DO THE RIGHT THING

Wicklow salon owner Susan Collins has secured B Corp accreditation for her ethically minded business – and she’s here to tell other salon owners how they can do it too

Across Ireland and the UK, there are only a handful of salons that are B Corp certified. Susan Collins Home of Hair in Wicklow has just joined that elite rank, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. It’s the first independent hair salon in Ireland and the EU to receive the status. And it’s a pretty big deal. B-Corp certification isn’t a simple tick-box operation.

This prestigious award is given to companies that meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. They need to showcase their dedication to using their platform to drive positive change. And Susan Collins, the salon’s founder and creative director, is laser-focused on just that. “From day one our mission has been to not only provide exceptional hair services but also to make a positive impact on our community and the planet.”

Susan Collins Home of Hair is known for its personalised service, eco-conscious approach and support of local community initiatives ever since its doors opened in 2017. Fuelling Susan’s efforts is an underlying mission to do things properly, to treat people and the planet with the love and respect they deserve… and she hopes she can inspire others to consider a similar approach.

Why get certified? “In the hairdressing industry in particular, it’s hard to keep staff,” she muses. “People might lean towards working for a chain, because independents can have a reputation for mistreating people or not upskilling. So I wanted to show I am ethical and transparent.”

Susan Collins

But it was only when she was looking at sustainable partners for her salon that she found out about the B Corp journey. “We wanted our suppliers to be fully traceable. When Davines told me it was B Corp certified, and I didn’t know what it meant!” she laughs. “As I dug deeper into it, I was like, ‘okay, I’m doing a lot of this already’. I had proper contracts, proper healthcare, I had everything lined up.”

What’s her advice to other salons in Ireland interested in being certified? “Do your own assessment first before you engage any help.” She’s been a friendly ear to those who have reached out. “I’ve said, ‘Any questions, just email me or we can meet for coffee and we can go through it together, and I can show you what I did’. I’m not a consultant or anything. The B Corp certification is an incredible thing to do; it’s the right thing to do. It’s to show everyone that you are doing the right thing. And you’ll be proud of what you’ve achieved.”

While she was thrilled that she had so much in place already, the process did highlight areas that needed attention. “I had a couple of my part-time employees who weren’t paid a living wage. When I realised, I put them up straight away. People should be on a living wage – that’s what it comes down to.” Elsewhere, it was about making some elements that were already in place a bit more official, such a monthly meetings and employee handbooks.

The community places a huge role in everything the salon does also. “If you want your community to come into your salon, you must be part of that community,” Susan states simply. Her passion rings clear at every turn, and it’s infectious. Her hope is that more salons can be, well, a bit more human in how they treat their staff. “Despite being a female-dominated industry, we’re crappy to women,” she sighs. “And we are guilty of being so focused on others, on the client, we’re not focusing on ourselves. Young hairdressers, they come fresh out of college, and they’re so talented. But they’re burnt out at a young age. There’s no work/life balance. I just hate that…”

And she sees it as having a major impact. “They wonder why the shadow industry is becoming so prevalent. Women want to come back into the workforce, but why would they work for €100 a day, with no lunch break, come home tired, sick at Christmas because they’ve literally worked so hard,” she says. “They could do a head of meche at home and get quick cash in hand for two hours’ work in the kitchen.”

It’s why when she was opening her salon, she was determined to make it family- and female-friendly. “Women who come back part-time after kids, often they’re not getting educated, because they’re not considered as putting back into the business financially,” she sighs. “If you’re working for me two days a week, you’ll be treated like you’re bringing in €10,000 every week.

You’ll get whatever education you want, I’ll encourage and support you. Need to watch a school play? No problem. Family first, every time.” That’s a family plenty will want to be a part of.