As we approach our 10th year of being a B Corporation, our fourth recertification wasn’t any easier than our first.
As a B Corp, we’re verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Businesses like ours must continually strive to improve to meet B Lab’s standards and respond to increasingly complex external changes and challenges.
This year, we’re incredibly proud to have been recertified with a score of 131.1 – up from 110.2 the last time we certified – putting us in the top 3% of B Corps in the UK.
Our gains came largely from the work driven by our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion working group and centred around our action supporting colleagues and our community. We provided pro bono support for Grenfell Testimony Week, updated our DEI and recruitment policies and improved the representation of women in senior positions at Forster.
We also partnered with the Taylor Bennett Foundation to offer paid internships for people from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, who are currently underrepresented in the communications industry.
What have we learnt?
Our work as a mission-driven business will never be done – we are constantly learning and adapting. Here are a few of our insights from the B Corp process.
A progressive standard
Being constantly committed to not only retaining certification but exceeding expectations and responding to a rapidly changing world have all been vital.
In 2020, we launched our industry-leading Climate Positive Plan to cut carbon emissions. This year, we took this even further with Taking it Personally, which includes creating an Integrated Profit and Loss (IPL) account to understand the total impact we’re making across our stakeholders, be they shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers or broader society.
Measurable impact
Certification requires evidence of impact. We’ve always been driven by the difference made to society, and our specialism lies in using communications as a force for good to help tackle the climate crisis, drive social justice and improve lives.
B Corp pushes us to meticulously measure our impact, helping us understand where we can make most difference.
Small but mighty
Clear decision-making processes, and a purpose supported by a clear set of values, means we can be reactive and nimble in acting on pressing issues that our team and our clients care about.
Our size can be our superpower in driving action and making change. Use what makes you unique to your advantage.
If you’re interested in becoming a B Corp and would like some advice, get in touch via info@forster.co.uk