PGL Beyond Celebrates B Corp Certification
Outdoor education provider, PGL Beyond has achieved B Corp Status, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability across every part of its business.
Over the last 3 years the company has challenged its teams to deliver real change and impact from the boardroom to the top of its abseiling towers.
Certified by B Lab, B Corp recognises organisations that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. It assesses the whole organisation, from environmental impact and community engagement to staff wellbeing and governance, and is independently verified with ongoing reassessment.
Image: PGL
While B Corp status is still relatively new within the outdoor education sector, it is a welcome development that aligns with priorities in education more widely.
Like the LOtC Quality Badge for safety and outcomes in learning beyond the classroom, B Corp is an independently assessed award that demonstrates a provider’s commitment to higher standards. It may even support schools in meeting their own environmental objectives, particularly as sustainability becomes more prominent in inspection frameworks, policies and student expectations.
OEAP National Guidance Visits and the Environment advises schools to choose providers that “demonstrate environmentally sustainable practices” , including reducing emissions from travel, minimising waste and supporting environmental understanding through the experience itself. B Corp provides an independently verified way of identifying organisations that are already working to these principles across their operations
Educational visits delivered by companies with strong environmental and social standards support environmental education and model responsible behaviour in practice. This can help build awareness and reinforce the importance of sustainability in a tangible way.
Environmental sustainability is a key part of B Corp and PGL Beyond has put in place new systems to manage water, waste and energy across its sites, with the aim to reduce total emissions by 90% by 2025.
“Alongside clear, ambitious reduction targets, we are focused on protecting the natural environments that underpin our business” says CEO Anthony Jones.
He adds:
“We believe beyond-the-classroom experiences are a given, not a privilege and play a vital role in social mobility, providing young people of all ages and backgrounds, including those who are the most disadvantaged, with the skills required to confidently transition into adulthood. B Corp certification strengthens our accountability to deliver these transformative experiences, ensuring a positive impact on both young people and the planet.”
Anthony Jones, CEO at PGL Beyond
Image: PGL
The certification is closely linked to PGL Beyond’s purpose-led approach and its commitment to balancing purpose with profit. The company, which includes the brands, PGL, NST and European Study Tours, is part of the Purpose Coalition, a UK-based initiative that brings together organisations to break down barriers to opportunity and drive social impact.
It has also launched programmes to help reduce barriers to outdoor education for children and young people including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and heavily subsidising visits for children from low-income background through its Breakthrough Fund.
While still relatively new within the outdoor education sector, the introduction of B Corp certification reflects a wider shift. Expectations from schools, parents and young people are changing, with greater emphasis on sustainability, ethics and long-term impact. This development suggests that environmental and social responsibility is becoming an increasingly important part of what defines a high-quality educational visit.
Find out more at https://pglbeyond.com/bcorp/