B Corp

We are proud to announce that we have just marked three years since our B CorpTM Certification as we celebrate B CorpTM Month this March.

There are now approximately 2,700 businesses in the UK who have made the commitment to being a force for good and are part of the B CorpTM community.

B CorpTM highlights a commitment to balancing people, planet, and profit. This is a continual goal for Stephens Scown as we seek to drive our purpose and impact further.

The firm’s B CorpTM goals for 2025/2026 are based around the five key assessment areas of: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers, with some key goals already achieved and more that the firm has in its sights.

We are Operationally Net Zero!

We have worked hard since 2020 to achieve operational Net Zero across our core operational emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, Market Based). To make this possible, we implemented the following:

  • Major upgrades to our Exeter office (pop into our new renovated office to check it out!), improving its EPC rating from C to A;
  • Installation of EV charge points at our offices and the introduction of an electric pool car;
  • Use of 100% renewable electricity, such as conversion from gas-fired heating to a ground-source heat pump.

There was a real encouragement amongst Scowners to hit Net Zero, showcased by an internal competition to become a ‘Net Zero Hero’. We will continue to implement our standards that are important to use, such as our green travel policy and our commitment to the Greener Litigation Pledge.

Volunteering

Our Scowners hold approximately 50 appointed roles in charitable and community organisations, including acting as School Governors and Trustees including in local schools, charities and sports clubs.

In 2025, 35.5% of full-time employees that undertook paid volunteer leave, which aligns with Stephens Scown’s Giving Back programme goals. This has included:

  • Beach cleans;
  • Clearing birch trees at Haldon Forest Park;
  • Painting, raking, and clearing animal barns at Porfell Farm;
  • Gardening at Children’s Hospice South West;
  • Raising funds for our Firm’s charities via choir singing in Devon and Cornwall.

Pro Bono

Teams are encouraged to undertake pro bono work for charities or a Community Interest Company (CIC). This can be applied to all the work undertaken for the project (so it is free), or as a part pro bono (where it reduces the fees). This has included vital and valuable work for organisations such as The Wave Project and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Employee Ownership

Stephens Scown is uniquely an employee-owned firm.

Our employee ownership scheme, which we call Scownership, is all about giving everyone who works here a real stake in the business. No matter what role someone has, we are all part of the same team. Everyone’s contribution is equally important, and everyone receives an equal share in the eligible profits. This year, Trustees have continued to represent the interests of all colleagues and facilitated open and transparent communication through all levels of the business. They have also acted as custodians and role models for our values and behaviours, celebrating this at our Scowner Socials and away days.

Happy Employees

This year, we were again named as one of the Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work 2025. Our engagement score was 84%, a whole 10% above the industry average. All of our scores are marked in the ‘Excellent’ range.

We are proud to say that we are significantly above the industry and global average on each of the six pillars covering:

  • Job Satisfaction;
  • Instilling Pride;
  • Empowerment;
  • Information Sharing;
  • Wellbeing;
  • Reward and Recognition.

You can find out more about the many ways Stephens Scown can help businesses and individuals here and about all its goals for 2025/2026 in our latest impact assessment here.