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Spotlight on: Our fabulous B Corp brands
At Virgin Atlantic, we believe in using business as a force for good. Over the past 40 years, we've been flying the flag doing everything we can to protect people and planet, and this still fuels everything we do today.
We’re proud to have some brilliant B Corp brands flying with us on our journey and this B Corp month, we want to celebrate all the work that they’re doing to make our planet a better place.
What does it mean to be B Corp certified?
Forget flashy status symbols. Being a B Corp business is hard work. It's not just as simple as saying you’re doing the best you can, you’ve got to walk the talk too. An assessment from B Lab will grade you on how well you treat your people and our planet. And, if you pass their social and environmental impact criteria, your company will be the proud owner of a B Corp certification.
We thought it was about time we showed off the amazing work some of our partners do to bring you the very best experiences both on land and in the sky.
Why do we work with B Corp partners?
Growing from a seed of entrepreneurial spirit and launching ourselves sky high to become a disruptive and much-loved airline, we know a thing or two about what it takes to be a business that stands out from the crowd. That’s why we partner with people who are doing the same in their businesses. After all, it’s a team spirit that changes the world.
As a B Corp certified business, we know that the partners we collab with are the cream of the crop. (And many are also the perfect pal for your preferred tipple.) So, let’s head down the red runaway and find out who they are..
Nice Drinks
B Corp certified since August 2023
Whether you’re honeymooning as newlyweds or cabin upgrading to a fully flat bed, Nice Drinks will cheers to that. And we will too!
First canned in 2019, Nice Drinks is the forward-thinking wine company created by Founders Lucy Wright and Jeremy May. When we heard about their French Sauvignon Blanc, Pale Rosé and Argentinian Malbec, we just knew we had to get them onboard. That was back in 2021 and a fair few cans of wine later (over a million served onboard, actually), Nice is now the UK’s fastest-growing canned wine brand. Guess it’s an idea that really sparkled.
"At Nice, we’re all about making wine much more approachable and much more understandable."
And what’s not to love? 100% recyclable, plastic-free, totally vegan. Oh, and delicately balanced and delightfully fruity for an air of sophistication. Even at 30,000 feet.
Founder of Nice Drinks, Lucy Wright says: “A lot of us have no idea what we’re even looking for when it comes to wine. At Nice, we’re all about making wine much more approachable and much more understandable. And just having fun along the way, really not taking ourselves too seriously.”
Oh, go on then, we’ll have a can.
You can find Nice Wine on all routes in Economy and Premium.
Oliver Co
B Corp certified since February 2022
It might surprise you when we say that sometimes being sustainable can be sexy. For Oliver Co, stylish but sustainable fashion is absolutely their tea leather bag.
Partnering with Oliver Co for our new collection of travel essentials was a tailormade match thanks to their drive to make beautiful everyday items with minimal environmental impact.
"The work that we’ve done with Virgin Atlantic and WASTEA is a world first.”
And after all, what’s more British than a cup of tea? The London based company got off the ground when Founder and Creative Director Matthew Oliver discovered plant leather from WASTEA, a material created out of discarded tea leaves. Unlike the drying processes of other plant leather which can be very energy-intensive, Matthew Oliver says: “With the WASTEA, the tea waste comes from the
production process of tea which is naturally dried anyway to make what we find in our teabags. The work that we’ve done with Virgin Atlantic and WASTEA is a world first.”
Adding the statement Virgin flair with a red tea leather passport holder, luggage tag, landing gear pouch and card wallet, Oliver Co are making moves in sustainable style for both customers and through its supplyc chain, as the production of WASTEA creates an extra source of income for tea farmers around the world. And, if that wasn’t enough, Oliver Co also put some of their profits into environmental organisations each year as part of their membership to the 1% for the Planet scheme.
Bag your travel essentials before your next trip and rep the planet in style.
The VA x Oliver Co rnge is available to buy online now exclusively at shop.virginatlantic.com.
The Pickle House
B Corp certified since August 2023
The Pickle House is a ‘bloody’ brilliant addition to our drinks trolley. No, really. We use their juices in our onboard Bloody Mary’s. And that’s all thanks to Founder Florence Cherruault.
Now we all love a good holiday and many of us come back inspired. But very few of us decide to start our own business as a result. But not Florence. Just one trip to New York and a few pickle-chased measures of whiskey later, she’d found her eureka moment.
“We try to source our ingredients from local suppliers as much as possible,”
Juicing pickles on her countertop in Hackney, Florence got herself off to a flying start perfecting the recipe for her Original Pickle Juice.
But she didn’t stop there, she went the extra mile. After getting together with a few bartenders, her first Spiced Tomato Mix was bottled from her family’s farm in Suffolk using local ingredients.
“We try to source our ingredients from local suppliers as much as possible,” says Founder Florence. “We’ve got a vegan Worcestershire source in there that’s made from a lady up the road from us and we use Aspall’s apple cyder vinegar which is a Suffolk based cider and vinegar company.”
But what about in the air? Florence says: “On a flight, the best Pickle House experience would be to have a Bloody Mary as your first drink on the flight. It’s a great starting cocktail.”
Whether you’re sipping back in our Clubhouse or settling in onboard, it would be rude not to give it a try.
You can enjoy The Pickle House Spiced Tomato Mix in our Bloody Mary's served exclusively in Upper Class.
Sapling
B Corp certified since January 2022
Spirits with that special somethin’ somethin’? Now we can get behind that. Introducing Sapling.
Locally produced from British wheat, this climate positive brand was first brewed by Founders Ivo Devereux and Edward Faulkner back in 2018 with the aim to plant a tree for every bottle of vodka or gin sold.
We’ve been collabing with their team over the past year to create bespoke aluminium bottles which take less out of the planet and put more back in.
"At Sapling, we plant one tree for every 70cl bottle sold so we’ve committed with Virgin to plant one for every 14 of these miniatures.”
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“We’ve been working with Virgin now for well over a year developing aluminium miniatures,” says Founder, Ivo. “Aluminium is lightweight and infinitely easier to recycle [than plastic or glass]. At Sapling, we plant one tree for every 70cl bottle sold so we’ve committed with Virgin to plant one for every 14 of these miniatures.”
Together we’ve made a pact to plant 20,000 trees this year. So, when you’re in the sky enjoying a refreshing glass of your favourite hand-crafted cocktail, you’re also giving something back on land with every sip.
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