UK digital agency, Torchbox, delivers major website transformation focused on environmental responsibility and inclusive design
Bristol, UK – 14th October 2025 – Torchbox, the digital agency behind open source content management system Wagtail, has developed a new website for World Wildlife Fund-US that demonstrates how sustainable web development practices can work hand-in-hand with improved user experience.
The project helps one of the United States’ leading conservation organisations share its critical conservation message with its nearly 10 million annual users by rebuilding its digital platform.
“Working with a conservation organisation like WWF-US meant sustainability couldn’t just be a talking point, it had to be built into every technical decision,” said Gabi Mamon, Client Partner, Torchbox. “We’ve created a platform that performs better whilst reducing its environmental impact through thoughtful technical choices at every level.”
The new platform runs on Cloudflare’s renewable energy infrastructure and employs modern web development practices, including optimised image formats, efficient content delivery networks using caching to serve all content. These improvements deliver faster page loads whilst reducing the data transfer required for the site’s 30 million annual pageviews.
Accessibility features are integrated throughout the platform, including enhanced keyboard navigation, improved colour contrast, proper semantic markup, and screen reader compatibility. The rebuild also involved thoughtfully reorganising 6,000 pages of conservation content to create clearer user journeys.
“Our website is where millions of people come to learn about global conservation and how it helps both people and nature thrive,” said WWF-US Vice President of Digital Projects Diane Querey. “It’s important that it welcomes users in a way that highlights the important role nature plays in all our lives while conveying the urgency and importance of our mission.”
The project required tight deadline management, with Torchbox working closely with WWF-US’s internal team to migrate and reorganise content whilst building new functionality.
For WWF-US, the new platform provides a foundation for long-term digital growth. The successful delivery demonstrates Torchbox’s capability to meet the complex requirements of large international charities working under demanding timescales.
Visit the new site at https://www.worldwildlife.org/
BRISTOL — Torchbox Public, the public sector division of digital agency Torchbox, has been awarded a contract to develop and implement a new intranet for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK’s largest and busiest NHS trusts.
The project will transform internal communications across the Trust by providing one easy-to-use, fully accessible digital space for staff to connect and find essential information across all hospital locations and on any device. The new platform will serve over 23,600 staff across multiple sites, including five hospitals and 23 local community health centres.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ currently has two different intranet sites and wants to support all staff by creating one consistent experience. The new intranet will make it quicker to access the information they need, and reinforce that, despite the Trust’s size, staff are part of one organisation with shared values and a reputation for clinical excellence, high-quality teaching, and research.
“We’re a diverse and welcoming organisation, which is incredibly proud of our staff and the dedication they show to our patients and each other. We’re creating this new intranet to make it easier for everyone to connect and access the information they need to deliver the high-quality and compassionate care we are known for” said Lindsay Gormley, Head of digital and content at Guy’s and St Thomas’.
The new intranet will be built on Wagtail NHS Intranet, an open-source platform developed by Torchbox specifically for NHS organisations. This innovative solution was made possible through the initial support of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and continues to evolve through collaborations with other trusts, including Gloucestershire NHS.
The solution builds on successful implementations for multiple healthcare providers, where the intranet has improved staff communication, information access, and operational efficiency while eliminating ongoing license fees.
Key features of the new intranet will include:
“We’re honoured to partner with Guy’s and St Thomas’ on this transformative project,” said Ben Heasman, Client Partner, Torchbox. “Our experience creating digital platforms for NHS organisations has shown us how a well-designed intranet can break down barriers, improve efficiency, and ultimately contribute to better patient care. We look forward to delivering a solution that will serve the Trust’s diverse workforce and support its vital work.”
The project will take a phased approach, with initial discovery and design work already underway.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ provides 2.8 million patient contacts in acute and specialist hospital services and community services every year. The Trust includes Guy’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital, Harefield Hospital, and adult and children’s community services in Lambeth and Southwark
As one of the biggest NHS trusts in the UK, with an annual turnover of £2.9 billion, Guy’s and St Thomas’ employ around 23,600 staff. www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a collaboration between King’s College London, and Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts. www.kingshealthpartners.org
Torchbox Public is a specialised division of Torchbox that partners with public sector organisations to tackle complex challenges through progressive, collaborative approaches.
