More than 100 senior business leaders gathered in London this week as B Lab UK — the organisation behind the B Corp certification — marked ten years of the UK B Corp movement with a high-profile breakfast summit.
The event, Take 10: The Future of Better Business, unveiled findings from B Lab UK’s first 10-year impact report, which shows B Corps consistently outperforming other UK businesses across growth, investment, resilience and employee impact. The findings also highlight the wider social and environmental value created by certified companies.
Investor and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden, who has backed six B Corps to date, delivered the keynote speech. She described B Corp certification as a “shortcut” for identifying credible, values-driven companies.
“When someone says they are a B Corp, or even going through the process, I understand they really mean it,” she said. “It’s not easy, and the framework gives businesses structure and purpose. If you measure your business purely on profit, you are missing the point.”
Meaden added that intent is becoming a decisive factor in modern business: “Gone are the days when people leave what they care about at the door. Businesses can do well and do good — and ten years ago, that was a bold idea. Now it’s a movement making 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 the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban.
The UK is now home to the largest B Corp community globally, with more than 2,600 certified companies — including Octopus Energy, giffgaff, COOK and ELEMIS. Collectively, these businesses employ more than 200,000 people across 120 sectors, generating a combined annual turnover of £38 billion.
Growth figures underline the movement’s strength. Between 2024 and 2025, turnover among UK SME B Corps rose by 20% — almost seven times higher than the 3% growth recorded across all UK SMEs. Over the same period, the number of employees at SME B Corps increased by 11%, compared with 2% across SMEs nationally.
The trend continues a pattern of strong outperformance observed between 2023 and 2024, when SME B Corps posted 23% turnover growth against a UK SME average of 17%.
Investor interest also appears higher among certified businesses. Over the past decade, UK B Corps secured a median 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 is only the beginning.
“Our goal is far more ambitious than incremental impact — it’s about redefining the role of business in society. B Corps recognise that people and planet must never come at the expense of profit.”
He added that the movement is fundamentally “rooted in humanity”, empowering businesses to take 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 now based here, London is proving that green policies 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 ahead of major changes to the B Corp framework. New B Lab Standards — developed over four years through two public consultations — will take effect in early 2026.
The updated standards will introduce mandatory third-party verification and require all B Corps to meet minimum expectations across areas including climate action, human rights, governance and collective action. The reforms aim to strengthen accountability and improve transparency for both businesses and consumers.
