Yorkshire-based recruitment agency, Headway Recruitment, has announced its B Corp status after meeting rigorous social and environmental standards and demonstrating purpose beyond profit.
The certification was awarded on the back of an intense application process, headed up by B Lab, the not-for-profit organisation behind the global B Corp movement. According to B Lab’s official directory, Headway is one of only 23 recruitment firms in the UK to achieve B Corp status and the only one in Yorkshire.
B Corp Certification is world renowned for being the ultimate seal of approval that a business or organisation has ethical and sustainable practices at its core. In order to attain the prestigious certification, companies must be able to demonstrate responsible practices across five impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers and gain a B Impact Score of 80 or more.
Headway Recruitment received a total B impact score of 81.5 – 30 points more than the average score given to ordinary businesses applying for B Corp certification (Median Score for Ordinary Businesses).
The highest number of points (32.4) were awarded for the outstanding level of support given to employees, covering areas such as financial security, health & safety, wellness, career development, and engagement & satisfaction.
The firm was also awarded 19 points for its overall mission and engagement around social and environmental impact, ethics and transparency, as well as 18 points for its engagement with and impact on the communities in which it operates, hires from, and sources from.
Mark Gill, managing director of Headway Recruitment commented: “Receiving our B Corp certification solidifies our long journey in establishing a recruitment company that is dedicated to always doing better.
“The B Corp community is made up of thousands of companies looking to strive towards great accountability and transparency in their industry, and we’re honoured to align ourselves with these like-minded businesses.
“We are proud to be amongst a select few in our industry making this step toward change.”
The recruitment industry has been faced with many hurdles over the last few years as employees’ needs and job requirements have shifted drastically, and home working and The Great Resignation came into force. Many
employees are also increasingly seeking to work with sustainable companies, with over a third of UK employees saying they would turn down a role if it did not align with their own environmental and social values.
Mark believes that this is a further reason for more recruitment firms to rethink the way they do business.
“There’s a reputation of the recruitment industry that recruiters continually push people into the wrong roles and do not strive to be as ethical or transparent as possible. We are actively trying to push back against that largely false reputation”, he said. “Not only do we only work with clients and companies that share the same purpose-driven values, but we also go the extra mile to ensure prospects are being placed in roles that are ideal both for themselves and our clients. Our B Corp status is exemplary of this
mission”, he added.
Since founding 40 years ago, Headway Recruitment has been committed to ensuring everything they do has a positive impact on both the environment and society. From teaming up with social enterprise B1G1, to fundraising and charitable partnerships, the firm has recorded a total of 4,972 positive giving impacts to date.
What’s more, the firm is proud to be an employer of choice, with the longest serving member of the team having 15 years of service. Mark added: “Our mission to match purpose driven organisations with talented individuals isn’t just something we say or write, it’s something we live by and that means internally too.
“The B Corp status is a testament to the people within our firm who share the same values and ethics as we do, and care about the environment and society.”
