B Corps have shown us that actions really do speak louder than words

As someone who has been deeply involved with B Lab and our B Corp community for over seven years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the movement evolve from the early days of a small but powerful collective of businesses into a vibrant, diverse, global community. Each milestone has marked a meaningful step forward — from intimate retreats in the early years to our first B Inspired conference in 2019, to celebrating 1,000 B Corps with a spectacular event at the National History Museum. 

Yet, this month’s B Corp festival, Louder Than Words, stands out as a truly defining moment in this journey. It felt different — not just in scale but in the energy and sense of urgency that ran through every session and conversation.

Louder Than Words illustrated what sets B Corps apart from business-as-usual; delivering positive impact across regions and sectors, having an unwavering ambition to continue making progress and demonstrating the value of community and collective action. There was a real sense that, this time, we’re not just talking about change — we’re creating it.

Oxford was the stage for this milestone event, hosting the largest global gathering of B Corps to date. With over 1,300 attendees across 12 venues, the festival brought together a dynamic mix of business leaders, mission-driven organisations, activists and advocates for the movement. Our goal was clear: to create the change we need now, together.

Mornings were spent at the New Theatre and then attendees curated their own fringe agenda during the afternoons. Below are just a few highlights and takeaways:

1. Embracing Beautiful Business

“Taking the moral high ground doesn’t work. Ethical business needs to become desirable and sexy as well as deeply trusted. That’s what makes Beautiful Business.” Mary explored the disconnect between words and actions stalling progress, and her message was clear — we need to bring more people along with us, and we must do so with energy, joy, and optimism. It was a powerful reminder of our mission to make ethical business practices both aspirational and achievable.

2. A Just Transition 

As we transition towards a low-carbon economy, sectors like energy and transport face both challenges and opportunities. We brought together our main sponsors, including senior leaders from Good Energy and Motability Operations, as well as climate justice activist and Youth Board Member at Good Energy, Mahnoor Kamran and partnerships executive and Scheme Customer at Motability Operations, Molly Chauhan, to discuss how business can lead in creating a sustainable, fair, and inclusive future. Their perspectives on balancing commercial interests with environmental and social responsibilities were deeply thought-provoking, with an emphasis on integrating stakeholder voices, particularly lived experience, into decision-making processes. This ensures that no communities are left behind, and that the benefits of this transition are shared equitably. 

3. The Power of Community

With over 40 sessions across the two afternoons, there was a broad scope of topics discussed — from climate justice, to AI, to the diversity gap in ESG, fair wages, and investor interest in purpose-driven business. What stood out most to me was the quality and range of expertise, the willingness to share knowledge and the energy for collective action. It was in these sessions that the spirit of the festival and the power of community, creativity, connection and debate shone through. As a community, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

What action will you take? After two action-packed days, we closed the festival by posing the question: what are you going to do or change as a result of Louder Than Words? After all, actions speak louder than words. Organising carbon literacy training, collaborating with fellow B Corp board members, revisiting hiring practices to embed inclusivity, and assessing how to reduce beauty purchasing and consumption were just a few ideas. We can’t wait to see these, and more, come to life over the coming weeks and months.

To close, I’ll leave you with a reflection from Amy Clarke…

“The system isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as it was built, but those values have resulted in something that is now wrong. We have to accept that the system is not broken, it’s just not working, and we need to change it.”

Who's ready for the challenge?  

THANK YOU

I want to take this final moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped bring Louder Than Words to life:

• Warwick Events and their amazing team of Event Makers
• Our main stage speakers and fringe session hosts
• Our super seven B Corps working behind the scenes, from production, to filming and beyond
• Our sponsors, Motability, Good Energy and Raconteur as well as additional sponsors.

And finally to every single participant, who brought the festival to life with their hope, energy and commitment to so many actions that will add up to the change we need — the festival wouldn’t have been possible without you!