Good Market Info > Help > People and Planet First – Verification

People and Planet First – Verification

If you are certified, verified, or approved by World Fair Trade Organization, Social Traders, Fair Trade Federation, Yunus Social Business, Social Enterprise UK, or Buy Social Canada, please visit the Double Badge page.

The People and Planet First verification uses the Good Market commons shared infrastructure to keep costs low and maximize benefits to applicants. If you need technical support at any point, you can send a help chat message or email hello@goodmarket.global.

Standards

The verification has five standards. An internal point system was developed to support the review process and help enterprises identify opportunities for potential improvement. Points are not shared publicly. Applicants need at least one point for each of the five standards to be eligible for verification.

If you do not meet the five standards for verification yet, you are still welcome to complete Step 1 to create a free public profile.

1. Purpose: Exists to solve a social or environmental problem

Conventional business. Not created to solve a social or environmental problem. (Not Eligible: 0 points)

Exists to solve a social or environmental problem. Social or environmental purpose is publicly communicated online. Plans to update governing documents to include the purpose. (1 Point)

Exists to solve a social or environmental problem. Social or environmental purpose is publicly communicated online and is included in governing documents. (2 Points)

Exists to solve a social or environmental problem. Social or environmental purpose is publicly communicated online and is included in governing documents. Monitors impact related to purpose. (3 Points)

Exists to solve a social or environmental problem. Social or environmental purpose is publicly communicated online and is included in governing documents. Monitors and publicly reports impact related to purpose. (4 Points)

2. Operations: Prioritises purpose, people, and planet over profit in operational decisions

Not focused on social and environmental impact of operational decisions. Does not meet minimum sector standards. (Not Eligible: 0 points)

Meets minimum sector standards. Publicly communicates online about how people and planet are prioritised. (1 Point)

Meets minimum sector standards. Monitors social and environmental metrics related to workers, suppliers, community, and environment. (2 Points)

Meets minimum sector standards. Monitors and publicly reports social and environmental metrics related to workers, suppliers, community, and environment. (3 Points)

Meets minimum sector standards. Has at least one recognised third-party verification of socially and environmentally responsible practices related to core operations. (4 Points)

3. Revenue: Has a self-sustaining revenue model

Dependent on non-reciprocal charitable contributions and grant contracts. No plan for a self-sustaining revenue model. (Not Eligible: 0 points)

Financial records show earned income from products, services, or reciprocal grant contracts. Plan for financial sustainability. (1 Point)

Financial records show earned income from products, services, or reciprocal grant contracts covers at least 50% of expenses. Plan for financial sustainability. (2 Points)

Financial records show earned income from products, services, or reciprocal grant contracts covers at least 75% of expenses. Plan for financial sustainability. (3 Points)

Financial records show earned income from products, services, or reciprocal grant contracts covers 100% of expenses. Plan for long-term financial sustainability. (4 Points)

4. Use of Surplus: Reinvests the majority of any surplus towards its purpose

Has a structure or financing that requires more than 50% of surplus to be disbursed for private profit. No plans to change. (Not Eligible: 0 points)

Has a public commitment to reinvesting the majority of surplus towards purpose. Financial records show greater than 50% reinvestment or purpose-related disbursement. (1 Point)

Has a public commitment to reinvesting all surplus towards purpose. Financial records show 100% reinvestment or purpose-related disbursement. (2 Points)

Governing documents or structure ensure the majority of surplus is reinvested towards purpose. Financial records show greater than 50% reinvestment or purpose-related disbursement. (3 Points)

Governing documents or structure ensure all surplus is reinvested towards purpose. Financial records show 100% reinvestment or purpose-related disbursement. (4 Points)

5. Structure: Chooses legal structures and financing that protect and lock-in purpose long term.

Has a structure or financing that does not protect purpose, e.g. profit-maximising ownership, subsidiary of profit-maximising company. No plan to change structure, (Not Eligible: 0 points)

Has a public commitment to locking-in purpose. Plans to update governing documents or registration. Current financing and ownership does not prevent future lock-in. (1 Point)

Has clauses in governing documents to protect purpose through periods of transition including changes in management, changes in ownership, and dissolution. (2 Points)

Has structural arrangements to protect purpose through periods of transition (e.g. democratic governance, hybrid model with key assets under protected structure) (3 Points)

Has government regulated structural arrangements or an embedded democratic governance model to protect purpose through periods of transition (e.g. registered under a protected structure, controlling shares owned by a protected structure, democratic member control) (4 Points)

Step 1: Free Online Profile

The first step is to submit the free online form to create a public profile. The form also serves as a common application for other verification systems, networks, and services.

If you already have a profile on Good Market, you do not need to submit a new application. Contact verify@peopleandplanetfirst.org and say you are Good Market Approved and interested in verification. You can proceed directly to Step 2.

Click an Invite

The verification is implemented through a global network of networks. If you are part of a participating network, click their logo, and use their invite link to go to the apply page.

If you are not part of one of these networks, use the general People and Planet First invite link.

Sign Up

Click the New Application button, sign up, and verify your email address. If you need help, you can find more details here, send a help chat message, or email hello@goodmarket.global for support.

Submit

The Organization page of the form tends to take the longest and is the only page with required questions. The rest of the form is mostly Yes / No and multiple choice questions and tends to go quickly. The key thing is to use the form to share your enterprise’s purpose and story, and if a question doesn’t apply, don’t worry about selecting No. Every enterprise is different. It is normal to have No answers.

Continue through the Environment, Customers, Workers, Suppliers, and Community sections of the form. On the final Additional Info page, select People and Planet First Verified Social Enterprise. When you click the Submit button, you will see the confirmation page and receive an email.

Step 2: Verification Fee

The next step is to pay the initial verification fee online. The fee is kept as low as possible to increase accessibility, cover basic costs, and ensure the service is self-sustaining.

The current online payment system is in US dollars, but in the future, it will possible to pay in local currencies. If you have questions, you can contact hello@goodmarket.global for support.

Step 3: Verification Form

Once your payment is processed, the verification team will add you to their network, and you will receive an email notification with the following subject: “New People and Planet First section on your Good Market account page.” Click the green button in the email to go to your enterprise account page.

Open the People and Planet First section at the bottom of your enterprise account page and click the link to open the verification form.

Select points for each of the five standards and upload documents or add evidence to support your claims. The maximize file upload size is 5 MB.

When you are finished answering all questions in the network form, click the Submit button. A new Submitted Forms table will appear and an email will be sent to the verification team to let them know your network form is submitted.

The verification team and local verification partner will review the evidence you submitted. If the minimum standards are met, the verification team will send a welcome pack with your certificate and badge.

Renewal

The verification requires an annual review and renewal. If you have any questions about the verification process, contact verify@peopleandplanetfirst.org. If you need technical support, contact hello@goodmarket.global.

Step 1: Review your public profile and make updates if needed.

Step 2: Pay the renewal verification fee online.

Step 3: Go to your account page, click the link to open a new verification form, add your current information and click Submit.

The verification team and local verification partner will review the information you submit. If the minimum standards continue to be met, the verification team will send an updated certificate.