Javier Nieto, Principal from the Madrid office, dives into how Metyis became part of the B Corp community and how the impact of that journey has helped every level commit to positive change.
Meet Javier Nieto, Principal in Madrid
Tell us a little about yourself
At the moment I live in Madrid, a city that in reality is far from its reputation as a big congested city. It has many green areas just a few kilometres away, which allows me to enjoy a fantastic national park such as the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park. Discovering new routes on foot or by bicycle is one of my favourite activities. During my free time I like to complement the social focus of my work with an interest in environmental issues. I like everything that has to do with nature. From going for walks in the mountains to collecting zoology books.
What is your current role at Metyis?
As a Principal at Metyis I am very focused on Social Impact projects. Our consulting projects always have a social component. In my role, I am intricately involved in initiatives aimed at economic promotion and reindustrialisation, with a steadfast focus on fostering local employment opportunities. Witnessing the tangible impact of our efforts, especially in areas grappling with economic adversity, fills me with profound satisfaction. Whether it's attracting new investment projects or revitalising struggling communities, the ripple effect of our work extends far beyond business metrics, touching the lives of individuals in need.
How do you feel about being part of the team that has made it possible to be part of the B Corp community?
For me it has been a very satisfying experience because I have had the opportunity to evaluate the company's values, procedures and policies at all levels from a sustainability perspective. The best thing is that the employees themselves have been able to propose numerous improvement initiatives to make Metyis a company with an even more positive impact on its employees, customers and environment. Many of these ideas have been implemented, so we have been able to see how our working environment has improved thanks to our contributions. I can assure you that the sense of pride in belonging to Metyis has grown in many of us.
Has it been easy to achieve B Corp certification?
Of course it has been a lot of work. The good thing is that when Metyis management considered the B Corp certification, there was a total consensus that it would be done with the purpose of positioning ourselves as a sustainable company. It was not just a matter of obtaining a quality seal, and that is important.
You can imagine the effort it has taken to get to the bottom of each evaluation section. The B Lab team is really demanding. I don't think there has been a single point in the audit where we have not implemented improvements. Getting 86.1 out of a possible 100 points makes us feel very satisfied.
What has made it possible for Metyis Spain to become a B Corp company?
In addition to the work and involvement of the team involved in the certification process, what has undoubtedly made the certification possible is the support of the management and the participation of all employees. Becoming B Corp certified means making commitments to change with which the management must be perfectly aligned.
Is being responsible at odds with performance?
I think it is rather the opposite. When, for example, you improve the conditions for employees or show customers that you really care about them, relationships improve, we work more comfortably and therefore we increase our performance.
What commitment has the Sustainability team made to positively impact the planet?
The B Corp certification has pushed us to make new commitments, but not just to the sustainability team. Real impact is achieved when it is the organisation as a whole, and at all levels, commits to change.
For example, in Spain, Metyis is committed to actively promoting the visibility in the company of people from under-represented groups. Or the commitment to reduce water consumption by up to 20%. At Metyis there is now a person who, among other tasks, is in charge of monitoring consumption and following up on the evolution. But obviously, even if all employees were not aware and involved in making a more rational use of water in the offices, they would anyway as a result of good intentions.
In the area of Social Impact, the team has been working for some time now on services and solutions that help drive our clients' transformation, are you seeing the change in clients?
On a reputational level, it benefits us a lot, because now our area, in addition to acting responsibly, is endorsed by a seal of excellence that differentiates us even more. There are many clients who, as soon as they learn that we became B Corp, were interested in being part of the community as well. Some of them even asked for our help on getting them certified.