Just like that, B Corp Month has rolled around once more – a moment for B Corps around the world to celebrate what it truly means to put B Corp values in action. B Corp Month is a global campaign that unites organisations committed to balancing people, planet and profit, and at Stephens Scown these values aren’t a slogan – they’re embedded in how we work, how we make decisions, and how we show up for our clients and communities.
In this article, we spotlight three colleagues who bring our B Corp commitments to life every day: our people and their purpose, our operations and our impact, and what B Corp means for our clients. You’ll hear from Emily Smith, solicitor in the Intellectual Property, Data Protection and Technology specialist team, a member of the firm’s Employee Ownership Trustee board and B Corp Champion; Jaime Thornton, our facilities manager driving practical, meaningful change across our offices in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset; and Kate Evans, a senior associate in our Construction specialist sector team, whose close work with clients reflects why B Corp values truly matter from their perspective.
Emily Smith – Our People and Their Purpose
Our people are the driving force behind our B Corp commitments. This section explores how our values influence day‑to‑day legal work and how our colleagues bring them to life in practical ways.
In one or two sentences, please tell us what being part of a B Corp means to you personally, why it matters in the work you do, and briefly introduce your role at the firm.
I’m a solicitor in the Intellectual Property team at Stephens Scown. I’m also one of our Employee Ownership Trustees and a B Corp Champion. For me, being part of a B Corp means being part of a firm that reflects and aligns with my values and is committed to making a positive difference.
a) How does being a B Corp influence the decisions you make or actions you take in your day-to-day legal work?
Our clients are at the centre of our work. As a B Corp law firm committed to providing excellent client service, I recognise the importance of offering additional support, especially when clients are going through challenging times. Whether it’s a quick email to check in or a thoughtful gesture like sending flowers, taking the time to go the extra mile has a meaningful impact and strengthens our relationships.
b) Can you share an example of a moment where you saw our B Corp commitments directly shaping client work, team culture, or internal processes?
People are at the heart of what it means to be a B Corp, and I’m grateful to be part of a fantastic team with a supportive team culture. Whether it’s supporting the day-to-day workload, encouraging personal development, or celebrating each other’s successes, the team go the extra mile to ensure everyone feels supported and valued. We’re also committed to using our volunteering leave (a brilliant firmwide initiative) and have had great days out supporting the local community including gardening at a National Trust site and delivering a lecture to university students.
c) In your role as a B Corp Champion, what changes – big or small – have you personally helped drive within the firm?
As a B Corp business, we all have a role to play in understanding our commitments. Never one to shy away from a presenting slot, I’ve delivered presentations to my team about the B Corp certification, what it means and how we can all contribute – not only to continuing our B Corp journey, but also supporting our clients and contacts.
Jaime Thornton – Our Operations and Our Impact
Operational decisions play a major role in delivering on our B Corp goals. Here, we look at how sustainable practices and thoughtful facilities management help us create a positive impact across our offices.
In one or two sentences, please tell us what being part of a B Corp means to you personally, why it matters in the work you do, and briefly introduce your role at the firm.
Working as facilities manager at Stephens Scown, being B Corp means working for a firm that places equal value on the importance of doing good for people and the planet alongside running a successful business. It’s great to know I’m at a place where words are backed by action, and that the firm shares my own ethos of wanting to make a difference and be a force for positive change.
a) What operational or environmental initiatives have been influenced or strengthened by our B Corp standards?
As a Firm we have always been conscious of our environmental impact and the responsibilities we have towards future generations. This has been fundamental in ensuring we implement initiatives to improve our facilities, which in turn improve the employee experience whilst reducing our environmental impact. Our association with B Corp has ensured that not only can we celebrate and illustrate our commitment but also guarantee we continue to improve and not lose sight of our objectives. As a result, we have now reached Net Zero across all fuel and energy-related activities within our direct control through sustained investment and operational change.
b) Can you describe a practical change within the office or facilities that reflects our commitment to sustainability or people-first operations?
Initiatives include investment in the generation and use of 100% renewable electricity, major upgrades to our Exeter office resulting in improving its EPC rating from C to A and conversion from gas-fired heating to an air-source heat pump. We are also looking to remove all gas from our facilities by 2027. Together these measures have driven a substantial reduction in emissions from our core operations, allowing the small residual balance to be addressed through high-quality carbon removal.
c) How do you see the operational side of the firm contributing to our long term B Corp goals?
The operational side of the Firm contributes to a significant aspect of our sustainability, whether that’s via our energy usage or the suppliers that we choose to do business with. Ensuring that B Corp principles are at the heart of this means we not only work with like-minded partners, but that we maintain our Firm ethos and continue to make positive decisions for future generations.
Kate Evans – What B Corp Means for Our Clients
Clients increasingly want to work with organisations that reflect their values. This section highlights how being a B Corp supports stronger client relationships and adds value to the service we provide.
In one or two sentences, please tell us what being part of a B Corp means to you personally, why it matters in the work you do, and briefly introduce your role at the firm.
I am a senior associate in the Construction team, and B Corp Champion for our Taunton office, championing all things B Corp in Somerset.
I am drawn to the principles of B Corp as it aligns with my own personal ethics. Working for a B Corp company helps me live these values, and to meet and support both B Corp certified and B Corp aligned businesses and individuals.
a) How do clients respond when they learn that we are a certified B Corp, and how does it shape their expectations?
Clients may want to learn what it means to be B Corp, and sharing our Impact Report can really help them understand how we live our B Corp values. You don’t need to be B Corp certified to share the same values, and while many of our clients are not officially certified, they are already guided by B Corp principles as part of good governance of their businesses.
b) Can you describe a recent client interaction where our B Corp commitments helped enhance trust, collaboration, or value?
We have recently been instructed by a client who, as part of its business strategy wants to employ local supply networks to deliver a nationally important project based in Somerset. This aligns with the firm’s B Corp ethics, one of which is supporting local businesses and communities by prioritising local sourcing, which helps to strengthen the local economy. This shared value of supporting local business helped us secure this instruction.
c) How do you see B Corp values aligning with the needs, priorities, or trends you’re noticing in your region or practice area?
B Corp champions the power of connection, to help foster resilience amongst other things.
This power of connection was emphasised in a recent Somerset Chamber event I attended. It highlighted the power of businesses coming together, supporting one another, and sharing best practices to help foster economic resilience in the region.
As we mark B Corp Month, these conversations highlight one simple truth: our impact comes from the people who live our purpose each day. Through their work, decisions and relationships, they show how we put our B Corp values in action across the firm – and why this commitment continues to shape who we are and how we serve our communities.
You can view our latest Impact Report here. It is a celebration of our achievements.