UK public authority benchmarks social and environmental impact

Opportunity

A UK public authority wanted to better understand its social and environmental impact. After reviewing numerous assessment platforms, they engaged B Lab UK to review their activities using B Lab’s Quick Impact Assessment. They are the first public authority to use B Lab’s tools to carry out a survey of their impact. B Lab UK selected Pearl Consulting as its partner for the project due to their in-depth knowledge of B Lab’s assessment tools.

The solution

B Lab UK reviewed the authority’s performance using its Quick Impact Assessment, one of the most comprehensive and widely used tools for measuring the social and environmental impact of businesses. The assessment process involved a survey accompanied by a series of staff interviews across the authority. Pearl Consulting was charged with project management along with data and evidence collection. Following its analysis, the insights gained resulted in a series of recommendations.

Steps to success

1. Drive engagement and awareness through workshop

Pearl Consulting, in partnership with B Lab UK, ran a workshop to gain organisational buy in. Although there was executive sponsorship and strong internal champions within the authority, the workshop was important to communicate goals and get everyone on board.

2. Use expertise to build bridges and enhance partnerships

While the B Lab assessment is process oriented, it is also critical to develop strong relationships to gain understanding and leverage greater insights. Pearl Consulting therefore acted as bridge builders, creating an environment of trust and a space for staff to share their experiences and insights.

3. Leverage interdisciplinary team to deliver insights

As Pearl Consulting’s team conducted the data analysis, it needed to have conversations across many different functions. A diverse skill set across a small team enabled easier and faster navigation of a complex organisation and the ability to deliver strong end results.

The outcome

The survey provided a snapshot of the authority’s impact performance across four key areas — governance, workers, environment and community. These were then benchmarked against a cohort of global responsible businesses. B Lab UK and Pearl Consulting analysed the findings, provided evidence of good practice, and recommended a set of actions which would deliver increased positive impact through the authority’s operations. This road-map built on the considerable constructive work the authority was already doing.