Agilité, a leading European construction company, has become one of only 18 companies within the ‘contracting and building’ sector to earn B Corp status. Based on a vision of creating a community of for-profit companies committed to redefining success in business, the certification furthers Agilité’s commitment toward operating as a force for good.
As a certified B Corporation within the ‘contracting and building’ industry, commercial interiors specialist Agilité is counted among 8,000 businesses – including its own client, Big Mamma – that are meeting high standards of social and environmental impact and leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.
“The nature of Agilité’s business is to redefine the spaces we work in, but we recognise that our industry needs to evolve as well,” explains Neil Coales, founder of Agilité. “We firmly believe the construction sector’s collective vision should be for a sustainable built environment – in every sense.
“When it comes to creating any office, retail or hospitality space, we need to consider not just how something looks, but the longevity of the materials used, where they come from, how they are transported and the impact they might have on the people who use the space – long after we’ve packed up our tools.”
Agilité’s development director, Kirsty Shearer – who oversees the brand’s ESG responsibilities – has been working closely with sustainability consultancy, A Beautiful Green since 2021 to support the certification process. The project explored what Agilité is already doing ‘right’, and what might need adjusting to bring the growing organisation in line with its long-term vision and values, as well as earning B Corp certification.
“This certification isn’t the culmination of our efforts, it’s a stepping stone toward continual improvement,” explains Shearer. “B Corp certified companies drive the normalisation of sustainable business practices, and we are proud to be representing the construction and building sector amongst our peers. Together, we have a great opportunity to keep shaping our sector for the better, and we will continue working to improve our sustainable practices and remain true to our commitments, such as implementing a responsible purchasing policy and improving our waste monitoring and recycling.”
The B Corp Certification process is based on a vision of creating a community of for-profit companies that are committed to redefining success in business. Conducted by the nonprofit B Lab, the assessment measured Agilité’s social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
After benchmarking its credentials in 2021, Agilité employed several accountable practices such as building and implementing a responsible purchasing policy – with key suppliers assessed against B Corp standards, as well as a supplier policy and code of conduct. The team also developed and introduced governance documents such as a code of ethics and whistleblower policy, while also regularly surveying colleagues to understand their needs and satisfaction levels.
