We have been proudly B Corp certified for nearly three years now. In fact, we are working towards re-certifying later this year. Tackling the rigorous B Impact Assessment and celebrating this year’s B Corp month is giving us a chance to reflect on what it means to be a B Corp and why that makes us a better employer.
Articulate has taken the approach: ‘Your people are your most valuable asset. Choose them well. Make sure they are a good culture fit and then take good care of them’.
We are always looking at ways to up our team-wellbeing game. Last year we were awarded the Investors in People standard accreditation which recognised our efforts.
We also provide our team with:
As a remote company we have lots of things in place to provide opportunity to interact and get to know our colleagues. These range wildly. We have weekly team meetings, happy half hours, group online breakfasts, quiz nights, cookery sessions, to name a few. We may be located all over the UK and parts of Europe but that hasn’t stopped us building a close-knit team.
We care about career growth and individual flourishing. Everyone has a monthly 1-1 with their team leader together with a regular happy talk with our Chief Happiness Officer, which helps us take a holistic approach to individual development. Oh, and we pay, at minimum, the real Living Wage.
Never was wellbeing and mental health more important than in this last year.
From the first lockdown, we drastically increased our social interaction with one another, providing lots of opportunities for team members to meet via video conferencing. We were especially mindful of some colleagues either living alone or separated from family and friends due to the pandemic. We booked optional activities every day including the weekend so that there was always freedom to reach out to a colleague if needed.
We also set up a buddy system where everyone had one person that they supported and one person to support them. Weekly buddy calls (or more regular calls, if needed) took place. The frequency of these activities was gradually reduced when we felt they were no longer needed and we all started to get used to a new way of living.
Slack has always been a great place for us to communicate company news and let off steam. Along with sensible COVID updates and sharing of information from our various countries, there was lots of light-hearted banter to help lift spirits during some very scary times.
Becoming a B Corp endorsed our already team-focused culture and helped us to look at ways to build and improve on what we were already doing. We certified in October 2018 and the following year were recognised as a Best for the World honouree in the Workers and Governance categories. Every year B Lab awards the top-performing B Corps who are creating the greatest impact, and who scored in the top 10 percent on the B Impact Assessment, with honouree status.
Clearly we are doing something right. For a small marketing agency that was still simply thrilled at having certified as a B Corp, you can imagine our delight at becoming a Best for the World honouree.
We have tried to be a great employer and being a B Corp confirms that we are on the right track. And it encourages us to continually strive to be better. We will carry on looking for more ways to have an increasingly positive impact on our employees. And, of course, look forward to much happier times ahead for all of us.
B the force (for good)!