Centrick is spearheading a drive to become one of the UK’s most ethical and sustainable property services companies with a commitment to achieving B Corp status.
The residential property specialist announced a group-wide taskforce, including board directors and team members at all levels.
They will lead the bid to achieve the globally recognised B Corp certification by December 2024.
Globally recognised, B Corp certification is awarded to businesses that are committed to acting as a force for good and which meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
B Corp status is a “designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials”.
There are over 6,800 B Corps accredited companies around the world, across 161 industries in 89 countries, with over 550,000 workers.
Each company commits to positively impact all stakeholders, workers, communities, customers, and the planet.
Centrick has recently completed an initial impact assessment. It will present its B Corp submission in September and plans to extend its social and governance strategies across the group by April next year.
By September 2024 it hopes to have reduced its carbon footprint by 30%. Its aim is to achieve B Corp three months later and to have fully mobilised its environmental strategy.
James Ackrill, Centrick founder, said: “Centrick was established in 2005 and set out to nurture a property business with the most talented and knowledgeable people in the industry, who would go the extra mile for clients.
“We are always exploring where the future of sustainable and considered growth of the business is going and why.
“The board and I have long held the belief that we have a collective responsibility as a company to the wider community. Achieving B Corp status reinforces our continued efforts to be a contributor to environmental and social benefits.”
He added: “Pending legislation soon to arrive in the housing sector, there is a broad ambition to be carbon neutral by 2035.
“This ambition is perhaps most apparent in the build to rent (BTR) sector and we see VICI, our leading BTR offering, as a key focus area for ESG development.
“A growing number of developers and investors in BTR are very tuned in to ESG and, like us, they are seeking clear pathways to net zero, environmental sustainability and better social awareness – we welcome alignment and partnership with those that share our ESG vision.
“However, the reason for becoming B Corp accredited shouldn’t be commercial. Morally, we believe it is the right thing to do. We’re ambitious about our ESG goals and believe that B Corp provide a platform to grow this ambition.”
Chris Whiley (pictured), Centrick group projects director, said: “By signaling our intent to become a certified B Corp, we hope to not only create a better standard of living, working and collaborating across the homes and developments we manage but also to send a clear message to the industry that ESG priorities must be front and centre.
“At Centrick, we’ve always sought out innovation at all levels, from our ‘Brilliant Basics’ to consistent benchmarking and beyond.
“We believe in ‘making customer’s lives better every day, the Centrick way’ and our vision is to operate in the most sustainable and ethical way possible, bringing our social conscience to all our business decisions.”
He continued: “Centrick has, and always will, stand apart for our commitment to people, purpose and the planet.
“We believe strongly in the power of incorporating strong environmental, social and governance practices into our core operating model and the benefits that clear, accountable and public commitments bring to our economy and the society that we all live in.”
