One of Scotland’s oldest family-owned businesses, Johnstons of Elgin, has achieved B Corp status, recognising the brand’s commitment to being a force for change in the social and environmental sphere.

The Royal Warrant holder has been an expert in the world’s best natural fibres since 1797, combining exceptional quality and craftsmanship with a focus on its communities. The brand crafts the finest cashmere and merino wool products in its Elgin and Hawick mills, the former being Scotland’s only vertical weaving mill.

Becoming a B Corp reinforces the community purpose that has been a feature of the company for generations. Chris Gaffney, Chief Executive, Johnstons of Elgin, commented: “Our team at Johnstons has done great work to get us to the point where we could meet the stringent criteria required to become a B Corp and this, in turn, has made us a better company. There remains much work to do, but it is very fulfilling as a Chief Executive and a Board to be so clearly empowered by our family owners to make decisions that will continue us on a journey to becoming a fully sustainable company.”

Attaining B Corp status requires business transparency emphasising environmental and social factors. The business must benefit all stakeholders, its suppliers, and employees whose lives depend on the company, not just shareholders.

To reflect this, Johnstons of Elgin has made a legal change to the company’s founding, underpinning documents declaring the brand’s intention, ‘for the benefit of its members as a whole and through its business and operations, to have a material positive impact on society and the environment.’

This formalises a dedication to community spanning more than two centuries. When founder Alexander Johnston retired in 1845, his son James wrote: “For upwards of fifty years he carried out the business of woollen manufacture, with credit, if not much profit for himself, and much benefit to the community.”

The current family owners have driven the business’s ambition of B Corp certification in alignment with the brand’s values. There are 120 family-owned firms among the 1703 B Corp companies in the UK, and there are 6693 B Corp businesses worldwide. Brands are required to recertify every three years.

A brand which looks after its people, with a strong focus on its local and global communities, Johnstons of Elgin is delighted to announce their B Corp status while celebrating its 225th anniversary year.

Two centuries after establishment, Johnstons of Elgin remains family owned. The brand transforms raw cashmere and merino wool fibres into yarn and then finished products in its own Scottish mills, employing 1200 people across both of its manufacturing sites.

Johnstons of Elgin holds a Royal Warrant of Appointment to His Majesty King Charles III, awarded when he was Prince of Wales, for the supply of Estate Tweeds. Tweed forms a significant part of the brand’s heritage, and tweed designs continue to feature in its contemporary collections.

One of three founding members of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), Johnstons of Elgin works with Mongolian herders to support sustainable grassland management and ensure the wellbeing of the animals at the source of its fibres. Johnstons of Elgin considers its supply chains as extended family, and part of its work with the SFA is to protect the herders’ livelihoods. Johnstons of Elgin purchases most of its Cashmere from sources certified by the Sustainable Fibre Alliance and by 2024 aims to buy 100% of its fibre from SFA-certified sources.

Johnstons purchases wool that is Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified. The RWS is a voluntary global standard that addresses sheep's welfare and the land they graze on. RWS certification provides complete traceability of wool and confirms that farms follow land management methods to protect soil health and biodiversity and practice holistic respect for their sheep's welfare.

A commitment to improving sustainability is at the heart of Johnstons of Elgin’s values. The company has worked with natural, renewable, biodegradable fibres since 1797 and strives to reduce its environmental footprint year after year, a commitment recognised by the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2021.

www.johnstonsofelgin.com