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Our Pawprint
We understand that responsible innovation means making decisions with the highest regard for people, pets, and the planet.
We're proud to be a member of the B Corp community.
A B Corp is a business that has been independently certified to meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance. Certification is carried out by the nonprofit B Labs, who evaluates corporations based on five main areas:
- Environmental impact
- Impact on employees
- Community impact
- Company governance
- Customer stewardship
Certification lasts for three years, and companies must be fully reassessed against the same strict standards in order to qualify for recertification.
K9 Ballistics was originally certified in 2021, and was recertified in 2024.
Becoming certified as a B Corp doesn't just mean that we are dedicated to find a better balance between purpose and profit—it also means that we're honest about our efforts.
Greenwashing is an all too common practice for companies these days, with big corporations making even bigger claims they don't bother backing up. Achieving B Corp certification is a lot of work, but it's worth it to show that we're putting our money where our mouth is and validating our positive impact. It also means being held accountable for everything we say and do. Plus, the certification process serves to highlight areas that we can improve upon in the future.
With our latest certification (completed in 2024), K9 Ballistics earned a score of 85.2, according to the following breakdown of impact areas:
- Environment - 27.2
- Workers - 22
- Community - 17.2
- Governance - 15.5
- Customers - 3.1
K9 Ballistics originally scored an 82 when first certified in 2021. The median score for ordinary businesses that complete the assessment is 50.9
Benefiting Our Planet
With a focus on sustainability and reducing waste, K9 Ballistics is committed to minimizing any harmful impacts our operations have on the environment.
The average dog bed—the kind you find sitting on shelves at your local pet store or grocery store—are made from flimsy materials, using fast and underpaid labor. They'll probably last about a year at most, and many will start to wear out and lose support well before then. If you've got a destructive dog, that bed might be lucky to last a week.
Beds like these inevitably end their short lives in landfills, contributing to pollution through the trash they become, along with the wasted energy, materials, and fuel that go into their production and distribution. They may seem cheap to replace at first, but over time, all that money and waste add up. As it turns out, those low price tags often hide some very steep costs to both you and the environment.
K9 Ballistics approaches production with a very different ethos, prioritizing quality and durability over quantity and cutting corners. We invest in the best materials and strongest construction to ensure our products actually last. After all, these are items your dog is meant to use and enjoy their entire life!
Our products are defined by their ability to withstand everything from daily wear and tear to heavy use and destructive behaviors. They're easy to clean, too, whether that's in a washing machine or spot-cleaning with a damp towel. There's no need to replace one of our beds when a quick wipe down is all that's needed to keep it looking good as new.
Resilient to the elements, frequent use, and repeated washings, our beds and gear are intended to be anything but disposable.
Not only are our products made to last, but the materials we use for them have been carefully selected to ensure their safety and their sustainability for the environment. The fiberfill that we use to stuff some of our products comes from recycled water bottles, while the foam we use for our cushioned beds is made in the USA and has been CertiPUR-US certified to meet rigorous content and emissions standards.
To further cut back on unnecessary waste, we shred the foam pieces left over from cutting out orthopedic mattresses and use those shredded bits to fill the mattresses of our Pillow-style beds. If we get any returned beds that are in like-new condition, we sell those at a steep discount under our Open Box collection. We take great care to make sure very little gets thrown out!
Water and energy usage is an important consideration for all corporations, but especially for those based in Southern California. In order to help limit our impact in these areas, we've installed drought-resistant landscaping, efficient thermostats, recycling bins, and replaced all lighting with LEDs. Motion detectors on light fixtures shut lights off when they’re not in use, while skylights in the warehouse let in natural light. This allows us to save electricity and create a more pleasant work environment at the same time.
We've also added EV charging stations that are free to use for any employees with electric vehicles, promoting a switch from gasoline-powered cars and reducing the financial burden of commuting.
Making targeted investments in our energy efficiency has helped us cut energy usage and reduce our carbon footprint.
Benefiting Our Communities
Beyond our impact on the environment, K9 Ballistics is equally concerned with leveraging our expertise to support our local pet communities.
Across the nation, there are many organizations dedicated to the raising and training of working dogs. Upon graduation, these dogs play a critical role in their communities through jobs like search and rescue and assisting after national disasters, or by improving the lives of the blind or disabled as guide dogs and service dogs.
Many of these organizations are non-profits, and the dogs that they train are often provided to their recipients free of charge. That means they depend heavily on donations and volunteers to operate!
Locally, we've partnered up with both National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (SDF) and Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA|TLC) to help them with their respective missions. To that end, we've donated beds, funds, and specialized gear so that their dogs-in-training can reach their maximum potential.
Animal shelters often operate with razor-thin budgets, relying heavily on donations just to get by. They don't always have the capacity to replace bedding every time it gets damaged, which is an all too common occurrence when caring for stressed or anxious pups. K9 Ballistics has been happy to step in, donating over tens of thousands of dollars worth of durable dog beds to shelter pups in need. Recipients of our donations include the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center, Shelter Hope Pet Shop, and Camarillo Animal Shelter.
Working dogs can also be hard on their beds, given their high drive and energy levels. These qualities are necessary for them to perform their jobs, but can lead to destructive behaviors on their off hours. Police, firefighters, and other first responders often struggle to find bedding that is both comfortable and sturdy enough to withstand the habits of their canine companions. To help out, we've donated a number of armored beds to both the Oxnard Police K9 Unit and Ventura County Firefighters.
We also offer a standing discount to veterans, active-duty military members, and first responders nationwide through GovX.
Benefiting Our People
We're proud to foster a work environment where every contribution matters. After all, it’s our people who make the difference.
A fair and equal workplace is critical for any company's success. K9 Ballistics is focused on offering its employees the best opportunities and benefits to ensure the health and happiness of every member of the team.
To promote new and different perspectives, we maintain a 50:50 ratio of male to female leadership. Employees enjoy such perks as a starting wage of $18/hr, with regular raises dependent on performance, generous paid time off, a 401(k) plan, and 75% of health insurance premiums covered by the company.
K9 Ballistics also offers a variety of programs, including those for wellness with subsidized gym membership, continuing education for those looking to improve or gain new skills, and paid volunteer time to help out local charities and nonprofits in the area. We also keep a close eye on our supply chain to make sure that our products are produced under safe, fair, legal, and humane working conditions.
Energy Use Disclosure
K9 Ballistics, Inc. sources energy from Southern California Edison (SCE). The utility's delivered power mix is 48% carbon-free, including 34% from solar, geothermal, and small hydro sources. SCE also has 5.5% geothermal, 15.1% solar, 9.4% wind, 15.2% natural gas, and 8.4% nuclear power. SCE has set a goal of 50% of its power coming from renewable sources by 2030, and 100% carbon-free power by 2045.
K9 Ballistics' Energy and Emissions Intensive Industry Disclosure: Access Document