An important part of any organization’s priorities, as well as an important category of B Corp Certification, is the consideration of added value for customers. In this assignment, you will apply what you have learned about customer expectations and consider how it can be applied to your course project, which is due in Module Seven.
You work in the operations department at NationaliTeas, a large international corporation that manufactures and sells tea worldwide. Based on customer feedback and a push to work toward B Corp Certification, the board of directors is looking for new initiative ideas that would increase value to customers. Examples include offering product guarantees, seeking product quality certifications, monitoring customer satisfaction, and more. You have been asked to outline two customer-focused initiatives that can be evaluated by impacted teams for feasibility.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Added Customer Value: Briefly describe the added value that your initiative idea brings to customers. Use supporting evidence from course materials in your response.
Added Business Value: Briefly describe the added value that your initiative idea brings to the organization. Be certain to note the impact of the added customer value on the business. Use evidence from the course materials to support your response.
Potential Resources: Identify resources that would likely be needed to complete the outlined initiative. In this case, "resources” might refer to the amount of funding, the materials available, the allocation of employees and their time, and so on.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Briefly describe how the success of the initiative would be monitored over time and how you would evaluate the criteria for success.
The increased customer value—trust and reduced purchase risk—translates directly into brand differentiation and increased market share. Achieving a high-profile certification is a powerful marketing tool that justifies a price premium and attracts the growing segment of socially conscious consumers. It provides measurable evidence of NationaliTeas' commitment to the "Workers" and "Environment" sections of B Corp Certification, improving the company's overall B Impact Score. This proactive step helps mitigate reputational risk associated with opaque supply chains.
Potential Resources
Funding: Significant fees for certification audits, initial compliance costs (e.g., upgrading farm equipment, implementing better waste management).
Personnel: Dedicated Sustainability Manager (new hire or reallocated) to oversee compliance; time allocation from the Sourcing/Procurement team to vet suppliers; time allocation from the Legal team to review contracts and certification requirements.
Materials: Investment in new packaging materials to display the certification logo; required technology for supply chain tracking (e.g., blockchain or specialized software).
Sample Answer
Customer-Focused Initiatives for NationaliTeas
Here are two customer-focused initiatives for NationaliTeas designed to increase customer value and advance B Corp certification efforts.
Initiative 1: "Sip with Confidence" Sourcing and Sustainability Certification
This initiative involves obtaining a third-party product certification focused on ethical sourcing and environmental sustainability for NationaliTeas' core product line.
Added Customer Value
This initiative addresses the growing customer expectation for transparency and ethical consumption. Customers increasingly want to know that the products they buy align with their values (as evidenced by increased demand for B Corp and similar certified goods). By gaining a globally recognized certification (e.g., Fair Trade Certified, Rainforest Alliance, or B Corp's own criteria), NationaliTeas provides customers with a guarantee that the tea was sourced ethically and sustainably. This reduces the customer's perceived risk of making an unethical purchase, offering peace of mind and strengthening the emotional connection to the brand.