Certified B Corporation™
We are incredibly fortunate to make the majority of our clothing in factories that we own, giving us direct control over our footprint and social and environmental management. This is very unusual in our sector where the majority of brands rely on third party facilities.
Through our close relationship with our Latvian factories, we have the great advantage of knowing each step of our production processess – from material inputs, to product management and traceability. Both factories are visited every 8 weeks by our production team as well as visits from our design and development teams throughout the year.
66°North and B Corp™
66°North is the first Icelandic company to receive B Corp™ Certification – a designation awarded to leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. B Corporation is a movement of companies that believe in business as a force for good.
As of March 2024, B Corp™ is made up of more than 8,333 businesses in over 96 countries across 162 industries inspiring tens of thousands of other companies to follow their lead by measuring their impact, changing their corporate structure, and building better businesses. Unlike traditional corporations, B Corps™ are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders: customers, workers, communities, and the environment.
As a company deeply connected to exploring the natural environment of Iceland, 66˚°North has been committed to protecting people and the planet for nearly 100 years. Originally founded as a matter of survival for Icelandic fishermen, the brand remains true to its core values of circularity and durability today. Carbon offset since 2019, 66°North creates high quality, multi-purpose products that are “made for life” - combining the use of durable materials that are traceable and certified to the highest standard, with a design philosophy and manufacturing techniques that eliminate waste and ensure longevity. Reducing long-term consumption – 66°North offers repair services for everything the brand has sold over the past century.
“Earning a B Corp Certification with a score of 93.5 validates 66°North’s longtime commitment to doing business in a way that’s thoughtful and considerate of the planet,” said Helgi Rúnar Óskarsson, CEO of 66°North. “We are proud to be the first Icelandic brand to receive this distinction and look forward to continuing to build a purpose-driven brand.”
Nille Skalts, the CEO & Founder of the Nordic B Corp Movement, shares: “I am honored to welcome to the B Corp movement 66°North as the very first Icelandic B Corp. It is an endeavor for any company to become a certified B Corp, but it is even more so when you become the first B Corp in your country. Being a pioneer trailblazing the way for others to follow takes dedication and courage, as you’re treading a path that no one has trod before you. I could not think of a more fitting company than 66°North to lead the way for the B Corp movement in Iceland.” Nille continues, “Welcoming 66°North is a cherished chance for the global B Corp community to experience the power and the beauty of how you conduct business in the North, an opportunity to be inspired by and learn from an iconic Icelandic institution, with more than nine decades of existence.”
For 66°North, achieving B Corp Certification is only the beginning. With continued efforts to learn and improve upon its operations across all areas of the business, 66°North is on track to reach a B Impact Score at its next assessment – in three years – that would place the brand among the top three sustainable outerwear brands globally.
overall B Impact Score out of 140 in 2022
Governance 9.8
Governance evaluates a company's overall mission, engagement around its social/ environmental impact, ethics, and transparency.Workers 27.6
Workers evaluates a company’s contributions to its employees’ financial security, health & safety, wellness, career development, and engagement & satisfaction, as well as business models designed to benefit workers non-executive ownership and workforce development programs.Community 18.8
Community evaluates a company’s engagement with and impact on the communities in which it operates, hires from, and sources from. Topics include diversity, equity & inclusion, economic impact, civic engagement, charitable giving, and supply chain management.Environment 33.1
Environment evaluates a company’s overall environmental management practices as well as its impact on the air, climate, water, land, and biodiversity. This includes the direct impact of a company’s operations, product, supply chain and distribution channels.Customers 4.0
Customers evaluates a company’s stewardship of its customers through the quality of its products and services, ethical marketing, data privacy and security, and feedback channels.Circular
Partners and Certifications
If a textile component or a chemical substance fully meets the bluesign® CRITERIA, it receives the bluesign® APPROVED label.
Only textile products that contain a minimum of 70% organic fibres can become GOTS certified.