Pioneering Northants businesses host event at university

• What is a B Corp?

Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

B stands for Benefit for all. The B Corp movement is a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Together, we work to change our economic system to positively impact all stakeholders – employees, communities, customers, and our planet.

• Who are the Northamptonshire B Corps?

B Corps are represented in all corners of the UK. There are now over 1,900 Certified B Corporations in the UK. Northamptonshire has 14 certified B Corps, with a number of others working towards certification. The businesses come from a variety of industries and sectors; food and drink, personal care, financial planning, HR, Built Environment, Consultancy, and consumer products. The purpose of the Northants B Corp community group is to engage, connect and support the shared interests of like-minded businesses in the Northants area, and raise awareness of the B Corp movement. For a full list of the Northamptonshire B Corp business and details of the Northants B Corp Community - Find out more.

• Why sustainable business?

Britain has one of the largest and fastest-growing communities of sustainable businesses in the world. With the UN calling for transformational change to avoid climate disaster, now more than ever the UK needs business to act as a force for good. Household names who have achieved B Corp status in the UK include Innocent Drinks, Jojo Maman Bébé, Baringa, Finisterre, Sipsmith and Simplyhealth, while a number of famous faces, including Jamie Oliver, Matthew Freud, Emma Bunton, Jamie Laing, and Bear Grylls, have also worked to certify their businesses.

• How does B Corp certification benefit a business?

Compared to traditional businesses, B Lab UK data shows that B Corps have a faster growth in turnover (27% vs 5%) and employee headcount (14% vs 1%), greater levels of employee retention, engagement and diversity, higher levels of innovation and are more successful in securing equity finance (70% vs 56%).

Helen Neal, CEO and Founder of HN Communications, a certified B Corp specialist sustainability communications agency said:

“I am very proud of the integral role played by the HN Communications’ team in getting the first event of this kind off the ground here in Northamptonshire. It was great to see so many businesses interested in being more sustainable and using their business as a force for good in the world.”

Adrian Pryce, Outreach Lead for CSBP and member of the Northants B Corp Community commented:

“The CSBP and its members are at the heart of the sustainability movement within Northamptonshire, the SE Midlands and beyond. We help businesses ‘do well by doing good’. It was a great event and a good opportunity to hear from those who have walked the walk and taken action to gain B Corp certification.”

About B Lab UK: As part of a global non-profit network, B Lab UK’s purpose is to redefine success in business through building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp movement and influencing change in the UK economy. Find out more.

About B Corp Certification: B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. B Corps recertify every three years and once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive and regenerative businesses.

About the Centre for Sustainable Business Practices at the University of Northampton: The Centre for Sustainable Business Practices (CSBP) established in 2016 is home to active researchers within the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL). The impact of sustainability is being felt across all business activities and is a consideration with any stakeholder relationship whether it is adopting a social responsibility approach with customers, defining environmental regulations with suppliers or exploring ways to protect shareholders and optimising decisions. The Centre creates an interdisciplinary platform for research activity across the FBL facilitating co-operation with colleagues across the University and with external partners with the goal of producing beneficial research with demonstrable impact.