As a certified B Corporation and 100% employee-owned business, Torchbox brings together a diverse team of over 120 digital specialists committed to creating inclusive, accessible, and sustainable digital solutions. The company has delivered transformative digital projects for leading organisations across healthcare, charity, and cultural sectors, including Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Samaritans, Mind, Children’s Health Ireland, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and London Museum. Torchbox is a leader in open-source technology and distinguishes itself through its evidence-based approach, collaborative partnerships, and commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Lisa Ballam
torchbox.com
Bristol, England, UK – 23rd August, 2023 – Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, visited Torchbox, a purpose lead, B Corp Certified digital agency, and fast-growing, employee-owned (EO) company, to deepen his understanding of EO business models and explore ways the council can proactively assist these unique companies with the challenges they encounter.
Lisa Ballam, head of marketing at Torchbox said:
“At Torchbox, we’re eager to demonstrate how a business can be profitable and responsible when governed by its workers. We invited Marvin to hear about our journey, how EO companies can be socially responsible, and to encourage others thinking about this route succession.”
Over the last four years, Torchbox has transformed from a founder-led team of 60 to a global employee-driven powerhouse of 150 co-owners. This transition has allowed them to challenge the traditional business model and prove that it’s possible to run a respected, progressive, and financially robust company that values its workforce above all.
Torchbox is deeply committed to diversifying its talent pool, minimising its carbon footprint, and exploring sustainable avenues for business expansion in the US.
Torchbox and the Mayor discussed topics including:
Mayor Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, said “It was great to visit the team at Torchbox, and hear about the exciting work being done from their Bristol office. They are another example of the fast-growing and exciting technology sector we have in the city.
“They are doing impressive work, for huge organisations, on an international level. With clients including NASA, Oxfam, the University of Pennsylvania and Tate London, it’s brilliant to see this work coming out of Bristol.
“I’m looking forward to forming a strong working relationship with them and discover ways of integrating Torchboxes’ expertise into Bristol One City, including connecting their academy to more local talented young people.”
James Leavesley, Torchbox CEO adds:
“Torchbox has a thriving office in the heart of Bristol. It was fantastic to meet with Marvin to understand how we can work closer with local schemes to give back to the community and help Torchhbox prosper”
The Mayor’s visit times with recent changes in the employee-ownership landscape, including Jeremy Hunt’s proposed overhaul of employee ownership schemes. While these reforms aim to boost participation in Save as You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP), there’s controversy brewing around the proposed tax crackdown on entrepreneurs who transition their companies to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs).
Career opportunities are available now across many disciplines at Torchbox. Follow @Torchbox for updates on new opportunities.
References:
Bristol, England, UK – 23rd August, 2023 – Marvin Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, visited Torchbox, a purpose lead, B Corp Certified digital agency, and fast-growing, employee-owned (EO) company, to deepen his understanding of EO business models and explore ways the council can proactively assist these unique companies with the challenges they encounter.
Lisa Ballam, head of marketing at Torchbox said:
“At Torchbox, we’re eager to demonstrate how a business can be profitable and responsible when governed by its workers. We invited Marvin to hear about our journey, how EO companies can be socially responsible, and to encourage others thinking about this route succession.”
Over the last four years, Torchbox has transformed from a founder-led team of 60 to a global employee-driven powerhouse of 150 co-owners. This transition has allowed them to challenge the traditional business model and prove that it’s possible to run a respected, progressive, and financially robust company that values its workforce above all.
Torchbox is deeply committed to diversifying its talent pool, minimising its carbon footprint, and exploring sustainable avenues for business expansion in the US.
Torchbox and the Mayor discussed topics including:
Mayor Rees, the Mayor of Bristol, said “It was great to visit the team at Torchbox, and hear about the exciting work being done from their Bristol office. They are another example of the fast-growing and exciting technology sector we have in the city.
