24 inspiring B Corps from the Bristol Creative Industries community
March is B Corp Month, which celebrates businesses that have achieved certified B Corporation status, a measure of high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Our region has many B Corps. In fact, a report in 2023 said Bristol is home to the most B Corps of any UK city outside of London.
To mark B Corp Month 2025, we put a call out to B Corps in the Bristol Creative Industries community and had a great response. Read about inspiring businesses below, with their tips for how to become a certified B Corporation.
“My biggest piece of advice for businesses considering B Corp certification? Just start! The process may seem intense at first, but once you take that first step, it all becomes much more manageable. The B Impact Assessment gives you a clear benchmark, and it’s quicker to work through than you might think. More importantly, see it as a journey. Every step you take is a step towards becoming a better business for both people and the planet. By simply starting, you’re already making a positive impact!”
Tom Locke, Noughts & Ones (BCI member profile | B Corp profile)
“To become a successful B Corp focus on embedding sustainability deeply within your company culture. Start by clearly assessing your environmental impact. For example, Atomic Smash made a big step by transitioning a majority of clients’ hosting to providers that solely use renewable energy and prioritising greener digital practices. Regularly evaluate your performance through the B Impact Assessment, ensuring continuous improvement. By transparently integrating these purposeful practices into daily operations and clearly communicating your efforts, your business can successfully attain B Corp status and inspire positive change.”
David Darke, Atomic Smash (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“One of the key tips about becoming a B Corp is that you don’t just become one and tick it off your list. Achieving B Corp certification is just the start of the journey. It’s about a wholehearted commitment from the top to the bottom of your organisation to do better business. It affects everything – from Articles of Association and company mission, to choice of suppliers, clients, company policies and so on. No business is perfect, but the B Corp assessment criteria help to set priorities and objectives towards meaningful change so that people and planet are considered equally alongside profit. It’s a huge commitment, but for us, there’s no other way to do business.”
Alex Ririe, The Collaborators (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Halo was one of the first 1,000 businesses in the UK to become a certified B Corp.
“Becoming a B Corp challenges you to focus on areas often overlooked and helps focus your business into a force for good. There is a lot to do, so I’d say start small—review suppliers, refine policies, and engage employees by letting them choose causes they’re passionate about. Keep it on the leadership agenda, talk and learn from other B Corps.
“The process is about continuous improvement, ensuring accountability and impact. Going green doesn’t mean an overhaul; think local, reduce waste, and measure your footprint- we plant a tree for every invoice we raise. The biggest tip? Just get going.”
Nina Edmonds, Halo (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Our mission is to shape an industry where paid media done the right way delivers client success whilst contributing to stronger communities and a healthier planet.
“This clearly aligns with the B Corp values and the accreditation has helped us focus on how we can expand our purpose.
“We had a mentor, Business on Purpose founder Andy Hawkins, to guide us through the process, which was very helpful. The B Corp community is a valuable one in which working collaboratively is at its core. If you are not sure whether to proceed with the accreditation, feel free to reach out to us (or any other friendly B Corp) and we’ll be happy to answer any questions.”
Toby Parkins, The Nest Media (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Our mission is to create work that has a positive impact on people and planet, so becoming a B Corp felt like a natural step.
“Our tip is to really make sure that your people are on board with what you’re trying to achieve. B Corp certification isn’t something that a couple of people within the organisation can be solely responsible for. It’s down to everyone playing an active role – from committing to volunteering days to understanding what reproductive policies look like in our agency.
“We take regular opportunities to share what we’re working towards and invite feedback from teams across the business, which is so far proving successful.”
Sarah Dennis, Aer Studios (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a B Corp isn’t just about ticking boxes; it’s about weaving purpose into your business’s DNA. It starts with a genuine commitment to people, clients, the community, and the planet. Prioritise ethical practices, transparency, and accountability.
“Continuous improvement is key; small, meaningful changes create a lasting impact. Use your business as a force for good, challenge the status quo, and resist pressures that push against positive change. The journey to certification is a mindset shift, not just a process. When you do it for the right reasons, everything else falls into place.”
Josh Harrison, Taxi Studio (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“First and foremost, you have to truly want to do it. When Something Familiar began our B Corp journey, it was because we wanted to wear our values on our sleeve and embed good practices from the start – ensuring our business grows in alignment with our principles.
