• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Thursday August 18 2022
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Naturally Social bids for B Corp status

Corsham-based communications agency Naturally Social has applied to join the growing band of businesses accredited with B Corp status.

B Corp is a global initiative that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance – from the materials it purchases, to charitable giving and employee benefits.

To become a certified B Corp company, it needs to show it has a positive impact on its workers, suppliers, community, and the environment.

There are around 700 B Corps in the UK.

Founder Natalie Sherman said: “I made the decision when I first set my company up that I would put purpose before profit, and use our skills for good.

“I wanted to work with companies and organisations that give back to the communities they live in, and work with. It’s always been my ambition for the company to become part of the B Corp movement and join other businesses that have the same ethos as us.

“And it works both ways. If someone is looking to work with, or for, a business that is more purposeful, then by choosing a B Corp they know they’re working with one that has strong ethical values and processes.

“Charity is another big part of the B Corp application. Along with the discounts we provide charities that work with us, the team has also worked pro-bono for the Community Interest Company that I helped set up and run, Wiltshire Digital Drive.

“Whether this was social media work, processing applications, or collecting and distributing laptops out to families that require support. It has been a real team effort to get here and we’re all so proud.

“Going through the B Corp process has forced us to look at how we work and how we can improve, mostly from an operational point of view.

“Looking at our staff benefits, our supply chain, and how we can make small changes that will have a big impact on society. One small change we’ve made is to switch our default search engines on each laptop and computer, from Google to Ecosia.

“They plant a tree for every search you carry out, Since January 2022 more than 160 have been planted around the world by the Naturally Social team alone.

“Running a business in 2022 shouldn’t mean sacrificing planet and people to make a profit. I really believe that everyone can be happy in a profit-making company – it requires transparency and commitment to bring everyone on a journey together. And that’s all I ever try to do.”