13 small shifts to build interconnected systems and make a big impact
By Jassi Porteous, Chief of Staff
Over the years, I’ve spoken with many peers who are considering whether to get their businesses B Corp-certified. At Magnetic, we chose to join and invest in the B Corp community because it aligns with our core purpose: to design better futures. We originally certified in 2023, earning 84 points out of a possible 200.
B Corp might not be right for every organisation*, but after recently recertifying with a 111 score, which is a 27-point increase across our core impact areas, we wanted to shout about the practices that drove that progress.
For us, being a B Corp is a clear signal. It tells the world we value transparency, authenticity and a proactive approach to improving our business, with a reflective and positive impact on our communities and the world around us.
It is easy to get lost in the strategy, but more often than not it’s the operational details, the invisible threads, that hold everything together as a company evolves. For example, the strong feedback culture around our people experience helps to build an inclusive, supportive and creative environment, and when people are your product, a great culture will drive better outcomes for the businesses we work with.
So, in the true Magnetic spirit of sharing what we learn...
I’ve pulled together a list of considerations. These apply whether you’re just curious, deep into the B Corp journey or simply want to implement small, meaningful improvements.
1. Anchor everything in your mission. Have a mission that commits to a specific social or environmental impact. Formalise it. This becomes your North Star, guiding every decision from the boardroom to the desk. Our CEO Jenny Burns has always been proactive in the importance of linking our work to a bigger purpose, and this helps to bring stability and direction to our team. Read some of our impact stories here.
2. Build in impact. Integrate your impact on social, community and environmental elements into the fabric of the business. This will look different for each organisation. It could be in training manuals, your employee handbook, role descriptions, or reported on at a Board review. But it has to be baked in. If it’s an add-on, it won't happen.
3. Switch to renewable energy. Move to electricity and gas suppliers with renewable options or credible offsets. Many now service commercial buildings and make ESG reporting simple. Learn more at the Big Clean Switch.
4. Measure what you can. Track what you can, but don’t sweat every single metric. Start where you can actually make a dent. For us, that initially meant looking at gender balance and team diversity. Other metrics that B Corp is interested in include tracking the number of people who have received higher education or are from a low-income background, or by sexual orientation, all of which require your team to volunteer this information.
5. Document the details. Create a business continuity plan (even a basic one) that highlights accountable owners and scenario planning, even if it’s high-level. It might sound unnecessary, but it soon shows where you have key people dependencies that potentially could become risks.
6. Invest in your people. Most organisations will already pay the local Living Wage, but this is a prerequisite for joining the B Corp charter and getting certified. If it’s right for your organisation, you might also consider a profit-share scheme so that when the business wins, everyone wins.
7. Recycle and reuse tech. Partner with providers like Zero Tech Waste or Surplex, who recycle old tech for free. It’s a circular-economy win that reduces e-waste.
8. Onboard for the long haul. Along with job-specific skills, consider offering more rounded skills-based development that builds broader capability. This might include financial awareness, AI bootcamps or comms and leadership training. There are many great resources available on platforms such as HR Ninjas and LinkedIn Learning. Our Innovation Academy runs nine courses that teach innovation skills, including problem-solving and experimentation.
9. Prioritise local and ethical suppliers where possible. Create a preferred supplier list that favours local, responsible businesses.
10. Ask the team (and listen to answers). We run a biannual anonymous engagement survey called Thrive. If surveys are too frequent, there isn’t enough time to act, implement and embed the feedback. If they’re too infrequent, you’re out of touch with your team. We also encourage top-down and bottom-up feedback. 360-degree feedback is the B Corp standard. CultureAmp is also a trusted platform used by similar companies to ours.
11. Give structured support for transitions. Transitions back into work, whether following parental leave, extended absence or other life or career changes, can be significant. We provide structured support and flexible working arrangements. We’ve also introduced a shadowing approach, creating dedicated time for upskilling and knowledge sharing.
12. Introduce community days. One of my favourite things that we’ve implemented is our paid volunteering time. Linking this to our purpose (or personal causes) builds incredible team bonding and real-world impact. Last year, I volunteered at the Felix Project, sorting through surplus food with my colleagues, and other Magnets spent time at The Wildlife Trust.
13. Make your banking and pensions green. If possible, choose banks and providers with strong environmental and social credentials. Look into green pension options for your team; it’s one of the biggest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. I recommend reading this 2025 analysis of pension providers' action on climate change.
In isolation, none of these actions is revolutionary. But together they create powerful threads, pulling us in the right direction. The increase in our recertification score didn't come from a single big project. It came from treating purpose, people, and operations as an interconnected system, powered by the hard work of our brilliant Magnets across the company, who constantly strive for better.
Whether you’re pursuing a certification or just want to be a bit better than you were yesterday, hopefully these steps will help you build stronger foundations.
What’s one small operational change that transformed your culture? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, or reach out to me if you’re considering working towards B Corp certification. I’d love to chat.
*In the B Corp framework, there are different tracks depending on what kind of business you are. I’ve made these tips as broad as possible, but as we’re a B2B consultancy, they might be more applicable to businesses like ours.
