Two more firms from the Bristol area have achieved B Corp status, underlining its status as the UK’s top regional hub for businesses with purpose.
Pioneering telecoms reseller First Class Comms gained the accreditation as it marked a decade in business while marketing recruitment specialist Henry Nicholas has also joined the B Corp community.
Their success in achieving certification means the total number of firms from the wider Bristol area boasting B Corp status is now approach the mid-twenties – the highest outside of London.
Weston-super-Mare-based First Class Comms spent a year on its journey towards the certification, which assesses the governance, employment standards, community outreach, environmental values and customer service levels of a business.
The firm, which started life as a one-person, home office business, has become the first in its sector to become a B Corp.
Its seven staff provide telephony, mobile phones and contracts along with broadband and internet services to 300 clients, including Bristol Airport, café chain Boston Tea Party and food services firm FSC Group.
Recent growth means it is forecasting a turnover of £1.75m for its for 2023/24 financial year.
Founder and managing director Mark Burland, pictured, left, with business analyst Steve Payne, said: “Becoming B Corp-certified is a great achievement for the company.
“Fortunately, we had already incorporated many of the values into our business practices, particularly in terms of our management of staff and our customer services.
“The challenge for a small company like us is to formalise those values into coherent policies which can then be assessed, so it’s been a time-consuming process. But we’re delighted to have our achievements recognised.”
Henry Nicholas MD and founder John Austin said the business was excited to be joining a growing community that is reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit.
“Being awarded the B Corp certification is important to Henry Nicholas as it demonstrates to our employees, customers and community that we are a business for good,” added John, pictured, far left, with the Henry Nicholas team.
“The B Corp certification will inspire and energise the team, as we join forces with other purpose driven businesses to collectively help make positive changes to society.”
Since B Corps’ launch in 2006, more than 100,000 businesses have signed up for one or its impact assessment – yet fewer than 6,600 have been certified – a testament to its extremely high standards.
The growing number of Bristol organisations with B Corp status include Business West, the region’s largest business group which also runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, PR firms Greenhouse and Wild West, specialist energy investment company Thrive Renewables, workplace technology provider Amba, tea brand Pukka Herbs and financial planning firm Paradigm Norton.
UK B Corps include The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.