“They are doing impressive work, for huge organisations, on an international level. With clients including NASA, Oxfam, the University of Pennsylvania and Tate London, it’s brilliant to see this work coming out of Bristol.
“I’m looking forward to forming a strong working relationship with them and discover ways of integrating Torchboxes’ expertise into Bristol One City, including connecting their academy to more local talented young people.”
James Leavesley, Torchbox CEO adds:
“Torchbox has a thriving office in the heart of Bristol. It was fantastic to meet with Marvin to understand how we can work closer with local schemes to give back to the community and help Torchhbox prosper”
The Mayor’s visit times with recent changes in the employee-ownership landscape, including Jeremy Hunt’s proposed overhaul of employee ownership schemes. While these reforms aim to boost participation in Save as You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP), there’s controversy brewing around the proposed tax crackdown on entrepreneurs who transition their companies to Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs).
Career opportunities are available now across many disciplines at Torchbox. Follow @Torchbox for updates on new opportunities.
References:
I’m very pleased to announce that we have officially joined the ranks of B Corps (a B Corporation is purpose-driven and creates benefits for all stakeholders, not just shareholders).
Avid Torchbox watchers will have seen this coming. As far back as June 2022 when I was already confident that we’d gain accreditation having finished the Impact Assessment, I wrote about why it had taken us a while to get on board and how the assessment was improving us. The wait since June was partly due to the B Corp queue, partly to the verification process (when a B Lab representative works with you to evidence your claims), and partly because changing our Articles of Association to encode our intent ‘to have a material positive impact on society and the environment’ took longer than it should have.
The assessment process has been really useful and I’ve no doubt that it’ll continue to make us a better business over time. The framework isn’t perfect – there are things that surprised me, for example, while it assesses fair pay, it doesn’t assess the gender pay gap – but it is strongly rooted in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and certainly drives positive change in businesses, as it already has done in ours.
There has been some negative criticism of B Corp, notably the FT article from February this year which raised issues including a couple of big ones for me:
Nestlé has a dubious record on human rights (I started boycotting Nestlé products as a student due to the baby milk scandal) and as the Fair World Project says, Nespresso’s single-use coffee is hardly a ‘force for good’.
I did feel like the B Impact Assessment was more focused on how you do business rather than what you do. You can get points for having a positive impact through your business purpose, but I don’t think you lose points if you have a negative impact. And, if you can still get to the magic 80 by doing well in other pillars, that explains some surprising B Corps. That said, you do have to commit to being a force for good, which was the “changing our Articles of Association to encode our intent to have a material positive impact on society and the environment’ bit that I mentioned earlier.
Apparently, things are gonna get better, particularly the single pillar loophole. According to Includability:
B Corp is planning changes in standards from next year, which will force B Corps to be more transparent about where they are around 10 specific topics – including fair wages, diversity and inclusion, human rights, action on climate change and risk standards – to resolve the issue around companies being able to rapidly meet the minimum points requirements in a single area.
We’re fans of Doughnut Economics, and as an employee-owned business, we’re excited that Kate Raworth believes that employee ownership can be a ‘powerful starting point’ to help redesign business. In the FT article, Erinch Sahan of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab says of B Corp:
“What they do really well is creating a community of business people passionate about sustainability,” adds Sahan. “When you tell everyone you’re now a B Corp . . . people expect that you really do prioritise people and planet. But that’s not necessarily the case.”
However, as we graduate as a B Corp, I think it’s important to focus on the bit before Erinch’s ‘but’. From the process we’ve been through, the B Corps I’ve met and the events I’ve been to, it feels like we are joining a club of business with energy and ambition to be a force for good. I thank B Lab for that and encourage them to continue in their mission to ‘not stop until all business is a force for good’.
