Why have we chosen to join the B Corp movement?

Holly Lewis and Oliver Goodhall, Co-founding Partners

31 October 2021

We Made That have always tried to be a ‘good’ business, in 2020 we decided to put that to the test. Now, we are proud to say that we are a Certified B Corporation®.

B Corps™ are businesses that meet the highest independently-verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. We Made That’s established focus on projects for the public good has always been a driver for the practice. We are emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic with a greater focus on impact and renewed sense of purpose. Our projects will continue to plan for and deliver meaningful economic, social and environmental change in the places that need it, and we will use our in-house urban research skills to understand and evidence that change.

We’ve committed to new legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.

We are joining a growing group of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Our certification process has taken 12 months, during which time we have been able to reflect on where and how we work, as well as how the business runs. This rigorous process revealed things we didn’t know about ourselves and challenged us to do better on the things we did know.

Through the Impact Business Model assessment, we’ve established that our projects over the last two years have included:

  • 30 public sector and charitable organisations across the UK
  • 67% in low income neighbourhoods
  • 68% using a collaborative public process
  • £118m of secured investment for local authorities from central government regeneration funds
“As the practice turns 15, we are keen to continue agitating for fairer methods of architectural practice and more influential project outcomes. The pandemic has hardened our resolve to use the practice for a force for good, and our new B Corp status is a verified recognition of that. We look forward to welcoming new and existing clients who, like us, believe that clear thinking and bold design can have real impact in creating equitable places.”
Holly Lewis, Co-founding Partner, We Made That

We are committed to evolving how the business operates and addresses our profound economic, societal and planetary challenges. As we prepare for post-pandemic recovery it’s clear our economic ‘operating system’ needs upgrading. From start-ups to multinationals, business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that they can do good in any sector. There are currently over 400 B Corps in the UK and 4,000 worldwide, yet only a handful of built environment practitioners meet this verified standard. These include Stride Treglown, Kennedy Woods architects, Planit I.E and WWA. We’re pleased to be forging a new way alongside others.

This certification follows our clear ethical stance set out in the “Things we won’t do” list exhibited at the Royal Academy’s Radical Thoughts on Architecture in 2019; recognition as one of 25 AJ100 “Disruptor” practices, inclusion in the recent 40 Under 40 in 2020; and self-starting initiatives like the RE—SET—GO programme in 2021. This shows our commitment to shaking things up and making meaningful change in the sector.

“Being able to welcome We Made That to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. The built environment sector needs to be a force for good and – in the context of COP26 – also needs to demonstrate responsibility to the planet and people. We Made That’s commitment to doing business differently and piloting progressive and inclusive approaches can redefine success in business beyond profit.”
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK
“We and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased to support We Made That in paving the way for important change in this sector.”

Read more about B Corps here