B Corps outperforming ordinary businesses, new data shows

UK leads ethical business movement as B Corp community becomes largest globally

5th March — Today, new data from B Lab UK reveals that Certified B Corporations (also known as B Corps) outperform ordinary businesses across multiple metrics including revenue growth, talent acquisition and social and environmental impact; showing that purpose-led businesses are benefiting from a better way of doing business.

B Lab UK’s data shows that B Corps are more commercially successful. Between 2023 and 2024, small and medium-sized UK B Corps saw a 23.2% increase in turnover, compared to the national average of 16.8%, and a 9.6% increase in employee headcount, compared to a national decrease of 0.5%.

The new data is a testament to the success of the UK B Corp movement, which is officially the largest in the world for the first time. With over 2,400 certified businesses — a 40% increase from last year — accounting for more than 150,000 workers, the UK hosts a quarter of the 9,500 B Corps worldwide. 

The growth and outperformance of UK B Corps have also coincided with positive sentiment from B Corp CEOs, with 91% believing certification has positively impacted their business.

Compared to ordinary businesses, UK B Corps are also:

• 25% more likely to pay all employees a family living wage

• 104% more likely to only use renewable energy within their operations

• 114% more likely to have representatives from the community on their board of directors

By making a legal commitment to consider the interests of their employees, customers, local communities and the environment — and not solely profit — B Corps are driving positive social change and reaping business benefits. The stakeholder-led approach being taken by UK B Corps now accounts for a combined turnover of £30 billion. 

The new data has been released to mark B Corp Month (1st-31st March), an annual celebration of what it means to be a B Corp. The theme for the 2025 campaign is ‘Generation B’; a moment to recognise and empower the new generation of people who are using business as a force for good.

Alongside London being home to the most B Corps of any city in the world with over 1,000 certified businesses, the growing appetite across the UK to balance purpose with profit encompasses businesses of all sizes and 126 sectors. Names include Graze, giffgaff, Octopus Group, COOK, Tony’s Chocolonely, Ticket Tailor, Buttress Architects, Lucky Saint, Farrow & Ball and Klyk.

The impact of Generation B will go even further with the new standards for B Corp Certification being published next month. These will set out minimum standards for all B Corps to meet across impact areas including human rights, workplace culture, fair wages, climate action and environmental stewardship.

Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, says: “This data shows that a new generation of UK businesses are proving purpose and profit can go hand in hand. B Corps consistently demonstrate that companies do not have to choose between them. This is the kind of leadership that will thrive in the 21st century — and the only direction of travel if we are to build the economy we need for the future. B Corp Month celebrates the achievements of the B Corp community while recognising the need to go even further and ensure every business acts as a force for good.” 

Josephine Philips, founder and CEO of B Corp clothing repairs company SOJO, added:

“I’m proud to belong to a generation of business leaders who believe in business acting as a force for good. SOJO is on a mission to transform the fashion industry, ensuring customers value the items they wear, for longer. Not only do we believe in the power of repairing clothes, we also believe in the power of repairing the fundamentals of business — and being a B Corp contributes to this commitment.” 

Sojo is the UK’s leading clothing repair and alterations platform, on a mission to make fashion more circular by extending the life of garments. Their recent success has seen them secure exciting brand partnerships with Marks & Spencer, ARKET, Paul Smith and REISS.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Will Paxton

william@higginsonstrategy.com

(+44) 7861 517518

Methodology

B Lab’s B Impact Assessment (BIA) is a publicly available impact measurement tool whereby any company can measure and manage their ESG performance. Some of these companies become B Corps following a lengthy review process, while the vast majority do not. For the comparisons between UK B Corps and national statistics, our analysis leverages the responses to three questions within the BIA: Revenue Last Year, Revenue Year Before Last, and Job Growth Rate. In these

analyses, small- and medium-sized B Corps are defined as B Corps with 0-249 employees, in line with national statistics.
Read more in the Appendix here.

About B Corp Month

B Corp Month is an annual, global campaign. Every year during March, B Lab and the global B Corp community come together to celebrate everything it means to be a B Corp, raising awareness of the movement across the world.

About B Lab 

B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 900,000 workers in over 9,500 B Corps across 102 countries and 160 industries. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net. 

About B Lab UK

As part of this global non-profit B Network, B Lab UK’s purpose is to redefine success in business through building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp movement and influencing change in the UK economy. Find out more.

About B Corp Certification

Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must complete the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. B Corps recertify every three years and once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive and regenerative businesses. 

About SOJO

Sojo is the UK’s leading clothing repair and alterations platform, on a mission to make fashion more circular by extending the life of garments. As a certified B Corp, Sojo is committed to driving systemic change in the fashion industry by making sustainability more accessible, reducing textile waste, and encouraging brands and individuals to embrace a more responsible approach to fashion. By bridging the gap between sustainability and convenience, Sojo is redefining how we care for our clothes and shaping the future of a more circular fashion economy. Find out more.