 81 joins fellow industry players Symington Family Estates, Wine Enthusiast, Spottswoode and Champagne Piper-Heidsieck in achieving B Corp certification.