Beloved local Wollongong salon, The Hair Lounge, has officially achieved B Corp Certification status, becoming only the sixth hair salon in the world and only the second salon in the southern hemisphere to do so!
B Corp is an international certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact. Businesses who achieve this classification meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency, and are shown to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
“It is an absolute honour to have achieved recognition for our social impact and environmentally sustainable business model,” shared owner and operator of The Hair Lounge, Isobel Foye. “I have always been passionate about ethical business and being a force for change, so I was empowered to achieve B Corp status to put my money where my mouth is and show the world that being green is about more than just buzzwords and marketing slogans.”
Isobel began the extended certification process during the COVID-19 lockdown, to make use of time and push the business forward while salons couldn’t operate.
“While at times the B Corp assessment was gruelling, it was an important step for our business to separate us from mainstream greenwashing,” she said. “When COVID shut our doors, I used the time at home to prepare for the rigorous assessment – pulling together documentation, conducting impact assessments, and showing evidence of our environmentally sustainable practices.”
The Hair Lounge proudly recycles 97 per cent of the salon’s waste, gives a commuting allowance for staff who travel to work in an eco-friendly way, uses water-saving shower heads, uses and stocks carbon neutral products, uses green electricity, donates to philanthropic causes and practices ethical banking. The Hair Lounge achieved an overall impact score of 88.1, while the median score for ordinary businesses who complete the assessment is currently 50.9.
Congratulations to this Aussie salon on an amazing achievement!
For more information visit www.thehairlounge.com.au
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