Lancaster firm gains world-leading status for impact on wellbeing and sustainability

Novi Digital has been awarded the B Corporation Certification which is given when a business or organisation can demonstrate high standards of performance, accountability, and transparency in practices such as employee wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and charitable efforts.

The agency – which specialises in B2B search marketing – had to go through a rigorous six-month application process to gain the certification.

Only 5,000 businesses globally hold B Corp and Novi is one of only 14 PPC (pay per click) agencies and less than 50 SEO agencies worldwide to have it.

Aaron Crewe, managing director of Novi Digital, said: “We’ve always committed to having a positive impact on the world and the people we work with, balancing the ‘three Ps’; People, Planet, and Profit.

“Through B Corp, we have taken even greater strides to building a more sustainable and purposeful business that supports our communities. Achieving this certification shows people what we stand for, and we hope to continue growing and working with more like-minded businesses who care about the planet and want to make a difference.”

The B Corp movement began 15 years ago and there are now members in 79 countries representing more than 400,000 workers. Novi Digital joins ethical business names like The Body Shop, Patagonia, and Ben & Jerry’s in holding B Corp certification.

To gain B Corporation certification, organisations are assessed and awarded points in five ‘Impact Areas’, covering governance, workers, community, environment and customers. The average score for businesses is 50.2 and a business must hold a score of 80 to qualify for a B Corp Certification.

Novi gained a score of 92 thanks to initiatives like allowing staff greater autonomy over working hours to achieve work-life balance, dedicated training time, staff awards and additional annual leave. It also has a partnership with an ecology charity that sees trees planted regularly on behalf of its clients.

“We logged more than 100 hours of time preparing our application, but it’s been worth the effort,” added Aaron. “We’ve learned a great deal and know there are still areas for improvement, so we’ll continue to push ourselves further.”