Global City futures announce B Corp Certification

An Exeter consultancy has become the latest company to be awarded the coveted B Corp certification for their high standard of social and environmental performance, as well as stakeholder accountability and transparency.
 
Global City Futures, the growing consultancy known for building business cases for the public sector that meet their climate and social targets, has shown that its own working operational standards put people and planet before profit.
 
The team plan to celebrate the certification by meeting with other B Corp organisations in the south west at an event at Stephens Scown next month (12 October).
 
Elaine Anning, Operations Director, said: “We really welcome this award, and feel that it embodies so much of what we wanted to bring to Global City Futures. The process of certification, while rigorous, is so beneficial - the team has really had a chance to question and set out our values, and to look at our achievements. B Lab wants to make a change to the current economic system, we believe in that and want to be part of the change.”
 
Global City Futures was established in 2017, being founded on the principle that cities can grow sustainably and be healthy for their inhabitants when the right values are applied. The consultancy has worked extensively across the UK on projects with local authorities, NHS Trusts and the private sector to introduce new economic models with end results such as sustainable housing, decarbonised energy, sustainable infrastructure or more efficient health and social care.
 
This year Managing Director, Roli Martin, co-authored a white paper that calls for high-quality homes for NHS workers, to which he gave his expertise, and made public an innovative financial model to enable development. This has resulted in a government task force that is now piloting housing that will help to retain staff within the NHS.
 
Roli said: “This is a significant achievement for the team, and absolutely well-deserved. It is excellent to show that a small company can grow and thrive while putting principles before turnover. B Corp certification truly reflects the dedication to our core values.”
 
The team of twelve at the consultancy place their social and environmental responsibilities ahead of financial success. Instead of focusing on profits, B Corp companies consider their impact - on the well-being of their employees, clients, communities, and the planet.
 
So what next for Global City Futures? Elaine: “We are looking forward to meeting with other B Corp organisations from the global community and learning from them, as well as sharing ideas from how we work. We are aware that the certification requires that we continually aim to improve, and we have built a great team of people here that really take on the holistic values needed to keep moving forward.”