Business leaders and practitioners from across Cambridgeshire joined B Local Cambridgeshire, a new regional network, on 19 March to explore how organisations can identify and respond to the signals that matter for sustainable growth. The event, organised to mark B Corporation™ (B Corp) Month, celebrated how the growing number of purpose-driven businesses in the region are building more sustainable futures.
During the event, guests heard from Matthew Grimes, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Futures at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, who explored the indicators of truly sustainable business growth. During his TED-style talk, Grimes said:
Cambridgeshire is one of the most dynamic, innovative ecosystems in the world. The question isn’t whether growth will happen, but, rather, whether it will be governed responsibly. The growing B Corp™ community in the region is building the governance infrastructure that makes responsible growth the default, not the exception.
In an age of transformation, when sustainability claims are becoming broader and vaguer, authenticity becomes more valuable. Maintaining B Corp™ certification through difficult periods builds a distinctive, compounding asset. Watch for where the B Corp™ model evolves from proving values to governing growth itself.”
Following his keynote, Grimes moderated a panel discussion and audience Q&A with Helen Newman, Executive Director, Group Sustainability, Bidwells (B Corp™), David Sales, Director, First Ascent (B Corp™) and Tom Ebbutt, Director of Impact, B Lab™. Topics explored by the panellists included evolving sustainability regulations, sustainability as a growth strategy and the practical signs that leaders should prioritise this year.
During the panel, Newman said:
The narrative on sustainability is evolving. By listening to our clients, our staff and our industry, we are hearing more detailed questions and a shift from net zero to climate risk management. The regulatory environment is also evolving, a strong signal that the country is enhancing its sustainability commitments rather than reducing them, and this will filter down through the entire economy.”
Responding to questions from the audience, Sales said:
The first responsibility of directors is to ensure a business is sustainable. As generational expectations of businesses change, organisations that are strategically investing in their people and the environment during the next five to 10 years are the ones that will prove sustainable.”
The event, which was supported by four local B Corps™, Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education, Conscious Communications, Coracle Online and Costello Medical, builds on the success of last year’s inaugural B Corp™ Month celebration and is the first of a series of events planned by B Local Cambridgeshire in the future to connect local B Corps™.
Discussing the economic impact of sustainability action, Ebbutt said:
There is a recognition that the current economic system doesn’t work – the question is, what do we do about it? As humans, we care about our communities. B Corp™ is about how we can be more human in our approach to business. There is a persistent notion that there is a trade-off between sustainability and the bottom line but if we look at the impact of being a B Corp™ on revenue and staff retention, a different story emerges. Between 2024 and 2025, UK B Corp™ SMEs’ turnover grew 20 per cent more than their non-B Corp™ counterparts.”
B Corp™ certification demonstrates that an organisation achieves high social and environmental performance. Certification is a rigorous process and requires verification every three years. There are currently more than 10,000 B Corp™ companies globally across 160 industries.
For more information about B Local Cambridgeshire or to get involved, sign up via this form.
