This new status brings the low-cost clean energy provider into the circle of 50 B Corp certified companies in Africa.
By Bernard Bangda
With an overall score of 148.5 points, largely exceeding the 96 points required for B Corp certification, WeLight Madagascar, which provides clean, affordable, reliable and productive energy to people in remote rural areas of Madagascar and sub-Saharan Africa, has become the first company in the country to achieve this certification. It is the only one that considers all dimensions of social and environmental performance: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, and Customers.
« WeLight Madagascar meets the highest standards of environmental and social performance. By achieving B Corp certification, it has joined the community of 50 B Corp certified companies in Africa”
The score is misleading. After a rigorous process, B Lab East Africa, the non-profit organization that measures and verifies the environmental and social performance of companies using the B Impact Assessment, has recognized that WeLight Madagascar meets the highest standards of environmental and social performance. With the acquisition of this international label, WeLight has joined the community of 50 B Corps certified companies in Africa. WeLight’s achievement of the international label is recognition of its commitment to creating a positive and meaningful impact on its entire ecosystem, while contributing to a more inclusive and regenerative economy.
“This label confirms that the values and impact created by our company are truly at the service of sharing and benefiting all stakeholders,” said Romain de Villeneuve, CEO, WeLight Madagascar
In a country where the electricity access rate is around 15%, WeLight has chosen to provide access to reliable, clean, and productive electricity to people in rural areas.
For Romain de Villeneuve, Managing Director of WeLight Madagascar, « this label confirms that the values and impact created by our company are truly at the service of sharing and benefiting all stakeholders ». And he relishes this new status: “We are honored to join the selective B Corp community in Africa, and to become the first certified company in Madagascar.”
« The Madagascan company’s commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea in Africa, » says Ngwing Kimani, B Lab East Africa Executive Director”
The same goes for Ngwing Kimani, Executive Director of B Lab East Africa. For her, « Being able to welcome WeLight to the B Corp community is hugely exciting.” She says that « the Madagascan company’s commitment to doing business differently will inspire others and really help spread the idea in Africa. It shows that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit”.
For the record, WeLight Madagascar was born out of the desire of three leading economic players with significant expertise in Africa (AXIAN Group, Sagemcom and Norfund) to implement renewable energy solutions and deploy them throughout the continent. The company currently operates 40 mini-grids serving 9,000 electrified households.
B Lab East Africa, a non-profit organization, was established in 2017. For its founders, it aims to « serve a growing community of more than 50 African companies using business as a force for good. With its tool, the B Impact Assessment, B Lab measures and verifies companies’ environmental and social performance. The organization ensures rigorous standards are met by all Africa B Corps and promotes positive, action-led change towards a new approach to business.”
