Muckle LLP become the first B Corp law firm in North East & Cumbria

Leading regional independent law firm Muckle LLP has today announced its certification as a B Corporation® (or B Corp™), becoming the first legal firm in the North East and Cumbria to join a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit.

B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, confirmed Muckle met the rigorous certification process, which assesses a company’s performance across various criteria, including social responsibility, environmental impact, transparency, and accountability.

B Corp certification has become a mark of distinction for companies prioritising social and environmental impact alongside profitability. This groundbreaking achievement reflects Muckle LLP’s unwavering commitment to its ESG strategy and continuous improvement, leading the charge in ethical and sustainable business practices within the legal industry in our region.

Senior partner and head of the ESG Programme at Muckle, Hugh Welch, said: “Being a responsible business and caring for the wider North East community has been at the heart of our business for the last two decades. Becoming a Certified B Corp is a wonderful endorsement of all that we are doing. It will also be the catalyst for us to increase our community contribution and to show how we believe that business can and should be a force for good.”

The UK B Corp movement has gained considerable momentum in recent years, with over 1,500 certified companies, and 7,800 globally, showcasing a diverse array of industries and household names. Muckle joins a network of well-known brands like The Guardian, innocent drinks, The Body Shop and Patagonia to trailblazing businesses such as GiffGaff and Too Good To Go. Regional B Corps include Robson Laidler Accountants, Scott Logic, Just Williams, Sail Creative, UMi, Berghaus and Space Architecture.

Recent attention on the legal industry makes Muckle LLP’s B Corp certification a notable step and signals a shift towards greater accountability and transparency in the sector.

Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Muckle LLP to the B Corp community. It is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the legal industry. We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support Muckle in paving the way for a new way of doing things.”

“We are thrilled to pioneer this significant milestone as the first law firm in our region to attain B Corp certification,” said Jason Wainwright, Managing Partner at Muckle LLP. “This achievement reaffirms our dedication to not only delivering exceptional legal services but also actively contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future for our community and beyond.”

Muckle LLP’s commitment to becoming a B Corp aligns seamlessly with its long-standing values of trust, teamwork responsibility and care and builds on its recent award wins at the North East Business Awards for both Company of the Year and Best Place to Work 2023 . By achieving this certification, the firm not only underscores its dedication to legal excellence but also sets a benchmark for ethical leadership in the legal sector throughout North East and Cumbria.

“As a firm deeply rooted in our local community, we recognise the importance of using our platform to drive positive change,” added Wainwright. “Becoming a B Corp is a natural progression in our journey toward a more sustainable and responsible legal practice, and we are excited about the possibilities it brings.”