There are now 2,000 B Corp firms in the UK, after the number of companies receiving the certification more than doubled in the past 18 months.
Certified B Corp means firms prioritise the planet and people, as well as profit. In the UK, B Corp firms include The Guardian, The Big Issue and Ella’s Kitchen. Recent additions to the fold include Pizza Pilgrims and Smol.
The milestone comes as B Corp certifier B Lab UK announces that it will be bringing this growing community together for a festival.
Dubbed Louder Than Words, the festival will take place in Oxford on 10 – 11 September with the aim of mobilising business action on critical social and environmental issues.
The Edinburgh fringe-style event will be a space for B Corps and friends of the movement to connect, collaborate, share ideas and challenge one another on the journey to redefining the role of business in our economy.
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There will be headline moments from the main stage at Oxford’s New Theatre alongside wider events and activities to choose from across the city.
Reaching the 2,000 milestone means that the UK now has one of the fastest growing B Corp communities in the world.
Out of the 8,400 B Corps across the globe, almost a quarter of these are based in the UK with 2,000 certified businesses, B Lab UK said.
James Ghaffari, director of growth and product at B Lab UK, said “It’s been brilliant to see the UK community grow from strength to strength. Reaching 2,000 members shows that a new type of leadership in our economy is possible.
“But we know there’s still a long way to go. If we want the UK to continue to be a pioneer in better business, we must keep working together to go further, faster. Speaking on behalf of the B Lab UK team, we can’t wait to see the UK’s growing community of B Corps at Louder Than Words later this year and put these words into action.”
