More than 100 senior business leaders met in London this week as B Lab UK – the organization behind B Corp certification – celebrated the tenth anniversary of the UK B Corp movement with a high-profile breakfast summit.
The “Take 10: The Future of Better Business” event featured findings from B Lab UK’s first 10-year impact report, which shows B Corps consistently outperforms other UK companies in the areas of growth, investment, resilience and people impact. The results also highlight the greater social and environmental added value that certified companies create.
The keynote speech was given by investor and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, who has supported six B Corps to date. She described B Corp certification as a “shortcut” to identifying credible, values-driven companies.
“When someone says they are a B Corp or even going through the process, I understand that they really mean it,” she said. “It’s not easy, and the framework gives companies structure and purpose. If you measure your business solely by profit, you’re missing the point.”
Meaden added that intent is becoming a crucial factor in the modern economy: “The days of people leaving what’s important to them at the door are over. Businesses can thrive and do good – and ten years ago that was a bold idea. Now it’s a movement that’s creating real change.”
Speakers also included Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK; Charlie Bigham, founder of Charlie Bigham’s; Tessa Clarke, co-founder and CEO of Olio; Mahira Kalim, founder of Spruce; and London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban.
The UK is now home to the world’s largest B Corp community with more than 2,600 certified companies – including Octopus Energy, giffgaff, COOK and ELEMIS. Together, these companies employ more than 200,000 people across 120 industries and generate a combined annual turnover of £38 billion.
Growth figures underline the strength of the movement. Between 2024 and 2025, UK SME B Corps sales increased by 20% – almost seven times more than the 3% growth experienced by all UK SMEs. During the same period, the number of employees in SME B Corps increased by 11%, compared to 2% for SMEs nationwide.
The trend continues a pattern of strong outperformance seen between 2023 and 2024, when SME B Corps recorded revenue growth of 23% compared to a UK SME average of 17%.
Investor interest also seems to be higher in certified companies. Over the last decade, UK B Corps secured an average of £1.5 million in external funding – 18% more than other UK companies.
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, said the movement’s first decade was just the beginning.
“Our goal is far more ambitious than incremental impact – it’s about redefining the role of business in society. B Corps recognizes that people and the planet must never come at the expense of profit.”
He added that the movement is fundamentally “rooted in humanity” and empowers companies to make decisions with long-term outcomes in mind.
Deputy Mayor of London Mete Coban highlighted the capital’s commitment to responsible growth: “With more than 1,000 B Corps based here, London is proving that green politics and economic growth can go hand in hand. As the world changes, we must protect progress on climate, equality and justice while creating new opportunities for Londoners.”
The anniversary comes with major changes to the B Corp framework. New B laboratory standards, developed over four years through two public consultations, will come into force in early 2026.
The updated standards introduce mandatory third-party verification and require all B Corps to meet minimum expectations in areas such as climate change, human rights, governance and collective action. The reforms aim to strengthen accountability and improve transparency for both companies and consumers.
