We Are Proud to Be a Certified B Corporation™!

At BWB Technologies, we’ve always believed that how we operate matters just as much as the products we manufacture. For years, our commitment to sustainability, community, and responsible innovation has shaped the way we do business, but recently, we took a step further; we became a Certified B Corp™.

This milestone is more than a badge or a tick box; it's about putting structure and credibility around values that have long been part of BWB's DNA and ensuring they are protected and strengthened as we continue to grow. As our Managing Director, Hozan Edwards, said, “As a business owner, it gives me confidence that BWB is being built on solid, principled foundations. Foundations that will endure beyond any individual, including myself."

“As someone who has been part of the business for a long time, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the culture, values, and day-to-day behaviours recognised at an international level. We didn’t want to rely on self-declared claims around ethics, sustainability, or good governance; we wanted external scrutiny, accountability, and a globally recognised benchmark that proved we were walking the talk.”

What is a B Corporation?

B Corporations (or B Corps) are businesses that meet high verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Certification is awarded by B Lab™, a non-profit organisation that evaluates companies across areas such as governance, workers, community, environment, and customers through the B Impact Assessment™. According to the B Corp directory, there are currently over 10,100 Certified B Corps worldwide, spanning across 163 industries and 103 countries, and over 3,600 of them are in the UK. The  movement aims to build  a globally inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system.

In short, being a B Corp means balancing profit with purpose. It’s about showing that business success and positive impact can, and should, go hand in hand.

An Enlightening Experience

The certification process was rigorous, detailed, and at times challenging, and that’s precisely how it should be. It required us to examine and scrutinise every part of the business in granular detail, from governance and financial transparency through to environmental impact, employee practices, community engagement, and customer responsibility.

With an overall B Impact Score of 87.3, the B Impact Assessment has helped us identify areas where we are already excelling, such as our employee satisfaction, community engagement and being environmentally conscious; however, it also helped us identify areas we can, and will, improve on to do better, such as:

·         Securing a transparent energy provider with low-impact energy generation

·         Increasing our use of environmentally preferred and certified products throughout our supply chain

·         Strengthening our tracking of energy use, scope 3 emissions, and material inputs

It was, in every sense, an enlightening experience. It forced honest conversations, data-led decisions, clear evidence and a vulnerable transparency. The fact that we achieved certification on our first application makes the outcome even more meaningful, as it demonstrates that our foundations were already strong and reaffirms that the business is doing right by our wider community.

Sustainability at Our Core

Our sustainability journey has always been about more than compliance. From reducing waste in our manufacturing processes, investing in workplace energy efficiency, championing Company Social Responsibility (CSR), and adapting to meet six of the United Nations 17 Goals, we have consistently sought ways to minimise our environmental footprint. This is evidenced by our transparency in publishing our annual report, available on our sustainability page, which details the progress, challenges and achievements we have encountered on the journey to reducing our environmental footprint and enhancing our social impact.

Though we’re an SME manufacturer based in Newbury, UK, our global reach is vast, and we need to ensure that what we do  regarding our products, innovation, team, and community has a positive impact on the bigger picture beyond our business, as well as the planet. B Corp certification reinforces that commitment, ensuring that sustainability isn’t just a value, it’s a verified practice.

Community Matters

Our role in the local community is equally important to us. As a small business, we know the power and impact of collective action. From volunteering initiatives at Good Hope Farm to launching the BWB Community Fund, we have worked hard to make a positive difference in Newbury and beyond. We’re not just here to grow as a business, but to grow alongside the people and places that support us.

Being a Certified B Corp validates our conduct and policies. It shows our employees, partners, and customers that the way we engage with our community, whether through volunteering, supporting local causes, or fostering inclusive practices, is recognised at an international level.

What It Means Going Forward

For our team, B Corp certification is recognition of what we already do every day. Hozan commented, “We are not chasing short-term wins at the expense of people, quality, or the environment. We are building partnerships that are meant to last”. For our partners and distributors, it provides reassurance that they are working with a company that is ethical, transparent, and long-term focused.

For us, as an SME in a relatively niche industry of laboratory equipment manufacturing, it’s a powerful statement. It proves that responsible business isn’t just for large corporates with dedicated sustainability teams, it’s achievable, practical, and impactful at a smaller scale. It gives us a competitive advantage, helps us stand out globally, and demonstrates that SMEs can lead by example.

Our B Corp certification also includes our subsidiary brand, Rank Brothers.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a Certified B Corporation is not the end of a journey, but rather the beginning of a commitment to continuous improvement. We will be reassessed every three years, and with each assessment, we promise to do better and ensure we keep raising the bar.

Hozan has shared, “B Corporation aligns commercial success with positive impact, and it proves that you don’t have to choose between running a successful business and doing the right thing. You can, and should, do both.”

“It demonstrates that SMEs can lead by example. For us, B Corporation reinforces that growth and purpose are not mutually exclusive: they are strongest when they are aligned.”

At BWB Technologies, we are proud to be part of a global movement redefining business success, and we look forward to continuing to prove that profit and purpose can thrive together, no matter the size of your business.