Headway Recruitment has made history having become the first recruitment firm in Yorkshire to be awarded B Corp certification.

The Saltaire-based firm, which matches talented individuals with purpose driven organisations, was officially certified as the first B Corp recruitment firm in Yorkshire on March 10, 2022, having met rigorous social and environmental standards in the certification process.

Headway joins only five other businesses in the region to have made a legally binding commitment to put environmental and societal impact ahead of shareholder profit via the B Corp movement.

B Corp Certification, awarded by B Lab, 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 at Headway Recruitment commented: “A few years ago, I came across the B Corp movement whilst reading Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth and I knew it was something I wanted Headway to be a part of. 

“We were already a purpose driven organisation, but I knew by making small changes we could do more when it came to our environmental and societal impact.

“Working together with the team, I developed a plan of action as we set our sights on B Corp Status. The certification process was long, but definitely worth it. 

“I’m proud to be part of the movement and inspiring change across our industry and I’m even prouder that this is something we’ve achieved as a team.”

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.

“I can’t wait to see what the future holds and the positive impact we can continue to have over the coming years.”

To find out more about Headway’s B Corp Certification, please visit https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/headway-recruitment/.