Member Article

Robson Laidler become first certified B Corp in the North East

Robson Laidler accountants and business advisors has announced it is the first business in the region to receive certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp). With offices in Newcastle and Durham, Robson Laidler has joined 4000 businesses globally and 400 in the UK who have certified as B Corps reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Robson Laidler has met rigorous social and environmental standards, which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit.

The B Corp certification addresses the entirety of a business’ operations and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.

The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency.

Robson Laidler’s MD Graham Purvis said: “Our purpose is to make a positive difference to people’s lives and this spans across all our stakeholders from our clients to our people and community and this is engrained in everything we do. We set out to become a B Corp two years ago and during this time we have undergone rigorous assessment to meet the standards and procedures that are so very rightly so set out in this certification.

“We hope that our 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. I am happy to talk to any business leader who would like to find out more about how their organisation can become part of this movement.”

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK says “We are delighted to welcome Robson Laidler to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that Robson Laidler are 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. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector. Welcoming Robson Laidler is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the finance industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support them in paving the way for a new way of doing things”.

The B Corp community in the UK, representing a broad cross section of industries and sizes, comprises over 400 companies and include well-known brands such as Bulb Energy, Innocent Drinks, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robson Laidler .