OC&C Strategy Consultants becomes certified B Corporation

OC&C Strategy Consultants has become the latest consulting firm to become certified B Corporation. The news sees the strategy firm join a global community of businesses committed to balancing profit with purpose.

Will Hayllar, OC&C Strategy Consultants’ global managing partner, commented on the milestone, “We aspired to become a B Corp to put our values into practice - moving beyond profit to make a positive impact on people and the planet. As a global strategy consulting firm growing in size and influence, it’s critical to ensure these principles are intrinsic to both our core strategic work for clients and the way our business operates more widely’’.

“The foundation of our business is our people. I hope this mark of assurance instils a sense of pride and motivates even greater engagement in our collective mission’’.

B Corporations are companies that meet the standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability set by B Lab, a non-profit network. Over the course of certification, it evaluates companies according to their verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

To become a B Corp, OC&C has undergone rigorous evaluation by B Lab, meeting high standards for social and environmental impact. This certification also reflects the firm's ongoing dedication to using business as a force for good, evidenced by its legal commitment to stakeholder governance and pledge to continuous improvement.

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, shared, “We are delighted to welcome OC&C Strategy Consultants to the B Corp community. This is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good. We know that OC&C Strategy Consultants are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward”.

According to a release from the firm, OC&C has “always been committed to building for the long-term”, and B Corp status “aligns well with these values and initiatives already pursued by the firm”. The firm added that in the broader community, the firm’s commercial client work increasingly embeds environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, and the resources dedicated to pro bono work have continually expanded to nearly 1.5% of all revenue. Environmentally, the firm has also made significant strides in performing in-depth measurements of its carbon emissions and setting and working towards science-based targets to minimise its footprint.

Deidre Sorensen, global head of ESG, OC&C, added, “We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with over 7,000 B Corp companies worldwide, united in a commitment to use business as a force for good. And whilst this is a moment to celebrate, we know this is just the beginning. From our carbon footprint to our stakeholders’ well-being, every aspect of our impact will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, looking for ways to create positive change. It’s daunting to make this commitment, but critical if we want to drive lasting impact in a genuine way.”

The consulting industry’s B Corp cohort has been steadily growing, alongside consumer expectations for serious ESG commitments from companies they spend money on. Along with Campbell Tickell, Moorhouse and Magnetic also recently passed the strict criteria to gain B Corp status. 

However, there is a continuing debate around what being a B Corp actually means. While it is often billed as being a ‘movement’, or an indicator of ethical business practices, some certified B Corps maintain that their status should not depend on which companies – such as big oil firms – they work for. A recent opinion piece from And Rising CEO Jonathan Trimble argued that B Lab “has no inherent duty to review anything beyond a score for certification.”