This Way Forward: B Corp™ Month 2024
We recently announced that Evoluted had been certified as a B Corp for our social and environmental impact - but the work doesn't stop there. For B Corp Month 2024 and its theme 'This way forward', we're looking ahead to how we'll be growing our impact further through new initiatives.
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Our 2024 environmental objectives
Last year we focused on reducing our office water consumption, aiming to keep it under of 58 m3. We comfortably surpassed that target, recording 42.5 m3 usage for 2023.
This year we've set similar targets around reducing our electricity and gas consumption. We're aiming to keep our electricity usage under 8,160 kWh, with a stretch target of 6,573 kWh. In 2023 our electricity usage stood at 6,919 kWh, but this was an abnormally low total as the office was shut for several months for our major office refurb. During that time we also issued tips for staff and external use on reducing energy usage while working from home.
Similarly, we're aiming to keep gas consumption under 18,820 kWh, with a stretch goal of 12,555 kWh, compared to 2023's reading of 13,216 kWh.
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2024 environmental initiatives
In line with our environmental objectives, we've introduced new stricter processes around business travel to reduce our emissions. These include more tightly controlling what counts as essential travel, and the modes of transport used, through a centralised travel request form that ensures we'll have oversight over the impact of all business trips taken.
We're also planning on introducing battery recycling at the office, building on our pledge last year to recycle more items than the standard recycling system in Sheffield allows, by looking for ways to work with private companies which offer more recycling options.
Other eco-friendly office plans for 2024 include planting our own city garden, and introducing a clothing 'swap-shop'!
2024 social initiatives
Putting our skills to community use through pro-bono work for worthy causes has formed a key part of our culture for several years.
In 2023 this took the form of a transformative six-month SEO campaign for community organisation Flux Rotherham; designing and building an art trail website to support Roundabout's Bangers & Cash charity fundraiser; and supporting Rare Charity, who educate tea-industry workers in Africa, with marketing and analytics consultancy over several months.
In 2024, we've already begun supporting ethical toilet paper providers Bamboo Bobbi with pro-bono Content Marketing and Digital PR support to help raise awareness of their brilliant work.
We've also introduced two fully-paid volunteer days for each of our team members per calendar year, to help scale our impact on our communities.
Finally, we're expanding our network of free events which provide a forum for career growth among local professionals. Last year we hit the milestone of upskilling over 1,000 different people through our Sheffield Digital Marketing (DM) events, which we launched in 2018; this year, we're expanding to a new city with the launch of Nottingham DM!
The new meetup will have its first event on Thursday 28th March in Nottingham city centre, and will follow the same ethos that has helped us build a thriving marketing community in Sheffield, through a diversity of speaking opportunities and inclusive events. Across six years of Sheffield DM events, 58% of all speakers and panelists have been female or non-binary, with around a fifth of line-up alumni being first-time speakers.
"These ambitious 2024 goals and initiatives signify our commitment to leading the way in championing sustainability and supporting our communities," says Matt Cotton, who put our 2024 CSR strategy in place before handing over as CSR Officer to Emily Grace as part of our rotational Cultural Officers scheme.
"We're embracing the mission of having a net-positive impact on our environment and society in general, in line with B Corp's ethos of using business for good".
While we're immensely proud of our B Corp status, we're not resting on our laurels... this way forward!
As our Digital Marketing Manager, Dan spreads the word about the excellent work being delivered by our team, drawing on his background in journalism and SEO.
Having founded an SEO agency for start-up businesses in his previous role, Dan relished the opportunity to join the set-up at Evoluted and help grow an already thriving agency. He was named one of The Drum's Future 50 Emerging Marketers Worldwide for 2023 and was a finalist for Prolific North's 2022 Marketer of the Year.
