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Verve Achieves B Corp Certification
Written By Julian - Managing Director at Verve
The turn of 2021 and a long-held ambition achieved: Verve achieves B Corp Certification, joining a growing group of purpose-led, ethical companies including The Guardian, Patagonia and innocent using business as a force for good.
“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.” B Corporation
B Lab – the not-for-profit powering the B Corp movement – conducted the rigorous, root-and-branch B Impact Assessment to establish Verve as one of only six UK-based Web Design businesses to achieve B Corp Certification, and the first and still only in Shropshire.
This two year process evaluated how our operations and business model impact our workers, community, environment, and clients. From our supply chain and input materials, to our charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification proves that Verve is meeting the highest standards of verified ethical performance.
Assess We looked at who we worked with, how we conducted business, and what we were already doing that met or could be improved to meet the B Corp higher ethical standard.
Adapt
Where required, we then went through a process of business activity evolution. Examples include shedding suppliers that did not meet this higher ethical standard; reducing our ecological impact in every possible area, becoming climate and carbon neutral; and improving still further the terms of our staff with initiatives including becoming a certified Living Wage employer.
Apply
Applying for B Corp Certification was hard work and took concerted efforts from our team to get right. We were determined to meet the expectations, and, although we had to evolve along the way the hard work was rewarded.
Achieve
Finally, we were awarded the coveted B Corp Certification. An achievement many months in the making now requires the ongoing dedication of our team to maintain—and improve—our new ethical standard.
Julian Smout, Managing Director at Verve says: “We hope that, as a team, we continue to grow Verve together, building on the work that achieved B Corp Certification and giving clients the choice of a company that has made the shift towards a more sustainable economy and better business ethics. We are proud to be a B Corp. It signifies what Verve is becoming as a business and is a giant step forward.”
Verve is now part of a community of over 3,700 businesses globally to have achieved B Corp Certification. The B Corp community in the UK – representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes – now comprises over 450 companies and includes well-known brands such as The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop, and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK says: “We are delighted to welcome Verve to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates, who believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Verve is going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.
“We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community – from startups to multinationals, and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force, and one that – as these companies are showing – can be used for good. Welcoming Verve is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the web design & digital marketing industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Verve in paving the way for a new way of doing things.
“Being able to welcome Verve to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit”.
About B Lab UK:
B Lab UK is transforming the economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, and tools for business, and we certify companies—known as B Corps—who are leading the way. To date, our global community includes over 3,700 B Corps in 74 countries and 150 industries, and over 100,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager.
