what does community mean to you?

This week I wanted to talk and hear your thoughts about community.?

In a world that feels increasingly difficult to navigate, I am beginning to appreciate even more the importance of community in our work lives.

This really struck me last week on at least three separate occasions:?

• When I Chaired the Board of Trustees meeting at NMC – a charity close to my heart (as many of you know).?The NMC?is such a strong and vibrant community. Supporting people living with Muscular Dystrophy everything at NMC is done with the community, for the community.?
• When I gave a presentation about ‘Community’ at?AP for Good?– The Alderley Park for Good community was the brainchild of Lynne Ashcroft Griffiths, a fellow B Corp and self-confessed impact geek! From a standing start this growing community of forward-thinking business leaders at Alderley Park is gaining real momentum; sharing resources, constructively challenging and supporting each other. It’s fab!?
• B Hive?– When a business becomes B Corp Certified it can join an online global community of over 7000 B Corps. This is a very special community of businesses which meet high standards of social and environmental performance. It’s a place to” ‘offer (help, resources), ask (questions, or for help), make announcements, and offer discounts. I LOVE the B Hive!??

The Community section of the B Impact Assessment (BIA), which all B Corps must complete to become B Corp Certified evaluates: “a company’s engagement with, and impact on, the communities in which it operates, hires from, and sources from. Topics include diversity, equity & inclusion, economic impact, civic engagement, charitable giving, and supply chain management.”

The dictionary definition of community is:?“a social unit with commonalities such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity.”?

One thing is for certain, belonging to a community of others who share the same purpose and values not only feels good, but enables us to achieve so much more.

Our growing UK for Good community continues to inspire and support me and each other– and for those of our members reading this, I’d like to thank you. You’re a very special group of people.

What does community mean to you, and why does it matter??

Have you been able to achieve more by being part of a community?

Looking forward to hearing from you.?

Best wishes,

Donna

Donna Okell

UK for Good Founder and B Leader

Let's be honest, over the past couple of weeks positive climate news has been hard to find.

And that can have a really negative, sometimes paralysing, impact on the way we feel about life, work, and beyond. Lots of my colleagues and connections are feeling frustrated, disillusioned, and fearful.

In stark contrast, this morning I was really uplifted to hear about the work of?Mission Zero Technologies. Just what I needed!

This young company of brilliant young people are developing direct air capture (DAC) technology that will recover high-purity CO2?from the air while incurring only a fraction of the costs and energy it takes to do so today.

You learn more about Mission Zero by watching this?video.

I can't wait to hear how this young company develops.

Better businesses need better support

Are you a business consultant or in-house sustainability advocate and want to learn more about better business and the B Corp journey?

The next cohort of our?Leadership for Good Programme?begins on the?13th of September, and offers a holistic understanding of the B Corp certification process within the wider context of ‘business as a force for good’.

Designed and delivered by B Leaders Donna Okell and Louisa Burman to?'train the trainers'?to support businesses to improve their impact on people and the planet. This may (or may not) include full B Corp certification.

Upon completion of the course, you will leave with an understanding of how business can lead the change we need to achieve a sustainable future; and the skills to support your clients or business to be the change.

You’ll be invited to five sessions of training, delivered in small groups, and provided with a suite of templates and resources to support your success as you start applying what you’ve learned.

Let’s shape a better world together.

PS. As part of our commitment to more inclusive leadership, we are proud to offer a?40% equity discount?to underrepresented groups, including women, LGTBQ+, people with disabilities, people of colour or ethnic minorities.

Our membership community

At our monthly online member forums, we learn from and connect with expert speakers, working hard to make a positive difference, and often from the B Corp community.

Our thriving online community of forward-thinking leaders come from a wide range of businesses of all sectors and sizes, but with one common goal; to create a cleaner, greener, fairer future.

In September, we'll be joined by Vlora Salihi, Baroness du Choco at Tony’s Chocolonely, aka Head of Sales UK&I. We also welcome Sassi Stuckey-Beeri, Fundraising Manager at The Hunger Project UK.

If you’re not a member of our community of forward-thinking business leaders, there’s still time to apply below!

Are you B Corp curious?

The number of B Corps in the UK has increased by 70% since November 2022. The Movement is gaining real traction, which is great news for people and the planet.

And at UK for Good, we are receiving a significant increase in enquiries from business leaders who want to know more and are keen to embark on their B Corp journey.

If you’re interested in committing to being a better business? We are excited to invite you to a?B Corp FAQ call.

This is an opportunity to ask me or one of our expert B Corp Consultants any questions about the B Corp journey, whether you are in the process of completing your BIA or don't know where to start.