DELEGATES from the 14 certified B Corporations in Northamptonshire sat down to discuss sustainable business practice at an inaugural event hosted by the University of Northampton.
Each has achieved the required standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability to receive official B Corp status from the global non-profit network B Lab, whose purpose is to build a community of engaged businesses and influence change in the UK economy.
The B Corp and Sustainable Business Event took place in conjunction with the university’s Centre for Sustainable Business Practices. Adrian Pryce, outreach lead for the CSBP and a member of the Northants B Corp Community, said: “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.”
There are more than 1,900 certified B Corporations in the UK and a number of firms in Northamptonshire are working towards joining them. Already certified as B Corps are Act Now Consulting, Jelley’s, Enovation Consulting, New England Financial Solutions, QSA Partners, Bambino Mio, HN Comms, Akerlof, B Corp consultant Laura Slack, The People Experience Hub, PTHR, Fill Refill, Honeywell Bakes, Encore Environment, Averill Phillips and Family and Warner’s.
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, chief executive 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.”
