Ocean Vertical, the ethical outdoor adventure company based on the East Lothian coast, has achieved Certified B Corporation status, joining a global community of businesses that meet rigorous, verified standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
B Corp certification, awarded by the non-profit B Lab, requires companies to demonstrate a high level of performance across five impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. More than 100 Scottish companies now hold the accreditation, across sectors including food and drink, finance, technology, energy and the creative industries.
Ocean Vertical was founded by former charity and youth worker Stevie Boyle who brought in the record-breaking mountaineer and polar expedition leader Mollie Hughes as a fellow director.
Founded in 2019 with a clear ambition to go beyond the traditional outdoor adventure company model, Ocean Vertical has always positioned ethics at the core of its operation, from its approach to safety, coaching and environmental responsibility. It is built on low impact operations, responsible land and coastal use, and a belief that community sits at the heart of everything the business does. B Corp certification marks a formal recognition of that.
On the corporate side, the company has seen a sharp rise in demand from businesses moving away from traditional away days in favour of nature led team experiences, with clients including Baillie Gifford, Edinburgh University, Patagonia and the SRU Scotland Women’s Rugby Team.
The company achieved a score of 85 in its B Impact Assessment, against a minimum qualifying score of 80.
Ocean Vertical managing director Mollie Hughes says: “Becoming a Certified B Corporation is something we have worked towards from the very beginning. It is a recognition that businesses in Scotland can, and should, be measured by more than profit alone.
“Our values have always been about more than commercial success, and we have built Ocean Vertical around a genuine duty of care, to the people we work with, the communities we serve and the landscapes we depend on. We are proud to join a movement that is genuinely reimagining what business can do.”
B Corp certification is increasingly recognised by businesses, investors and consumers as the benchmark of corporate responsibility. There are now 10,890 Certified B Corporations across 102 countries and 163 industries worldwide, collectively employing more than 1.1 million workers.
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