Good Energy, the 100% renewable electricity group, has become the latest West of England firm to be gain B Corp accreditation, the global standard for purpose-led business.
The Chippenham-headquartered group was one of the originators of the purpose-led business movement in the UK when it was founded in 1999 with a mission to power a cleaner, greener future together.
A long-term innovator in renewable energy – a well as helping to drive the growth of small-scale solar power in the UK by introducing the first solar export tariff for homes – it was also the first to launch a fully certified 100% renewable electricity supply tariff.
The group, which employs more than 250 people in Chippenham, is the first UK household energy supplier to be certified as a B Corp, recognising its high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
Other Bath area B Corps have mainly been from drawn from the creative sector and include Interaction, the Bath-based workplace design-and-build company, Bradford on Avon-based agency Digital Wonderlab and Clearly, Mytton Williams, Agency UK, Storm Consultancy and Edit.
Based-based branding consultancy The House was the first in the city to achieve the status in 2017.
To achieve B Corp certification, businesses must complete a B Impact Assessment – a tool designed to help measure and manage a business's impact on its workers, community, customers and the environment.
While the median overall B Corp impact score for businesses which have completed the impact assessment is 50.9, Good Energy achieved 118.5.
It scored particularly highly in the environment category, which it said was a reflection of its clean power purpose.
However, although now certified, Good Energy has yet to secure enduring certification through the 'values lock' from accreditation firm B Lab.
For that to take place, the London Stock Exchange-listed group needs to make change its articles of association to reflect its commitment to social and environmental impact alongside profitability.
While the company has put forward a special resolution to its shareholders at its last two annual general meetings, it has failed to get the 75% of votes needed.
It now has a year to make the change so will be putting forward a resolution to shareholders again at its next AGM.
Good Energy CEO Nigel Pocklington, pictured, said: "The best businesses have a purpose beyond profit and Good Energy's has always been very clear – to give people the power to be part of the solution to climate change.
“So joining the unstoppable B Corp movement of purpose-led businesses is a fantastic way to celebrate our 25th year.
"As the only UK household energy supplier to be B Corp certified we are proud to be able to give customers the opportunity to choose an energy company which prioritises people and the planet alongside profit.
“And as a UK-listed B Corp, anyone can buy their own shares in a purpose-led British business too.”