“The process is rigorous and constantly evolving, but that’s the point. We started by being honest about where we were, then committed to change, growth, and improvement. It’s not just about policies, it’s about embedding impact into every decision.
“The benefits are super clear too, we’ve forged stronger relationships, engaged teams, and built long-term sustainability. If you’re considering starting your journey, the B Corp community is incredibly open and supportive, ready to guide you along the way.”
Rich Williams, Something Familiar (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a B Corp isn’t just about earning the certification, it’s about committing to continuous improvement in how your business operates. By embedding its principles into your company culture, you will ensure your team understands and embraces the commitment.
“From producing an annual impact report to recertifying every three years, B Corp principles should be woven into the fabric of your business, not forgotten once the plaque is on the wall. Tracking progress and gathering evidence are key to this. At our company, we hold a monthly B Corp team lunch to review each pillar and share updates. Certification isn’t the finish line–it’s the start of an ongoing journey to balance profit with purpose and drive meaningful impact.”
Lucy McKerron, Purplefish PR (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Give yourself plenty of time. Use the Impact Assessment questions to inform and guide your company policies and business practices before deciding to go for certification, so that the core values of B Corp are already embedded into your culture.
“Learn from others who have been through it but if you can, engage a consultant. We were guided through the process by Byen which made the whole experience very enjoyable.
“Be thorough and meticulous. Continually record and build your evidence to simplify the submission stage.
“Look for easy wins – small changes can have a big impact.
“If you have been honest and evidenced everything, you can be confident of your score when you submit.”
Alexia Mihranian, Osborne Pike (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
Be authentic
You should become a B Corp because you believe in the philosophy, not because it’ll benefit you, so do it for the right reasons and focus on initiatives that make a real difference to your team, your community and the world around you.
Focus on the Three Ps
People, Purpose and Planet are the cornerstones of being a B Corp. Get those right then in turn it will benefit your Profit.
Build B Corp into your culture
It takes time and energy to live your B Corp values. Embed purposeful initiatives into your company culture and objectives to stay focused and on track.
Make friends
It’s easier (and more impactful) to make a difference if you do so with others! Find your local B Corp community and make partnerships with like-minded businesses around you.
Be adaptable
What it means to be a B Corp changes with the times, so be adaptable to new landscapes within society and the planet as a whole.
Amy Stobie, AgencyUK (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a certified B Corp was a proud milestone for us at Rhombus.
“My advice? Don’t treat it like a side project. Make it part of how you do things, day to day.
“Get your team involved early, be honest about where you’re falling short and see it as a chance to improve, not just to certify.
“The process can feel heavy at times, but it brings real clarity. For us, it’s helped sharpen our purpose, hold ourselves to a higher standard and shape the kind of clients and collaborators we want to work with. Worth every spreadsheet (and late night!)”
James Ratcliffe, Rhombus (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Going through the process of becoming a B Corp is a little like eating the proverbial elephant – you have to do it one bite at a time.
“It is a big task, but by breaking it down you can make a plan that works with your resources. Try to get as many of your team involved as you can, not only to share the workload but to ensure everyone is on board and actively participating in the process. And don’t forget the wider B Corp community, including B Leaders, who are on hand to answer questions when you get stuck.”
Rin Hamburgh, Rin Hamburgh & Co (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“The best way to become a B Corp is by not taking it as a set of requirements, but genuinely using them as principles to guide yourself as a business.
“Especially with the upcoming changes, becoming certified is a lot harder if you consider it as the minimum bar to jump. By thinking genuinely about the impact you can and want to make that aligns with who you are as a business it’s far easier to get everyone on board and embed B Corp into your culture, which in turn, makes the accreditation easier too.”
Alistair Paul, Bright (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“We started our B Corp journey in 2018 and certified in 2019.
“The more we heard about it the more aligned we felt with it and that it gave us a framework to work towards and ultimately the recognition that we were running the company in the right way.
“The key thing is identifying where you feel as a company you can make a meaningful difference across the five core areas assessed. It’s important everyone has a voice and that you are all working towards the same goals you want to achieve.”
Steve Kay, ADLIB (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“I’d suggest working through the Business Impact Assessment one section at a time. And take your time. Chip away at tasks little and often to make steady progress. Try to set aside dedicated time each week to move forward.
“Share the workload with your team, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. It’s also important that the process feels authentic. Ideally, you’ll find that many of the policies, procedures, or at least values, are already in place in your company. So going B Corp feels natural and genuine, like the next step in your journey.”
