Lulu's Community
and Environmental Impact Report

Lulu is the premier choice for print-on-demand book fulfillment. We’re deeply invested in producing books in sustainable, environmentally friendly ways that ensure everyone has access to books for years to come. This report details the steps we take every day to meet that goal.

Explore the Report

B Corp Certification   |   Our Impact   |   Looking Ahead

Our B Corp Certification

Lulu has been a certified B Corp since 2016. But what exactly is a B Corp?

The B Corp Movement

Powered by B Lab, B Corp Certification is a rigorous process that for-profit companies undergo to validate their social and environmental impact. B Lab offers this description on their website: B Lab is the nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.

They do this by providing and managing the assessment that all Certified B Corps must pass. B Corp Certification is a designation given to businesses that meet B Lab’s high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

B Corps are part of a global movement to use business as a force for good. Some well-known B Corps you’ve probably heard of include Patagonia, Ben & Jerry's,and Allbirds.

Lulu's Certification Journey

When Lulu worked with the NC State B Corp clinic to apply for B Corp Certification. As a company, we’ve always aimed to be a positive, people-focused, and sustainable book printer. B Corp Certification is a way to prove to ourselves that we’re living up to our mission.

Since becoming certified, Lulu has remained committed to balancing purpose and profit. We prioritize sustainability and strive for the highest social and environmental performance standards.

That includes:

Our Impact

Promise

Lulu's promise hasn't changed much over the last 20 years. We outline that promise in our longstanding mission statement:

Lulu is dedicated to making the world a better place, one book at a time, through sustainable practices, innovative print-on-demand products, and a commitment to excellent service.

With a mission built on conscious practices, B Corp Certification gave Lulu a metric to measure our success. By committing to B Corp Certification, Lulu holds itself accountable to the employees and the customers who use our platform.

Lulu's B Impact Score

Why Being a B Corp Matters

While the Lulu team took on the challenge of achieving certification to support and bolster our company mission, there is ample evidence
that B Corp Certification is just smart business. For instance, 62% of consumers say a brand’s values are important to their buying decision (Razerfish, 2021), 90% of employees say “ a strong sense of purpose” means they’re more inspired and motivated in their jobs (Harvard Business Review), and 59% of small and medium brands that focus on the impact see disproportionate sales growth (McKinsey and NielsonIQ).

B Corp Certification is all about measuring our impact on the environment, society, and our community. Here at Lulu, we measure our impact based on five important facets: Promise, People, Community, Sustainability, and Customer. 

People

Headquartered in North Carolina, Lulu employs approximately 100 people. Our company is woman-led and focused on building a diverse team of highly-skilled individuals. Lulu actively fosters a culture of giving back through volunteerism, allowing employees to engage with and support their communities.

Maintaining certification helps Lulu continuously refine its business practices, ensuring equity and inclusion in hiring, internal policies, and employee benefits.

Our Culture

Embracing Diversity

At Lulu, the community extends beyond the workplace.

Internally, we are a diverse and inclusive team. Lulu supports all employees with initiatives and training to create an open and positive work environment. We believe that everyone thrives when we have the opportunity to be curious and search for new ways to grow, innovate, and create.

To the community around us, Lulu gives back through donations, paid volunteer days, and partnerships with local organizations.

Hiring Practices

At Lulu, we are committed to empowering creators and organizations by providing access to publishing opportunities. Our platform enables individuals to share their stories, ideas, and knowledge globally.

Feedback, particularly related to our B Corp mission, is key to continuously improving. To ensure we meet our high standards for customer satisfaction, we actively monitor feedback, including our Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) score, with the 2024 results reflecting our commitment to excellence.

Looking Ahead

This year and every year, Lulu continues to look for new ways to grow while giving back. In 2025, we’ll continue to volunteer, sponsor local causes, and develop better workplace practices.

Lulu’s recertification as a B Corp will be completed in 2025, reaffirming our goal to be a diverse, community-driven, for-profit company.

100% renewable energy consumption

Paid volunteer days for employees

In-office composting and gardening

Community

Giving Back

Sustainability

Customers

Our Commitment

Lulu encourages internal upward mobility and posts all of our jobs with a commitment to DEIB. We don’t require an educational background, and we don’t ask about incarceration history.

Competitive Pay

Lulu analyzes pay for equity based on gender, race, ethnicity, and other demographics to ensure fair bonuses, cost of living adjustments, and employee ownership opportunities.

Company Policies

Lulu provides all employees with a thorough handbook covering all policies, including:

Comprehensive Benefits

Lulu offers all employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes partners and children, with access to behavioral health counseling services, web resources, and employee assistance programs. Additionally, employees have access to the following benefits:

Professional Development

Lulu offers reimbursements for education and provides each department allocated budget for professional development opportunities.

Commitment to DEIB

Lulu's team is built on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles and relies on the unique perspectives of a range of people to grow.

Employee Training

Lulu fosters training for community development and professional growth.

Listening & Belonging

Lulu hosts internal listening sessions for small groups and conducts anonymous belonging surveys to understand the sentiment in the workplace.

Volunteering

Lulu provides all employees with three paid days to spend volunteering each year.

Employee Recognition

Lulu employees use an internal system to recognize each other, and Lulu converts that recognition into redeemable gift cards.

Partnerships

Lulu has built multiple partnerships with local organizations, including NC B Corp Community, Triangle Business for Good, and Activate Good.

Sponsorships & Events

Lulu works with and sponsors local organizations that put on events, collect donations, and use Lulu’s company space for community gatherings.

Access to Publishing

Lulu is a free-to-use platform accessible from all over the world, giving diverse voices the opportunity to publish.

Fair Revenue Sharing

Lulu offers users at-cost purchasing for all print products and a bookstore with an 80% revenue share for authors.

Customer Feedback

Lulu closely monitors how our customers view the business through direct interactions and CSAT score tracking.

Data Security

Lulu maintains Soc2 Compliance to ensure all customer and user data is safe and secure.

Lulu strives to minimize our environmental impact through energy-efficient practices, recycling and composting, and rigorously focusing on sustainability in our production and operations. Lulu’s print-on-demand model eliminates the waste associated with traditional publishing, while our use of certified sustainable paper and recyclable packaging ensures our products meet the expectations of environmentally conscious consumers.

Sustainable Practices

Reducing Waste

Lulu reduces our environmental footprint through energy efficiency, recycling, and composting. Some energy and efficiency efforts include:

Recyclable Materials

Lulu primarily uses products and packaging that are recyclable, come from recycled materials, or come from sustainably sourced materials. We have been recycling 95% of our solid waste for the last 15 years.

Print-On-Demand

Lulu’s print-on-demand model prevents the overproduction of books, which would otherwise contribute to the massive waste in traditional publishing.

GOVERNANCE

WORKERS

COMMUNITY

ENVIRONMENT

CUSTOMERS