we are now a B Corp
We are delighted to announce that we have received B Corp Accreditation after a rigorous audit of our business practices.
The B Lab, who assess and issue the certifications, describe organisations that have achieved the accreditation as follows: “Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
We have been working towards accreditation for the past 12 months. A dedicated team have assessed and investigated everything from our decision-making processes, quality of client service, how we care for our people, down to how our individual policies and buying decisions consider the bigger picture.
The B Corp accreditation process focuses on a company’s impact in five main areas - workers, community, environment, customers and governance. The team engaged with suppliers and employees across the business to consider the impact their actions have on each of these areas. In some areas new initiatives were established to improve the company’s impact and lay out a blueprint for the future.
Examples of these initiatives include a newly created EG Woodland Grove via Trees for Life who are working toward a revitalised wild forest in the Highlands of Scotland; a robust supplier review; an enhanced benefits package for employees which includes paid parental leave and mental health support; and charitable initiatives such as a sponsored cycle ride from London to Brighton which raised over £3,000 and a payroll giving scheme to enable tax-efficient charitable donations by our employees.
Hannah Crossley, Principal, who led the project to become a certified B Corp, comments: “At Egremont Group we’re committed to doing great work. That is not just about leading client projects to an award-winning standard it is also about being responsible ancestors and helping to make the world a better place both now and in the future. The B Corp process challenges us to make sustainable choices across our business and in particular super-charge our mission to become climate positive rather than simply climate neutral. For every profitable month we’ve committed to offsetting our estimated carbon footprint times two. Our staff fully believe in this commitment to being a positive impact organisation and are actively involved at every level of the organisation, from helping us to drive sustainability in our daily operations to getting involved in our charity efforts, including two volunteering days a year for all employees.”
Sean Connolly, CEO concludes: “As we celebrate our twentieth year, it is important that we take time to assess the wider impact of our business on the planet and communities. Just as we strive for excellence in our interaction with clients, we also strive for environmentally conscious business practices and a positive effect on the world around us. Care is one of our core values, so these issues have always been at the forefront of the way we do business and this accreditation is a fantastic way to embed them into the future of the company for the next twenty years.”
To hear more about how we work to have a positive impact on the environment, people and communities in everything we do, please get in touch / +44 (0) 20 7298 7878
After 18 months as a B-Corp, we produced an Impact Assessment Report to track both what we had achieved in our first B-Corp Cycle, and what opportunities we had to keep developing and improving our workplaces social and environment impact. We'd love for you to have a read to see what we've achieved and our future plans for Egremont!
