Marking a major milestone on its road to achieve net zero by 2030, sleep technology innovator Simba has successfully secured global certification of B Corp™ status.
In recognition of its drive for the highest standards of environmental and social sustainability, public transparency and legal accountability, the UK-headquartered business has become the first British-born sleep brand to be granted the coveted internationally recognised ethical accreditation of B Corporation®.
The international sleep tech firm founded in London in 2016, outlined its ambition to become a Certified B Corporation® just last year (2022), as part of its wider business strategy focused on three key pillars: Health, Planet and People.
Explaining what measures were taken to reach this milestone, CEO and founder Steve Reid said: “Successful submissions need to score 80 or higher to pass B Corp™ status. Simba received 97.5 in the assessment of its environmental and social impact – an achievement of which we are incredibly proud of.
“B Corp™ involves a rigorous process that placed our entire business model under the microscope – from a deep dive into our supply chain, to reviewing our approach to ethical innovation in new product development.
“In addition to the environment, accreditation also involves scrutinising governance and areas such as worker wellness and development, diversity, customer stewardship and community-related charitable projects.
“We set up an internal team and through this journey we’ve implemented lots of changes across the organisation. But there is still work to be done.
“Sleep deprivation creates enormous strain on personal lives, business and wider infrastructure such as the NHS. Simba’s mission is to engineer the perfect night’s sleep in a way that creates as little impact on the planet as possible. It is also dedicated to giving accessible sleep solutions to more people.
“By helping to solve common sleep problems and improving access to quality sleep to as many as possible – using a combination of new technology, as well as full price and refurbished products – we feel this is Simba’s way of helping towards this.”
Simba mattresses are manufactured in the UK in zero waste factories, meaning transport miles are reduced thanks to a short logistics chain. Nothing is sent to landfill, and all manufacturing waste is recycled or reprocessed into other products.
As part of Simba’s zero waste commitment and sustainability goals, in March 2023, the sleep technology business will launch its state-of-the-art, not-for-profit recycling service to accept any brand of mattress, no purchase necessary.
When it comes to environmental challenges, Simba already uses carbon offsets for logistics – but the long-term aim is to reduce reliance on offsetting by reducing the emissions at source.
“Product is the single largest contributor to emissions and Simba has been working hard to reduce environmental impact through innovation, such as the launch of the Green Organic mattress which uses GOTS certified organic cotton and GOLS certified organic latex” says Reid.
“As well as with upcoming designs that will enable us to slim down the use of foam in our mattress layers, Simba duvets use Global Recycled Standard fillings whilst Better Cotton is used across the entire Simba range”.
Simba accessories are made in Eco Factories, manufactured with energy from certified renewable sources, plus they are accredited with ISO 14001, which means the environmental impact is monitored, benchmarked, and controlled with energy and water reduced.
In addition to sustainability credentials and goals, Simba is committed to fostering a culture of wellbeing and supporting communities both within the company and further afield.
The sleep tech firm is a founding partner of GenM, the menopause partner for brands, and will be helping them to better serve menopausal women with the right products and services to ease night-time symptoms.
The company’s NHS scheme offering a generous discount on all Hybrid mattresses, bedding, pillows, duvets, and sheets has seen over 43,000 healthcare workers get a better night’s sleep since it launched in 2020.
Simba believes a good night’s sleep is the bedrock of building a stable and successful life.
“Our partnership with charity End Youth Homelessness recently passed its one-year anniversary. In this time, we’ve donated nearly £300,000 worth of mattresses and bedding to newly rehomed people across the UK” continues Reid.
“In 2022, Simba was named the 3rd Best Retail Company to work for in the Best Companies’ league table [as voted for by staff].
“Being a certified B Corp™ is a positive step for the company long term. Reviewed every three years it will shape our roadmap for continuous improvement. It also provides additional accountability.
“By the end of 2023, we’d like to ensure at least 50% of materials used are from recycled sources. And have a goal to reduce the carbon footprint of foam in our mattresses by 25% by 2050.”
