Leesa UK, an online luxury mattress company with a fierce social mission, has become a Certified B Corporation business. Certified B Corporations meet high standards of overall social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability and aspire to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. There are more than 1950 Certified B Corporations in over 130 industries and 50 countries.
“When we started Leesa we were determined to measure success not just by revenue and profit, but by our impact on the world,” says co-founder and CEO David Wolfe. “We feel giving back is a privilege, not an obligation. It’s been built into our company from the very beginning.”
The ethical business B Corp movement - imported from the US and arrived in the UK in September 2015 - requires for profit companies to commit to hitting social and environmental goals, whilst they are making profit. It looks at the positive impact on people and on the planet on a company making their profit.
Leesa UK joins a growing movement of Certified B Corporations in the UK including Ben & Jerry’s, JoJo Maman Bebé, Bulb and Patagonia - leaders of a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Below are just some of the social impact campaigns spearheaded by Leesa that helped them meet B Corp’s rigorous standards.
Donating Mattresses
The Leesa One-Ten program gives one mattress to homeless shelters for every ten they sell, which are specially manufactured to meet charity standards. So far the company has donated over 8000 mattresses globally to charities whose mission includes providing beds for people seeking refuge from homelessness. In the UK this includes £15,000 worth of new mattresses to Manchester’s Mustard Tree, 120 new mattresses to London’s homeless charity, St Mungo’s, which provides shelter for over 2600 homeless every night, and also a further donation of 25 mattresses to SHP, which supports some of London’s most vulnerable young people, through the provision of supported housing and community-based support services.
“A safe place to sleep is a human right,” says David. “At Leesa, we believe in a world where every at-risk man, woman and child is empowered to start their day fresh and full of opportunity.”
Community Service
The Leesa One-community programme empowers Leesa employees to participate in monthly community service at local organisations serving the homeless population to experience the company’s mission on the ground. These experiences drive the higher purpose when returning to the office.
Planting Trees
Trees provide oxygen, reduce carbon, hold accessible fresh water, improve wildlife habitats and create beauty for all to enjoy. For these reasons and more, Leesa started the One-Earth programme planting one tree for every mattress they sell. In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, Leesa has made a formal commitment to plant one million trees by 2025.
“We are very proud to be a new member of the B-Corp community,” says David. “Giving is a privilege we never take for granted. It's humbling to be recognised in this way. We are honored to be joining forces with a global movement of businesses who recognise our collective responsibility to be an unstoppable force for good.”
