Our UK strategy
Our ambitious vision requires large-scale changes to our economic system. Find out how we are working to redefine the role of business.
B Lab UK’s strategy is rooted in the global Theory of Change, aiming to redefine the role of business within our economic system so that every business is a force for good.
Systemic change is neither simple nor easy. It requires leadership, and it also requires a robust, credible alternative to the existing system.
The success of the UK B Corp movement over the last 10 years has demonstrated that a credible alternative is possible. In order to create lasting change to our economic system, we need to go beyond certifying individual businesses.
We’ve developed a long-term strategy with one overarching goal that meets the imperative of these challenging times.
Within the next 10 years we want all UK businesses to act as a 'force for good' by default, operating for the benefit of all their stakeholders.
To achieve this goal. We’ve set the direction of our work for the next five years.
Our strategy is threefold. Over the next five years, we will:
- Create the models that we need to ensure the right businesses are having the right impact.
- Build assets to ensure we can be a thriving organisation making an irresistible case for change.
- Leverage the models and assets to convince actors that can influence and ultimately drive change to the system at scale.
The pathways to impact
There are two pathways to impact through our business model — raising the ceiling and raising the floor of what it means to be using business as a force for good.
1. Floor
To define a ‘floor’ for business performance means setting the characteristics and behaviours that we believe every business must exhibit. We will do this through the introduction and transition of our community towards new B Corp Standards, and subsequent iterations of the standards in the future.
We will work for the adoption of these standards at scale through legislation (such as the Better Business Act) and regulatory frameworks (such as those directing capital flows).
2. Ceiling
We must concurrently raise the ‘ceiling’ of business performance by showcasing bold examples of business leadership, innovation and impact – individually or collectively. This enables us to stretch the notion of what is possible for business and inspire others to follow suit.
For a lasting impact on the UK economy we will need to be part of a collaborative effort to convince policymakers, investors, and the public of the case for change nationally and across sectors.
There are three areas where we will focus on building this collective case over the next five years:
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The need to ensure all UK businesses are inclusive environments with workers paid fairly and evolved in decision-making (good work).
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The need for all UK businesses to be run for the benefit of all: (stakeholder governance). This remains the central idea that underpins our work.
- The need for UK business to address the climate emergency and degradation of the natural world to create a just and sustainable economy and stable social and natural environment (climate & nature).
As well as advocating for specific legislative or regulatory change in these areas, we will need to work alongside others to change attitudes and behaviours en masse. The cultural change we seek requires citizens to see themselves as influencers on the expectations we have of business, policymakers to take their cues from new voices, businesses to put forward a working alternative to shareholder primacy, and other actors such as investors and boards to take decisions through this new lens.
Our primary partners in driving this shift will be B Corps and others in the progressive business community, as super-influencers on their own stakeholders, from their employees and customers to suppliers, boards and investors.
Theory of Change
The problem, the solution and the outcome. Explore our Theory of Change and find out about our mission to transform the global economic system.