Our B Corp journey
At Archus, becoming a Certified B Corporation® in 2023 marked an important point in our journey, a commitment to working in a way that benefits people, communities and the wider health system. For B Corp Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting what this looks like in practice by speaking with some of the people shaping our B Corp journey.
Q: Since becoming a B Corp organisation what changes or positive impact has it had?
“Following our B Corp certification, one of the first major steps we took was developing a formal ESG Strategy and Impact Framework aligned with recognised standards like the UN Sustainable Development Goals. That gave us a clear structure for our environmental, social and governance priorities and helped us move from values‑led intent to measurable, trackable action across the organisation.
Since then, we’ve seen some very real and tangible shifts in how we operate. We’ve strengthened the systems behind our work, clearer governance processes, greater transparency in decision‑making, and a stronger emphasis on values such as inclusion, honesty and accountability. These now show up consistently across our internal materials and in the way we approach everyday decisions.
We’ve also become much more intentional about knowledge‑sharing and continuous improvement. Teams are refreshing playbooks, sharing lessons learned and embedding better ways of working so improvements don’t stay in isolated pockets but become part of our standard practice.
Another noticeable change has been the increased alignment across functions. We’re coordinating more closely, using shared frameworks, and ensuring our work connects in a way that feels coherent and purposeful. All of these shifts support the core B Corp expectation that your internal practices must genuinely reflect your external commitments.”
Lydia Houghton, Business Manager
Q: What difference has B Corp made to how we support our people internally?
“B Corp has really strengthened how we think about supporting our people. It’s made us more conscious of creating an environment where colleagues can thrive, not just in terms of performance, but in terms of balance, wellbeing and feeling genuinely supported. For us, that shows up in lots of practical ways. There’s a much greater emphasis on flexible and hybrid working, and a stronger recognition that wellbeing isn’t a ‘nice to have’, it’s essential for sustainable performance. We’ve also put more focus on psychological safety, making sure people feel comfortable asking for help, raising ideas and being themselves at work. These principles now run through our people strategy, our induction materials and the way we communicate internally. We’ve also recently re‑launched our People Hub on the intranet, bringing all our policies, guidance, development opportunities, and wellbeing resources into one clear place. It means people don’t have to search or rely on informal knowledge; support is transparent and accessible for everyone. B Corp hasn’t changed who we are, but it has made us much more intentional. We’ve moved from people support being values‑led but a bit informal, to values‑led and structured. Fairness, clarity, wellbeing, and development are now consistently embedded across the organisation, which is exactly the kind of culture we want to build.”
Lydia Houghton, Business Manager
Q: Why does our B Corp status matter to the organisations we work with?
“For clients, our B Corp status is a clear signal that we’re genuinely committed to responsible business, not just in how we operate internally, but in how we deliver projects and support wider health and community outcomes. Many organisations are facing growing expectations around social value and sustainability, so working with a B Corp gives them confidence that we already meet a recognised standard and take a long‑term, impact‑focused approach. It shows we’re thinking beyond the immediate task, and that ultimately strengthens trust and the overall value we bring to every partnership.”
Stan Coats, Operations Director
