Having achieved B Corp™ certification in 2022, this year sees publication of the third impact report for leading South West law firm Stephens Scown, and the final one before recertification. Highlighting the good work and successes achieved over the last year, it also establishes the firm’s targets and ambitions for the year ahead.
The Report
Stephens Scown’s existing culture of balancing people, planet, and profit made B Corp™ accreditation an easy fit. The firm’s values were perfectly aligned with the requirements of B Corp™, which tasks companies with the challenge of progressing each year in pursuit of striving to do more and to better balance people, planet and profit.
The preparation of an annual report on a company’s impact is part of the requirement, reflecting on what has been achieved, and what improvements are targeted in the next 12 months. It’s designed to ensure a business remains accountable, open, and transparent about its work and impact.
Verity Slater, Partner in the Employment and Immigration team, and driving force behind the firm’s initial B Corp™ accreditation, said, “As we approach the process of recertification, each year we have strengthened our internal processes, making positive changes, and seen colleagues embrace B Corp™ in all they do. Indeed, our external promotion of the accreditation has been cited by many as a reason for new colleagues wanting to join Stephens Scown and be part of our continued journey.
“While challenges remain, so too does our commitment to driving forward the firm’s sustainability goals. We believe that we are continuing to make progress thanks to the efforts of colleagues from across the organisation. Our annual reports act as a marker and celebration for what we have achieved and what improvements we are determined to make.”
Adding to this, Managing Partner Richard Baker said, “Here at Stephens Scown, we have a long-held commitment to making sure we do things the right way to benefit our people, our planet, and our community. Achieving B Corp™ Certification sealed our existing culture of being a force for good, with our Giving Back initiative already in place to inspire and empower our people to leave behind a better world for the next generation. While we have made great strides, we know that being better is a continual journey and that we can always do more, with B Corp™ acting as an important driver for continuous improvements and bringing to life our shared values of being a purposeful business.”
Award-Winning
The report highlighted some key achievements over the course of the last year, including the firm’s sustainable efforts being recognised in a win at the Clio Modern Law Awards in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This highlighted the firm’s commitment to achieving net zero by the end of the year, and the campaign created to promote that goal, Net Zero Hero.
In another recognition of the firm’s commitment to the wellbeing of its people, the firm was again named as one of the 2025 Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work. Employee engagement improved across the board, with a score of 84%, a whole 10% above the industry average, and significantly above the global average.
Positive impact in our Communities
2025 also saw the firm begin work with new charity partners, nominated by employees who voted for the winners. Fear Free (Exeter), Cornwall Hospice Care (Truro), Open Door (Taunton), and Children’s Hospice South West (firmwide) were chosen, with Open Door becoming the firm’s inaugural Somerset charity partner. £27,356 was raised over the last financial year for the Firm’s previous charities – Children’s Hospice South West (Cornwall), Balloons (Exeter) and Dementia UK (firmwide) – thanks to the efforts of Scowners and our Charity Committee. It also reported that 35.5% of full-time employees took paid volunteer leave, while the business itself undertook pro bono projects for 16 organisations, doubling the number from the previous year.
On track to Net Zero
Recognising the importance of protecting the environment as a key priority as a B Corp business, Stephens Scown remains on track to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions by the end of 2025, thanks in no small part to its Net Zero Hero campaign. It inspired employees to engage in carbon reduction activities to earn raffle tickets and win prizes.
Verity continues, “While we are delighted with the progress we have made over the last 12 months, we continue to strive to do more and be more ambitious for the year ahead. Some of our new goals include achieving carbon neutrality, to increase the number of pro bono work undertaken, and to increase the number of staff taking volunteer leave.
“With one of the new requirements for B Corp reporting being to gain meaningful feedback from our stakeholders, we would love to hear from our clients, our suppliers and our communities on how we are doing and any areas you feel we could work on to further improve our impact and sustainability.”
The firm’s latest report is available to view on the website here, as Stephens Scown positions itself as a business at the forefront of efforts to balance people, planet, and profit.