A score of 80 qualifies a company for B Corp Certification (Nespresso scored 84.3). The median score for ordinary businesses who have done the assessment is 50.9. Torchbox achieved a B Corp score of 114.5. The focus is now on improving our score next time, so I want to end with a hat tip to a couple of friends who are giving us something to aim at, Wholegrain Digital who scored 122.1 (they were early adopters and have been assessed three times already, they’ve also made Best for the World lists four times) and our recruitment friends at Adlib in Bristol who recently re-certified with an incredible 130.3, nice one!
We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Torchbox Academy! An opportunity for you to kick-start a career in tech or digital marketing with a paid, full-time position here at Torchbox.
A place on our academy programme provides hands-on experience in our tech or digital marketing team. It’s a fully paid role that provides full training throughout, leading to a permanent position upon completion of the programme.
The digital marketing programme runs for one year and the tech programme runs for two years, both starting from September/October 2023.
New to 2023, we’ve introduced an SEO-specialist position!
Anyone in the UK who is passionate about a career in tech or digital marketing can apply. This could be your first job, a career change or a return to work.
Whilst it’s possible to work from home, we’d love you to be able to pop into the office to meet with your mentor from time to time. We’re a friendly bunch with a vibrant atmosphere in both our Oxfordshire and Bristol offices. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy all of the perks of visiting the office:
Our city-centre Bristol office is great for a spot of lunchtime mooching around the shops. We’ll be able to show you all the best coffee spots too! Our Oxfordshire office is set amongst a beautiful landscape of open space and rolling hills. We often head out for lunchtime walks to spot the herd of deer that roam the fields. We’d love you to join us!
You can submit your application here. The first stage is to complete a series of short tasks. We won’t ask for your C.V at this stage, so don’t worry about updating that quite yet!
Applications are open from Thursday 6th April and close on Monday 24th April. So, be sure to submit your application in time!
If your application is approved, the next step is to join our Academy Day in Bristol, which includes exciting talks, workshops and a 1-2-1 interview.
We’ll plant a tree in the Torchbox Grove for everybody who joins one of our Academy Days.
We’ve always been a values-driven company, and that’s reflected in our amazing clients-roster. Now, we’ve helped to pioneer a socially-responsible business model too, causing a bit of a stir back in 2019 when we became the first digital agency to become 100% employee-owned!
We were proud to be recognised as a World Class place to work in the Best Companies Survey 2022 along with a number of other industry accolades that showcase our dedication to our people and the planet.
You’ll also get our full benefits package that includes:
Find more information about the Torchbox Academy and submit your application by clicking here.
If you have any further questions, get in touch with our friendly recruitment team at [email protected]
We hope to see your application soon! 🚀
Torchbox is the digital partner for many of the best, most progressive organisations in the world, with a team of 120+ people primarily in the UK but with a significant presence in Manila and a network of remote staff from Brazil to Hungary.
In 2019, the co-founders, Tom Dyson and Olly Willans, sold the business to an Employee Owned Trust. In July 2022, just three years later and two years ahead of schedule, they reached financial freedom, won the Delivering Good Leadership Award at the 2022 EOA awards, and now stand at a pivotal point in their history where they can set an exciting, new vision for the next ten years.
Olly Willans, Co-founder and CSO at Torchbox said:
“We’re very excited for the future of Torchbox as a financially-independent, employee-owned organisation. We’re ambitious to push this ownership model as far as it can go and to create the most rewarding employee experience we can. To do this, we need to combine our creativity and enthusiasm with real expertise in employee ownership and no one can offer much more of that than Ann Tyler, so it’s a great pleasure to welcome her to our Trust board.”
Ann Tyler, a Cambridge graduate and qualified solicitor, has over 35 years experience in legal and policy advice and consulting work in employee ownership. She has advised on employee ownership schemes in various public and private companies, and her extensive list of experience includes setting up the first ESOP in the UK, in Roadchef Limited and reviewing the Labour Party’s policy on Employee Ownership as part of The Hunt Review.
