Kyero Certifies As A B Corporation

expat network

Kyero Certifies As A B Corporation

Overseas property portal Kyero has announced today its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp), joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Kyero, which has over 750,000 properties listed on its site, achieved the accolade after being certified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement. This means that Kyero met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.

The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’ operations and covers five key impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. To complete the certification, the company must legally embed their commitment to purpose beyond profit in their company articles.

Kyero is now part of a community of 5,100 businesses globally who have certified as B Corps. The B Corp community in the UK, representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes, comprises over 800 companies and include well-known brands such as The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, says

“We are delighted to welcome Kyero to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and who believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Kyero is going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward”.

“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming Kyero is an exciting moment because it has an opportunity to lead the way within the property industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Kyero in paving the way for a new way of doing things”.

“Being able to welcome Kyero to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit”.

Martin Dell, Co-founder of Kyero says,

“Kyero has always cared about doing the right thing for our people, our customers, our planet and our community, and we are honoured to have earned B Corp certification in recognition of this. We believe you shouldn’t have to choose between running a successful business and doing good – you can do both, and we are.”

“In Spain, we donate 1% of Kyero’s total revenue to Spanish homelessness charity Hogar sí RAIS and we have invested in becoming carbon negative for the next ten years. We’re a fully remote company with a small carbon footprint, but we believe our industry should take responsibility for its impact, so we’ve offset double the travel that’s typically involved in viewing properties and moving abroad in this calculation, on behalf of our clients.”

“We are passionate about what’s possible as an international business and employer, fully embracing flexible working with our team based across eight countries. We believe in our people and are committed to supporting their personal growth and wellbeing. We are really delighted to achieve B Corp status but it’s not an endpoint, we’ll continue to challenge ourselves on how we operate and what impact we have, working to drive forward positive change in the business and across the industry.”

There are currently over 800 B Corps in the UK and 5,100 worldwide.

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.