Impact report

All of these efforts have culminated in the launch of our People Pledge. A shared commitment to Live a Rewarding Work-Life, Continue to Grow, Communicate with Care and Responsible Impact. These four principles were discussed and defined by the entire team. And we’ve all signed a physical declaration, outlining how we work together and what being “people first” actually means to us.

Mental health is an integral part of how we operate and communicate day-to-day. We have six certified mental health first aiders and our “Mind Your Head” guide gives practical tips and advice for anyone on the team who sees a colleague might be struggling, or is struggling themselves. We also now partner with Self Space, an on-demand mental health service, that provides 1:1 therapy, mental health consultation, workshops and training.

By listening to each member of our team we’re constantly revising our policies to ensure they benefit the people they’re intended for. We have introduced a menstrual health policy, a menopause policy, a transitioning at work policy and we have been improving our parental policy. We’ve retained a flexible approach to hybrid working. And we’ve updated language across the board to make sure our policies are inclusive and fit not only for our current team, but for anyone who might join us in the future.

From our accessible recruitment process to paid internships, we’ve been actively working on our diversity, equity and inclusion. This commitment has changed how and where we advertise job roles, and redefined our approach to recruitment. We’ve worked with Creative Access and The Other Box to help us reach more diverse talent. And at least a third of applicants now need to be from underrepresented groups, before we even progress to the next stage.

We get to know the companies we work with by sending out a survey: “Small Questions Big Change”. Asking questions to ensure we’re working with like-minded people who can power positive change with us. When we get responses to our survey from suppliers, we use our traffic light evaluation system to determine whether they’re a suitable partner for us. From the seemingly little things, like the coffee we drink, to the big things like the targets we set, we know that small choices can make big changes.

We are proud of the pro-bono, charity and social enterprise partnerships we’ve developed along the way. In addition to raising money for good causes, including the Mental Health Foundation during Mental Health Awareness Week, and Just Like Us during Pride Month, we’ve also looked to use our time and skills to benefit others. We donated 100% of our time and expertise to create the brand and packaging for Solovey, a vodka raising money to support children needing humanitarian assistance. And on a larger rebrand (to be announced later this year) we’ve offered key deliverables at significantly reduced fees. And as part of our annual Christmas party, we created hand-made cards for Cards for Bravery, an organisation dedicated to brightening the days of hospitalised and seriously ill children.

Sustainability is a core part of our business, and we’re committed to making conscious choices that will benefit our planet and leave a positive legacy for future generations. That means great strides in recycling, eliminating single-use plastics, working with new partners, sending nothing to landfill and more. And to show our commitment to reaching net zero by 2030 – 20 years ahead of the Paris Agreement – we’ve signed the UNFCCC’s Race to Zero pledge.

In November 2022 we moved into a new studio. We specifically chose our new office building, The Bindery, for its sustainability credentials including an EPC rating of A and the very latest in zero carbon technology. And we’re proud to be the first company certified B Corp in our building. With that comes a dedicated internal Planet team and slack channel, a more considered approach to waste management, and a new set of local, sustainable suppliers. Including as many B Corps as possible.

As a branding agency for Changemakers we’re committed to challenge the status quo. It’s why we work with people who care less about what is and more about what could be. Our values and ambitions for creating impactful change is reflected in the clients we chose to work with. Mindful Chef, Circa5000, Coffee&TV and Papier are all fellow B Corp businesses. But it goes beyond just the brands we choose to collaborate with. It’s also about the projects creating undeniable positive change in the world – across a breadth of industries from healthcare, energy management, to consumer goods. But we don’t plan on stopping there. Building long-term relationships with our clients is integral to us, we’ll continue to support their brand and cultural goals.

Our B Corp commitments have been embedded into all of our employee job descriptions. These include empowering our team to play their part in helping us achieve our sustainability goals, champion diversity, equity and inclusion and consider how to improve processes for both our clients and the business.

We have amended our articles of association in line with B Corp requirements. Which means we’re now legally accountable for considering the best interest of our stakeholders (employees, suppliers, clients and local communities) when making decisions on how we run our business.

We keep the team updated on financial performance as part of our weekly all-team meeting. This includes sales, fee billing and profitability reporting. We have also built financial dashboards and reporting that our team can access in order to track our financial performance at any time.