Conservation champion and award-winning gin producer Elephant Gin has achieved B Corp Certification. The Company received 90 points from non-profit organisation B Lab which accredits companies with B Corp certification after they meet or exceed the B Impact Assessment criteria.
Elephant Gin has put environmental sustainability at the core of its operations since Tessa and Robin Gerlach started the company in 2013. Since inception they have donated 15% of bottle profits to elephant conservation projects and recently announced they had donated over €1,000,000 to protect the African elephant and give back to what inspired them in the first place.
The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’s operations and covers five key areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. As part of the process, Elephant Gin has signed a legally binding agreement confirming that they will make decisions that put people and the planet before profit.
The sustainably conscious, ISO-certified distillery produces its handcrafted and award-winning gin products in recyclable plastic-free glass bottles. As a newly certified B Corp in the spirits industry Elephant Gin is counted among businesses that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. It hopes this encourages many more to follow its path as the leading conservation spirit’s brand.
Elephant Gin co-Founder Robin Gerlach says, “We set up Elephant Gin to try and make a difference. We are used to certifications, but this was a truly rigorous process that delves deep into every area of the business. I have always admired the B Corp movement of using business as a force for good so to join this community of likeminded businesses and to have scored 90 points in doing so is great.”
Elephant Gin co-Founder Tessa Gerlach adds, “For the last 10 years we have given back to what inspired us in the first place, donating to African elephant conservation projects, working with local Maasai communities, setting up an education centre and ensuring sustainable business practices are at the core of all our business decisions. We are immensely proud to be part of the B Corp community who can inspire us to continue to work harder for the planet.”
Elephant Gin Founders, Tessa and Robin Gerlach were inspired to create their range of premium handcrafted gins following their adventures in Africa. In 2013 they developed their award-winning Elephant London Dry Gin (45%) that uses rare African botanicals and focuses on resolutely artisan production methods. The portfolio was complemented by the aromatic Elephant Sloe Gin (35%), the full-bodied Elephant Strength Gin (57%) and the fresh Elephant Orange Cocoa Gin (40%).
Each of Elephant Gin’s unique bottles is individually crafted with handwritten labels, excerpts of African maps and an embossed crest of the Maasai.
Elephant Gin gives back to the continent that has inspired the brand in the first place: 15% of the bottle profits are donated to the endangered African elephant. So far, over €1,000,000 has been raised through sales and fundraising events. From May 2022, donations will go directly to the Elephant Gin Foundation, a London-based grant-making foundation that invests in African elephant conservation and educational projects. The topics of sustainability and social responsibility are reflected in all facets of the company, from waste reduction and innovative recycling initiatives to training and providing jobs in local communities in South Africa and Kenya.
