How you do anything is how you do everything. 

When you create things - art, craft, story - it's really easy to align with this. 

But then you step into running a business and your vocabulary changes… Efficiency. Productivity. Profit & Loss. Human Resource… Important stuff for sure. But lacking the heart of… art. 

Growth throws things at you and the company. The moment you become responsible for the livelihoods of a team, for “overheads,” priorities change, and it’s easy to lose sight of the values that drove you to launch your own company. A little of this and a dash of that, and before you know it, you find yourself on set, without a script. 

So we wrote one—a script to keep The Sweetshop accountable.

We set out to reconnect with the values that started it all.  So three years ago, we set out on a journey to achieve B Corp certification. And today, we’re really proud to shout with the greatest enthusiasm that Sweetshop is officially certified. 

For CEO and Co-Founder Melanie Bridge, this moment is about more than a badge. “When we started The Sweetshop, our dream was to build a home for creativity and integrity, but over the years we learned that good intentions just aren’t enough.”

From a small start in Auckland in 2001 to five global offices, The Sweetshop has spent over two decades chasing the good stuff — bold ideas, great craft, unforgettable stories. But underneath the success, there was a nagging sense of disconnect.

Despite Sweetshop's fervent resolve to challenge norms and enact positive change, we recognized a disheartening truth: We hadn’t. So how do you keep making brilliant work while also looking after your people and the world around you?

Says Melanie, “This certification is about putting structure around what we’ve always believed — sustainability and craft are not opposites, you can care about both and still make great work.”

“Sustainability and craft are not opposites, you can care about both and still make great work.”

The team chose B Corp precisely because the bar is set so high, with the certification recognised as the global gold standard for businesses driving positive change. While the process is not for the faint-hearted, it was exactly the kind of rigour The Sweetshop was looking for, leaning heavily into investing in the humans behind the craft. “Because if we’ve got one secret ingredient, it’s always been the people who make us uniquely Sweetshop,” she adds.   

“We did question whether a company in advertising could truly call itself a force for good. But, what we discovered through this process is that positive change is possible in countless small and large ways, and that embracing progress is far more important than striving for perfection.”

Says Melanie, “There’s no avoiding the fact that this has been a huge amount of work, and it will continue to demand we work hard to live these values and meet B Corp’s standards. We’re here for it.”  

It took effort across every region, working as one to make B Corp real, from the smallest detail to the biggest impact. “For us, it’s been about setting an intention and following through,” she adds, “I’m proud of what our team has pulled off since we set our sights on B-Corp certification.” 

For The Sweetshop, B Corp isn’t a theory; it’s how the company runs. On set, it means reducing waste and emissions without compromising craft. For its people, it’s about representative crews, fair opportunities, and real support across every region. And in the wider world, it’s a commitment to give back, open doors, and use creativity to make a positive impact well beyond the screen.

As Melanie puts it: “B Corp isn’t about being perfect; it’s about embracing progress.” For The Sweetshop, that progress means holding themselves to the same standards they want to see reflected in the industry: inclusive, ethical, creatively fearless.

Please have a browse through our 2025 Impact Report. We would love to know what you think!