Views • 29/03/2022 • 3 minutes read
MAPP’s Journey to B Corp – In Conversation with Jonathan Gill
In July 2021, MAPP officially became the largest UK Real Estate Consultancy with B Corp accreditation.
This marked the end of a 6-month long journey that fundamentally challenged the way we operate today and helped us review the impact we strive to make on the world and the people around us. We interviewed Jonathan Gill who led the charge to B Corp and asked him to explain lessons learned along the way and the key changes we’re implementing as a result.
What has MAPP learned along the B Corp journey?
Journey is definitely the right word to describe what B Corp is about – in truth we have only just begun. Key learnings so far:
- It’s really inspiring and energising joining forces with other purpose-driven businesses to help make a positive difference in society. It’s so encouraging to be part of a movement that is bigger than just one organisation and is continuing to grow in global scale and influence in the way that B Corp is doing.
- We’re on a steep learning curve – B Corp’s ‘Declaration of Independence’ (see here) goes to the very heart of our identity and values, but we’re only just beginning to really do the hard work of developing a coherent strategy and a focus that will create real impact.
What’s changed since we’ve become a B Corp?
At a leadership level I would say the key change has been the level of confidence emerging. Knowing that the B Impact Assessment (BIA) is the most credible tool out there that we can use to measure our impact holistically – with our employees, communities, environment, clients, and company governance – is huge. As a result of completing the assessment we gained access to comprehensive benchmarked data – this enables us to confidently see the areas we should focus on improving.
The other change we have noticed is how well our B Corp credentials are viewed by prospective employees. People are much more informed and aware of ethical considerations and that shapes their behaviour – be that in what they purchase, what brands they align to, where they travel – and absolutely who they choose to work for. Our B Corp certification symbolises what we’re about as a business and that appeals to people’s hearts and values, not just their minds.
What has been the feedback from clients, occupiers and other partners?
As an early adopter of B Corp in our sector one of the most notable responses has been the number of external stakeholders who have asked us to tell them more about it. I detect a hunger in a lot of businesses really wanting to step up to help address the twin challenges of climate change and inequality. The B Corp vision seems to resonate and has caught their attention in ways that other sustainability certifications perhaps haven’t managed yet.
