TL;DR
- B Lab grants certification based on five key areas across social and environmental impact
- Magenta scored 126.1, well above the minimum threshold of 80
- B Corp certification follows transition to an employee ownership model last year
Magenta becomes a B Corp
We did it. After a challenging three-year process, Magenta Associates officially became a Certified B Corporation in May 2025, joining an illustrious global network of for-profit businesses committed to meeting the highest standards of social and environment impact, transparency and accountability.
Magenta is on a mission to harness the power of communications to drive social and environmental change. We want to do good work with good businesses doing good things, which means holding ourselves, our clients, and our networks to the same high standards.
The journey
It all started with a question – what does a good business actually look like? We turned to the B Corp framework to help guide our decisions about our people, clients, community, suppliers, and environmental impact. We weren’t chasing a badge. The team just wanted to make better choices and evolve in the right direction.
We had already transitioned to a 4.5 working-day week to enhance our team’s work-life balance, alongside providing comprehensive health, wellbeing and training support. We were in the process of finalising our Responsible Comms Charter and Green Claims Policy. And we had always offered pro bono communications support to not-for-profits and local initiatives.
As we improved and saw the positive impact of those changes, we realised we were already living the B Corp values. So, the team got to work, collecting all the evidence and third-party verification necessary to meet the rigorous criteria to become a B Corp.
The result made it all worth it. Magenta achieved a verified score of 126.1 – well above the minimum threshold of 80.
What is B Corp Certification?
Nonprofit B Lab grants certification to companies that can demonstrate high environmental and social standards across five key areas:
- Governance
- Workers
- Community
- Environment
- Customers
In addition to assessing current practices, the certification process requires a legal commitment to stakeholder governance, ensuring that the business is accountable to shareholders, employees, communities and the environment. Certified B Corporations must also demonstrate continuous improvement by recertifying every three years.
What’s next?
In 2024, Magenta transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust, giving our people a larger strategic say and financial stake in the company’s future. More information on why we made this move and many of our other initiatives can be found in our 2024 Impact Report.
Still, we want to make it clear that none of these activities outlined here have been designed for certification – they are just part of how we operate. We have always believed that communications can be a powerful force for progress. Becoming a B Corp helps us track, improve and hold ourselves accountable for the impact we make.
However, our work doesn’t stop here. Looking ahead, we are committed to:
- Regularly reporting on our impact through both the B Corp Directory and our own annual Impact Report
- Deepening our diversity, equity, and inclusion training and advisory work
- Formalising our environmental management system, including measurement of Scope 1 and 2 emissions
- Supporting purpose-led clients with credible, ethical communications
- Partnering with others in the B Corp community to share knowledge and improve collectively
Why it all matters
The B Corp movement exists to shift the current economic system. With this certification, Magenta has committed to joining a community that is actively working to challenge the status quo. Business as usual is no longer good enough.
To find out more, you can visit our B Corp profile.
If you’re a client, partner, or peer interested in the certification process or in working together on responsible communications, we’d love to connect. Get in touch on our website or email me on simon@magentaassociates.co.