Ann, says about her new role:
“I’m passionate about using my many years of experience in the EO sector to support companies and their employees succeed as independent employee-owned businesses with a meaningful culture of participation and engagement. I’m delighted to be joining Torchbox as their first independent Trustee, now that they are a financially independent, 100% employee – owned company with what I know will be an exciting future ahead.”
Lisa Ballam, Employee Trustee Director and Head of Marketing, says:
“It’s going to be really interesting to have an external person’s perspective on the plans and decisions we’re making in our quarterly meetings. We’re all looking forward to working with Ann to develop the role and draw on the benefits that an independent trustee, with extensive experience, can bring to our EOT board.”
Ann will join Torchbox for her first quarterly EOT meeting on the 28th of March and meet some of the co-owners based in the Bristol office.
The company, which became employee-owned in 2019 and which has offices in Bristol and Oxfordshire, scooped the EO Stories 2022 Delivering Good Leadership award at a Celebration Dinner at the ACC in Liverpool after coming out on top in a public vote.
It showcased in its entry how, having been founder-led, it set out to become more sustainable for the future after transitioning by finding ways to develop leaders across the company.
Torchbox transformed the way it works so employees can play a crucial role in its success – investing in training and leadership coaching to ensure the team leads and inspires each other.
These changes in leadership and culture helped make Torchbox more sustainable, with better communication, and with increased productivity, enabling it to double its profit margin and become financially free within three years.
Torchbox CEO James Leavesley said: “Winning this award for the Good Leadership category is the icing on the cake for a significant year for all of us at Torchbox, as we are celebrating becoming financially free two years early!
“Our business has fundamentally changed; not only in our constitution and funding but most importantly in our mindset. Each and every one of us are owners and our focus is on creating value for existing and future Torchbox employees.
“Like many agencies, we were very much founder-led, but over the last three years, we’ve been channelling this owner mindset to develop our people into leaders and custodians of the business. It’s a massive credit to the whole team for pulling together and working so hard. I feel proud of all we have achieved and excited about what’s ahead.”
In total, six businesses were crowned as EO Stories award winners at the EOA Conference Celebration Dinner.
The accolades highlighted best practice in ways in which businesses develop an effective employee ownership culture that leverages the benefits of employees having a stake and a say in the business.
The EO Stories 2022 competition celebrated the stories of employee-owned businesses and the impacts they are having on employees, the performance of the business, and on the economy and society.
The 28 insightful and inspiring stories submitted were put live for the public vote on EO Day, June 24, and thousands of votes were cast to establish a winner in each of the four categories – good leadership, good engagement, good governance or an outstanding EO culture.
Additionally, there were also two special prizes judged by EOA Trustee members and Celebration Dinner sponsors GLIDE and Gripple, and the President’s Pick award chosen by EOA President Patrick Lewis.
James de le Vingne, Chief Executive of the EOA, said: “The growth of the employee-owned sector in size and impact during such turbulent social and economic times highlights its relevance as a model for the future for the benefit of employees, business and communities.
“The impact of the sector is greatly strengthened by the stories people are willing to share, which aids the learning and development of businesses looking to activate their employee ownership.
“I’d like to congratulate Torchbox on its award and for the exceptional insight it has provided into one of the key pillars of good employee ownership – good leadership – which helps to unlock the potential of future employee-owners and businesses.”
Would you love to work on exciting projects for amazing nonprofit organisations? Such as running paid search and social to raise millions for the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine appeal and supporting organisations such as Mind and Samaritans to reach people in need. We only work with socially responsible organisations doing good in the world.
If you’re keen to launch a career in digital marketing, you enjoy writing great copy and have good attention to detail, you should apply to our Digital Marketing Academy Day! You don’t have to have any previous digital marketing experience but you must be excited and eager to learn!
The Academy is a 12-month paid programme where you’ll learn new skills while working alongside mentors, leading to a full-time role.
The first step – apply to join our Digital Marketing Academy Day on Tuesday 24th May, hosted at our central Bristol office on Colston Street. Find out more and apply.
This is a great time to join Torchbox – we’re 100% employee owned and business is booming.
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