After an in depth two year process, Cortus Advisory Group became B Corp™ Certified in September 2025.

In the following interview, Jenny shares some of her learnings from the experience.

“When we started Cortus Advisory Group, we knew we wanted a strong ethos of Doing Well by Doing Good – to give back and make a positive impact. The intention was always there, but the “how” wasn’t obvious.

At first, we tried several fragmented approaches to building an ESG focus. Then we discovered B Corp. It was clear this offered something more than a badge—it gave us a framework to build our own strategy while forcing us to recognise just how far-reaching our business behaviours are. It pushed us to think bigger, to look beyond our own walls, and to constantly review and revise our actions as a fast-growing business.

Here are some of the biggest lessons I’ve taken from the two-year process:

1. Doing well by doing good isn’t straightforward

Most people want to “make a profit without ending the earth.” But how do you actually do that in practice? The B Corp framework challenged me to find ways of balancing purpose and profit in a way that has a tangible, positive impact – not just a nice idea on paper.

2. We’re a people business—but there’s more to impact than people

We assumed our environmental footprint would be minimal. After all, we don’t own factories or burn fossil fuels. But the process made us confront things we hadn’t considered – like our property footprint, or even the impact of data storage.

The pleasant surprise? Our people score was high right from the start. From day one, we invested in appraisals, onboarding, training, and benefits. As we’ve grown, we’ve kept adding – healthcare, enhanced family policies, and more – because looking after our team is central to who we are.

3. Influence goes beyond your own walls

I used to think ESG was inward-facing: about how we operate. But B Corp emphasised our influence on others – suppliers, clients, and even competitors. It’s not about “marketing,” but about being transparent, sharing your journey, and encouraging change across your wider ecosystem.

4. It’s a journey, not a badge

The certification isn’t a finish line. It’s an ongoing framework to keep us accountable and focused on the right goals. That’s especially important for a business like ours, growing fast and constantly changing. What we thought was “done” often needed revisiting – because as the business evolves, so does our impact.

We didn’t lose a single point in our audit – in fact, we gained one – but the real win is having a clear set of ESG priorities and the motivation to keep improving.

5. The business benefit is real

This isn’t just about feeling good. Clients, suppliers, and partners care. They ask questions. They notice. One client even shared our B Corp status with their entire board as a reason they wanted to work with us.

Doing the right thing and doing good business aren’t opposites – they’re two sides of the same coin.

We’re proud to now be a certified B Corp. But more importantly, we’re proud of the conversations it’s sparked, the people it’s connected us with, and the clear sense of direction it’s given us for the future.”