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Our journey to B Corp Certification

In April 2025, we proudly achieved B Corp certification, joining a global network of businesses committed to using their work as a force for good. This milestone reflects our belief that business should serve more than profit - it should serve people, communities, and the planet.

Certification is not a finish line. It’s a commitment to continuous improvement, to evolve alongside B Corp standards, and to remain accountable to our team, our clients, and other and future generations.

 

What is B Corp Certification?

Certified B Corporations are independently verified by B Lab against rigorous standards covering social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Unlike many traditional businesses, B Corps integrate stakeholder consideration into their decision-making, prioritising long-term impact as well as financial results.

Across the world, the B Corp movement signals a shift towards sustainable business practices and a regenerative global economy, one where success is defined by purpose as much as profit. From the UK B Corp community to the wider B Lab Europe and global economy, the momentum is growing.

The corp directory now includes thousands of businesses worldwide that share a common goal: to create long-term value creation for people, the planet, and prosperity.

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The certification process

Achieving certification involves several key steps:

  • B Corp assessment: An in-depth evaluation of company practices across workers, governance, environment, community, and customers. At least 80 points are required to proceed.
  • Legal commitment: In the UK, companies must amend their constitutional documents to embed stakeholder governance and formally align with a benefit corporation legal structure. This ensures decisions account for shareholders, employees, suppliers, society, and the environment.
  • Verification and supporting documentation: Evidence is reviewed by B Lab analysts, who confirm policies, supply chain practices, and outcomes before granting benefit corporation status.

Our certification resulted in a triple-digit score, showing our commitment to responsible business and ethical sourcing. Just as importantly, it gives us a strong base for further improvements as we continue to maintain certification in the years ahead.

 

Lessons learned along the way

In looking back at our path to achieve benefit corporation status, we have drawn out several lessons that may be useful to others:

  • Start with clarity: Use the B Corp assessment as a baseline. It highlights both strengths and opportunities for change.
  • Embed across teams: Certification requires more than compliance; it demands fair and equitable implementation of policies and engagement across the organisation.
  • Think systemically – From governance structure to supply chain practices, impact is interconnected. Every choice matters.
  • Commit for the long term: Certification demands a legal commitment to accountability and transparency. It’s about resilience and responsibility, not just recognition.
  • See beyond the badge: Being part of the B Corp community is about shared action. The process creates value not just for your company, but for future generations.
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Why this matters

In a world where expectations on businesses are higher than ever, B Corp certification is a mark of credibility. It demonstrates alignment with responsible business principles, signals trust to stakeholders, and connects us with the UK B Corp community and the wider global network of leaders in sustainability.

It also means joining conversations about how business can build a regenerative global economy, one where growth is balanced with accountability, resilience, and fairness.

 

Takeaways for considering certification

If you’re exploring certification for your own organisation, here are some practical starting points:

  1. Engage with the B Corp assessment: It’s free to start and provides a clear map of where you are today.
  2. Understand the Benefit Corporation Legal Structure: Embedding accountability through a legal commitment is essential to certification.
  3. Collect and organise supporting documentation: From HR policies to environmental data, evidence is key.
  4. Prepare for cultural change: B Corp is about embedding stakeholder governance into your DNA.
  5. Commit to continuous improvement:| The goal isn’t simply to certify, but to maintain certification and create long-term value creation for people and the planet.

 

What’s next for h2o creative

Now that we are officially certified, our focus is on further improvements and embedding accountability across everything we do:

  • Enhancing our supply chain practices to strengthen our commitment to ethical sourcing.
  • Developing our governance structure to ensure fair and equitable implementation of decisions.
  • Sharing knowledge and collaborating within the B Corp Community, both in the UK and through Lab Europe.
  • Creating opportunities to inspire clients and partners to adopt sustainable business practices.

     

In summary

Achieving B Corp certification has been a transformative step. It’s encouraged us to reflect deeply on how we work, how we lead, and how we create long-term value.

To those considering the path: start today. The process will inspire reflection, drive change, and connect you with a global network of businesses leading the way towards a responsible future.

By embedding purpose into profit, together we can shape a fairer, more sustainable, and more resilient global economy. Delve further into our B Corp blog series.