Our certification journey

Our journey kicked off with Roy Bidder (Head of Operations) initiating the process and once all documentation was submitted our baseline assessment in June 2019 gave us a result of 53.5 points, which helped us to identify areas in which we needed to improve. Increasing our score was a difficult task that required us to make some significant changes to how we operate our business to provide greater benefit to all our stakeholders including our people, clients, community and the environment. 

​

We've listed below an honest account of our journey, the biggest challenges and the unexpected successes as well.



Following our assessment in March 2020, we were able to realise the extent of these improvements: our score had increased by 44.5 to 98.0 points, meeting the required score for certification.

What we're doing as a B Corp going forward

‘Be the Change’ is the strapline of the B Corporation and leading by example is something that we at Optimised Energy firmly believe in.

​

Becoming a certified B Corp in April 2020 was a proud moment for us. Being part of the B Corp community means we stand shoulder to shoulder with others who share our values; learning from each other and collaborating to reap the rewards of our shared expertise.

​

The journey to "be a force for good" doesn’t stop with our B Corp certification. We have ambitions in 2020 and beyond to improve our score even further, with a focus on Net Zero, creating management processes for sub-contractors, ensuring that all employees use their volunteering entitlement (1 day per annum) and increasing our employee engagement score to >90%.

​

Outlined below are some of the improvements we have implemented that contributed to our B Corp certification journey:

Governance

1. Amended our Articles of Association to formally consider our employees, the community and the environment​
2. Created a formal mission statement, including a commitment to delivering energy and carbon savings through the provision of our services to clients
3. Integrated social and environmental performance into decision-making through new job descriptions, performance reviews and company Board Meetings
4. Promoted ethical decision-making through the implementation of a written Code of Ethics

Workers

1. Introduced salary bands across the business to encourage progression and increase transparency
2. Have a <5x ratio for highest paid employee to lowest paid employee
3. Became a Living Wage employer, ensuring that all sub-contractors, staff and suppliers are paid the Living Wage
4. Began measuring diversity metrics, including ethnicity, gender and age
5. Started an Internship programme and partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE)
6. Implemented a more flexible working environment to help improve work/life balance
7. Implemented an annual employee engagement survey process to measure engagement and satisfaction
8. Introduced a £1,000 training budget for all employees

Community

1. Year-on-year job growth rate exceeds 25%
2. Implemented a Responsible Sourcing Policy to encourage using local businesses to purchase goods and services
3. Recruited a diverse workforce that reflects the communities that we operate in
4. Implemented a Volunteering Policy to encourage employees to volunteer with local charities/initiatives

Environment

1. Used technology and remote working to minimise unnecessary travel
2. Implemented a Responsible Sourcing Policy to ensure that all goods and services purchased are environmentally preferred, including recycled/environmentally preferred office supplies
3. Created a Hazardous Waste Policy to ensure printer cartridges and e-waste are disposed of responsibly
4. Performed a Materiality Assessment and created a Sustainability Strategy to focus our efforts
5. Produced and published an annual Sustainability Report showing our social and environmental performance

Proud to be part of the B Corp Community

"I’m very proud to work for a B Corp certified company, as it shows Optimised Energy’s commitment to ‘doing the right thing’.

This is rooted through every part of the business, from the way we deliver our services, to how we look after our valued members of staff, mirroring the core values of the company.

In a very competitive market, I believe being a B Corp sets us apart from our rivals and shows a true commitment to running a sustainable business that not only focuses on quality, but on the environment and its people.

Carla Wilson

Senior Project Manager, Optimised Energy

Proud to be part of the B Corp Community

"Being part of a B-Corp certified organisation is something I am immensely proud of. 

​

It gives me confidence to know I am included, considered, and cared for as part of Optimised Energy. I can identify personally with so many of the B-Corp values, from environmental and social responsibility to transparency. 

​

The B Corp accreditation also grants me with added reassurance to know that throughout the organisation we are working to the highest, independently audited, standards.

Alexandra Mottorshead

Risk Manager, Optimised Energy