SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Etsuko Tsugihara; hereinafter referred to as “the Company”) is pleased to announce that it has obtained “B Corporation™︎ (hereinafter referred to as “B Corp”)” certification in June 2024, an international certification system that evaluates companies with high public interest that consider society and the environment. We are the 42nd company in Japan to receive this certification.

B Corp is an international certification system operated by B Lab, a U.S.-based non-profit organization. The “B” stands for “Benefit for all,” representing benefits not only for monetary gain but also for all stakeholders, including society, the environment, employees, and customers. Certification is awarded to “companies with high public interest that consider society and the environment” that meet the stringent criteria (B Impact Assessment™︎) consisting of over 200 standards in five categories (Governance, Employees, Community, Environment, and Customers) set by B Lab in terms of performance, accountability, transparency, and sustainability. In recent years, the number of certified companies has been increasing, especially in Europe and the United States, where interest in sustainability is growing. As of May 2024, 8872 companies in 101 countries have been certified. Collaboration among these certified companies is attracting global attention as a movement to aim for a circular economy on a global scale. Recognition is rapidly increasing in Japan as well, with 42 companies currently certified.

As a PR communications group, the Company has been involved in numerous projects aimed at solving social issues, including the global advocacy campaign to eradicate poverty, the “White Band Project,” since before the adoption of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

In recent years, following SDGs and ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance), “sustainability” has been advocated as a common global philosophy, and companies are required to have public benefits that contribute to solving social issues, in addition to individual profits. Under these circumstances, the Company established Good and Company Inc., which utilizes the power of communication to undertake social issue-solving projects, and established the “Social Good Promotion Office,” which aims to “co-create and realize solutions to social issues.” Furthermore, the Company has released “The Company’s SDGs to Survive 2030,” a book summarizing corporate PR techniques for practicing SDGs and social actions, and established “Social Good Ventures,” a corporate venture capital (CVC) that invests in and supports the commercialization of companies working to solve social issues. We are developing a wide range of “social good” initiatives that have a positive impact on the global environment and society in order to realize a better society.

The Company has reviewed its social responsibilities as a company from multiple perspectives—Governance, Employees, Community, Environment, and Customers—and by highlighting actions to realize a sustainable society, we believe that we can continue to create “fun commotion” that contributes even more to society and the environment, and we have obtained B Corp certification this time.

Going forward, we will continue to place importance on public benefits to society and the environment, and as a PR communication company that contributes to the world, and as a member of a community company that aims to improve society through business, we will further promote initiatives to solve social issues and realize a sustainable society in order to contribute to the promotion of sustainability not only in Japan but also in the world, and fulfill our social responsibilities.

■Comment from Etsuko Tsugihara, President and CEO of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Inc.
Since its founding, SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP has been proactively taking on “anything we can do, even just one thing” with the desire to do “even a little bit of good for the global environment and society,” and has created many social movements with the power of PR communication. With this acquisition of B Corp certification as an opportunity, we will further embody the DNA that our company has cultivated over the past 40 years and our passion for social good, and as a company that embodies sustainability, we will create hope for tomorrow with “fun commotion” that will brighten society a little.