First Ascent Group | BCorp Accreditation
Business as a force for good
First Ascent Group is proud to be a certified B Corp — meeting the highest verified standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Based on the B Impact Assessment, First Ascent Group earned an overall score of 101.9. To become a certified B Corp, a company must score a minimum of 80 points. The median score for ordinary businesses who complete the assessment is currently 50.9 — we scored more than double that.
Unlike conventional businesses, B Corps are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders — workers, customers, suppliers, the community, and the environment — not just shareholders.
Governance
Evaluates our overall mission, ethics, transparency, and ability to protect that mission through our corporate structure and governing documents.
As part of our SME Climate Commitment, we've pledged to halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. We measure and disclose our carbon footprint annually using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol methodology.
Workers
Covers financial security, health & safety, wellness, career development, and engagement & satisfaction for our people.
In 2024, we welcomed an apprentice to the team — currently completing a Multi-Channel Marketing apprenticeship — as part of our ongoing commitment to developing local talent and giving people a real start in their careers.
Community
Covers diversity, equity & inclusion, economic impact, civic engagement, charitable giving, and supply chain management.
In 2024 alone, we contributed over £60,000 in pro bono and in-kind support to organisations across the third sector and beyond. That included £28,600 to British Triathlon (leadership development, recruitment support, and Emergenetics profiling), £24,000 worth of Future Leaders Foundation training delivered exclusively for the third sector, and pro bono leadership programmes for Help for Heroes and Alzheimer's Society. We also provided pro bono executive coaching and conference sponsorship to Inspire2Ignite CIC, which supports young people at risk of disengaging from education and employment. Our Director Steve Bentley serves as a trustee of the Phoenix Trust, a Cambridge charity supporting adults with learning disabilities.
Environment
Covers overall environmental management and our impact on air, climate, water, land, and biodiversity through our operations.
In 2024, we achieved ISO 14001 certification — the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems. Our total carbon footprint fell 23% year-on-year to 24 tonnes CO₂. Rail travel doubled and now exceeds road miles. Flight miles were halved. We purchased 143 trees to fully offset our 2024 emissions.
Customers
Evaluates our stewardship of clients through quality of programmes, ethical marketing, data privacy, and feedback channels. Our education-focused business model earned us a significant impact bonus in this pillar.
* Impact Business Model bonus: awarded where a company is intentionally designed to create specific positive outcomes for its stakeholders.
We're committed to using business as a force for good — for our people, our clients, and the world around us. Want to know more about what this means in practice?