Jess Evans, Shaped By (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a B Corp is a transformative journey that reshapes your business around core values centred on people, planet and purpose. At ORCA, these principles have always guided our work, and certification has only strengthened our commitment.
“This process impacts every part of your business, so involve your entire team from the start. Define clear roles and responsibilities to ensure that everyone contributes to the initiatives that drive sustainable change. Embedding these values into daily operations is key, and tapping into the B Corp community for insights and best practices provides invaluable support, reinforcing your mission and driving continuous growth.”
Mila Embury, ORCA (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Get support and carve out time:
“In terms of the application itself, we found some of the questions quite jargon-heavy. So we found it really useful to work with someone who had been through the process who could clarify what sort of information the question needed as a response.
“Having support from an external party also kept us accountable for hitting deadlines around filling in the application. We set aside one day a week during the application process.
“Involve your team:
“It’s impossible for one or two people to do everything. We found that involving the team helped to share some of the responsibilities, as well as adding an element of team-building and fun to the process.”
Karen Pearce, Loom Digital (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a B Corp is just the beginning. Since certification, we’ve partnered with local B Corps to amplify our collective impact.
“We’ve focused on reducing energy consumption by installing new windows. Volunteering with charities like Bristol Zoo Project and St Peter’s Hospice has engaged our team and connected us more deeply to the local community.
“The quickest win? Switching to eco-friendly alternatives like CoCo+ for business travel and Ecosia, the greenest search engine on the planet. It’s the small, habitual changes that make a lasting difference in creating a more sustainable future.”
Lottie Pratt, saintnicks (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Being a B Corp is a commitment to ongoing positive change rather than a one-time achievement, a journey rather than a destination to tick off.
“What’s worked for us has been small but regular sustainable changes: changes that can be more easily embedded into business processes, adopted by everyone in the business and built on each year.
“Certification is truly a team endeavour but, practically, it helps to have one project leader to coordinate stakeholders and drive progress.”
Belle Farman, Sunhouse Creative (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“For us the best advice we can give on how to successfully become a B Corp is simply to do it for the right reasons. If the B Corp set up is right for the values and direction of your business then it’s a no brainer. If however it’s primary use is that of a tool for sales, then reconsider. We’ve noted many controversial and immoral uses of the B logo by organisations hoping it’s a route to easy wins.
“The process of certification was a wonderful and thorough thing for us. It helped us ask questions of ourselves we wouldn’t have normally, set our business on a course for the foreseeable, and helped our team unite under clear and positive values. So our advice would be to enjoy the process with an open and honest mind. Even without certification you will take value from the process.”
Adam Millbank, JonesMillbank (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Becoming a B Corp back in 2022 was a real turning point for us at Skylark. The B Impact Assessment helped us dig into what we were already doing well and where we needed to step up – across governance, team, environment and community.
“My advice? Don’t wait until everything’s perfect – just get started. The Impact Assessment is famously a journey, and with good reason. You’re interrogating every facet of your business.
“In uncertain times, when businesses face economic pressures and competing priorities, it’s easy to let purpose take a back seat. But it’s exactly when people, planet, and integrity are at risk that we need values-led leadership the most.”
Nina Postans, Skylark Media (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Mustard is a Bristol based creative industry recruiter. We started our B Corp journey in September 2023 and we had confirmation of our acceptance in May 2024.
“We were looking for something that people in the business could get behind to increase the “purpose” in their role. We initially shied away from B Corp but when we went to a Bristol meet up and spoke to some people we realised that B-corp was actually it!
“We used an external advisor, the ubiquitous Andy Hawkins, who was a great help in just breaking down things that sound ominous into things that become very achievable. What we found was that we already did a lot of the stuff and that spurred us on to get that confirmation from an external organisation that we were a well-run business who gives a sh**!”
Peter Browne, Mustard (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
“Involve your team right from the start of your B Corp journey as you can’t do it alone.
“We needed to establish what was important to us and creating a culture where everyone is heard and can contribute means your B Corp statement is authentic and owned.
“We also would recommend being transparent, while creativity can be a force for good we also needed to be upfront with the sectors that we work in that can be playing catch up as they navigate change in sustainability.”
Ruth Clarke, Six (BCI profile | B Corp profile)
Bristol Creative Industries is the membership network that supports the region's creative sector to learn, grow and connect, driven by the common belief that we can achieve more collectively than alone.
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