For many fashion businesses, B Corp remains an aspirational badge. For Decjuba, the milestone has been achieved – but not without a fundamental rethink of how a 140-store retail business operates end-to-end.
The brand's B Corp score sits just above the 80-point threshold and well ahead of the 50.9 median. Internally, however, the focus wasn’t on the number – it was on rewiring the mechanics of the business, from head office through to stores and deep into the supply chain.
Unlike smaller or digitally native brands, Decjuba’s certification journey had to account for the complexity of a large physical retail footprint. According to the business, success hinged on cross-functional alignment across buying, planning, retail operations, customer service, IT and logistics.
“It requires genuine cross-functional collaboration across every part of the business… it only happens when the entire organisation leans in,” Decjuba said.
At the head office level, the shift translated into infrastructure. The company’s Balmain Street headquarters in Melbourne was purpose-built to meet 5 Green Star standards, with a Climate Positive pathway targeted for mid-2026.
In stores, the focus has been on systemisation over messaging. Through the Decjuba Foundation, the retailer has embedded a 1 per cent donation from all sales – removing the need for point-of-sale upselling and standardising community contributions across its network.
Supply chain visibility has also been a core pillar. The business has mapped 100 per cent of its Tier 1 and Tier 2 factories, with all Tier 1 suppliers holding ethical audit reports, alongside the rollout of an independent whistleblower service.
Where many brands are still piloting circularity, Decjuba has moved into execution. Returned products are diverted from landfill into reuse and recycling streams via partners, including Upparel and ImpacTex. Its resale platform, Authentified, has also scaled, with more than 3,000 items recirculated in 2025 and a multi-brand expansion underway.
Beyond the badge
Decjuba is careful not to position B Corp certification as a marketing tool. Instead, it frames the accreditation as a governance mechanism – one that strengthens accountability and long-term decision-making.
“We see sustainability as something that strengthens the business over time, not a short-term project,” the company said.
“It’s not about ticking boxes or chasing trends. It’s about building a business that can hold up long term, with better visibility across our supply chain, clearer decision-making, and more accountability.”
The retailer added that B Corp provides structure rather than strategy.
“It helps keep us on track and shows where we need to improve, while informing better commercial decisions and helping us manage risk and opportunity over time. However, a lot of this work was already underway before we engaged in the certification.”
Decjuba’s strongest performance came in the environmental category (23.8), driven by a full transition to renewable electricity across Australia and New Zealand, expanded use of lower-impact materials, and increased adoption of recyclable and compostable packaging.
Its second-highest score was in workers (21.3), particularly across financial security, health, wellness and safety.
The process also exposed gaps – particularly in lifecycle analysis and customer integration.
“The B Corp process is quite confronting in a good way. It highlights where you can be improving,” Decjuba said.
The business is now prioritising deeper lifecycle assessments across key categories such as denim, alongside building more structured customer feedback loops.
With B Corp standards evolving beyond a points-based system, the focus is shifting from score optimisation to continuous improvement.
“It’s less about chasing a score and more about embedding deeper, more rigorous practices,” Decjuba added.
From head office to shop floor
For multi-store retailers, a key challenge is ensuring frontline teams can confidently communicate sustainability initiatives.
Decjuba’s approach has centred on simplicity, using short online training modules, in-store cheat sheets and internal roadshows.
“The goal isn’t for teams to memorise facts – it’s for them to understand the ‘why’ behind what we’re doing,” the company said.
“At the end of the day, we want our teams to feel connected to what we’re doing as a brand, and be able to talk about it in a way that feels genuine to them.”
For the broader Australian fashion sector, Decjuba’s certification underscores both the opportunity and the reality of B Corp.
The opportunity lies in a globally recognised framework that can drive alignment and accountability. The reality is the level of transparency required.
“It requires a level of openness that can feel uncomfortable… not everything will look perfect. But that’s where the value is,” Decjuba said.
As more brands explore certification, the retailer’s experience highlights a clear takeaway: there are no shortcuts.
“We need more brands willing to share what they’re doing – the good, messy and everything in between – because real change in the fashion industry won’t happen in isolation,” it added.
“It’s also important to recognise that this is hard work. There’s no quick fix, and no single brand can transform the industry on its own. But every business can influence how the industry evolves.”
For large-scale retailers, the work doesn’t end at certification – it starts there.