Cowboy has become the first e-bike retail brand to be awarded B Corp status with a high score of 89.5 points.
B Lab assesses whether companies meet high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. The minimum score required for certification is 80.
To celebrate the achievement, the Belgian company has relaunched its ‘Circular‘ programme with a batch of 700 refurbished e-bikes covered by a two-year warranty. Cowboy’s previous circular bikes proved so popular that they sold out within minutes.
Adrien Roose, Cowboy’s Co-Founder and CEO, told Zag Daily: “By giving our bikes a ‘second spin’ via our Circular program, we continue to push our sustainability efforts forward by extending the life of each bike and making our connected e-bike more accessible.
“As well as Circular, by owning our logistics end to end means we are in control of supply chain sustainability and the auditing of our suppliers to high levels of accountability – all vital for our B Corp certification.”
The company’s e-bikes have been designed prioritising recyclability of its components, with a particular focus on aluminium which is infinitely recyclable. All components can be disassembled and Cowboy works with independent recycling partners for its battery and bike parts.
The retailer also controls the packaging of components, choosing sustainable packaging methods and using as little material as possible, as well as upholding the code of conduct of the Responsible Business Alliance.
To become a Certified B Corporation, companies undergo a scrupulous review of the impact of their operations and business model on their workers, customers, communities and environment.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cowboy to the B Corp community at this pivotal time, where e-bike demand soars and the world needs more people that use their business as a force for good,” said Tessa van Soest, Executive Director of B Lab Benelux.
“Cowboy’s commitment to continuous improvement and determination for long-lasting value for their communities, workers, suppliers, environment and customers is well reflected in their overall score on the B Impact Assessment. We congratulate Cowboy and look forward to seeing them inspire other bike companies to follow suit.”
Out of the 1,600 B Corp UK-certified businesses, HumanForest recently became the second micromobility company to achieve this status. Beryl achieved B Corp status in October 2018.
