Slap the mint leaves in the palm of your hand and add to the bottom of a highball glass. Fill with crushed ice. Add the sugar syrup and fresh lime juice, followed by the rum.

From the UK’s furthest flung B Corp in the Hebridean Island of Islay, to newly certified B Corp brands changing the way we drink, it was inspiring to learn and connect with like-minded businesses, press, drinks writers, trade and guests.The commitments we have made to our community, country and planet that haveshaped the way we do business. Our refusal to outsource our warehousing and bottling sees us employ within our county, rather than farming production out. Hattiers Rum is now the first British B Corp Rum, and only the second in the world. We join a cohort of over 600 UK B Corps who are reinventing business, by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Hattiers founder & CEO Philip Everett-Lyons shared our B Corp journey to date, along with details of how he will cross Scotland in a canoe later this year to highlight mental health awareness in men. Tom Surgey puts his innovate spin on a Champagne Mojito using Hattiers Eminence Blended Aged White Rum. What you’ll need

Founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Francesca James, said the quality of this year’s entrants exemplified the strength of entrepreneurship across the UK: “The quality of applications is consistently excellent year on year, but we have been especially blown away by the innovation, drive and determination demonstrated this year. Shortlisting from so many inspiring contenders has been more challenging than ever, with many deserving cases put forward and an ever-growing business community thriving across the country.” Since our beginning in2017, Hattiers Rumhas existed as benchmark of where webelieve rum should be. Our purpose has always been bigger than making and selling fine blended rums.

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This month we’re shining our sustainability spotlight on Hattiers Rum. We asked them to tell us about what they are doing to create a sustainable rum brand. About Hattiers Rum Becoming a B Corp is far from straightforward and Philip and the team had to undertake a rigorous and detailed B Impact Assessment (BIA), a comprehensive questionnaire that determines the company’s impact on their community, employees, the environment and beyond. Hattiers was a pending B Corporation for 2 years while the business laid down its foundations and the company officially achieved B Corp Status in November 2020. Take the mint sprig and clap it between your hands to release the oils so that every sip will be accompanied with the aroma from the mint.

At Hattiers we source and blend the world’s finest rums to produce a final product that is accessible to all. We are proud to be an honest and bold challenger brand, removing the historic smoke and mirrors of the rum world and championing real unadulterated rum while operating sustainably, placing purpose before profit as the UK’s first B Corp Rum brand, and only the 2nd in the world. Francesca continued: “From the pandemic to the ongoing cost of living crisis, business owners haven’t had it easy over the past few years, but it’s a testament to the tenacity and perseverance of these entrepreneurs that they have continued on their path and refused to give in.” Rosalind Holley, Director of Communications & Marketing at B Corp UK, sharing the progress of the movement thus far. From 564 B Corps at the end of last year to now over 1,200, there are 55,000 people in the UK now working for a B Corp. To receive certification, we had to provide evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices – including energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. Finally, to complete the certification, we have legally embedded our commitment to purpose beyond profit into our company articles. Since our conception in 2017, Hattiers Rum has existed as a benchmark of where we believe great rum should be, all while being uncompromising in our mission to use business as a force for good – being plastic-free from day one, becoming the first UK B Corp certified rum, a member of 1% For the Planet and Ecologi, and planting our own woodland as part of our steps towards Net Zero…but we’re not stopping there. Consumer attitudes are changing, it is no longer enough for businesses to operate with a “business as usual” attitude and legislation cannot be relied upon alone to enforce policies on companies to operate more sustainably with people and the planet in mind. The B Corp mantra has been deeply instilled within our company from the very beginning and it encourages us to continually examine our practices, work proactively and make conscious decisions. We hope that by leading by example, we can be the catalyst for other companies within the spirits industry to make the commitment to join us within the globally respected B Corp family, become more transparent about their practices and show clear evidence of their claims. What would you like to change in the future to improve your sustainability credentials further?

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The impact report includes an impact score. To be eligible for B Corp certification, that score must be at least 80 and to get there requires very intentional steps to build a sustainable business model.