Flex office operator recognised for responsible growth

Flex office operator Cubo is celebrating after being recognised for achieving responsible business growth.

The Derby-based firm has been awarded Certified B Corporation (or B Corp) status, joining a growing movement of businesses committed to using business as a force for good.

The certification, verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement, demonstrates that Cubo meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, alongside a commitment to goals beyond shareholder value.

To achieve B Corp certification, Cubo was required to undergo a rigorous assessment of its entire business operations covering impact areas related to practices across five key areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers.

Companies are required to provide evidence on performance while legally embedding their commitment to purpose as well as profit in their company articles.

In order to qualify for certification, companies must achieve a minimum score of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment.

Cubo met this threshold, reflecting its proactive initiatives in sustainable design and fit-out, energy efficiency, employee wellbeing initiatives, diversity and inclusion policies, supply chain management, community engagement, and client sustainability.

This compares to a median score of 50.9 for ordinary businesses who complete the assessment.

Cubo was founded in Derby in 2020 and has rapidly expanded its footprint with a network of 13 flex offices across major UK cities.

It is now part of a growing community of over 10,000 businesses globally that have certified as B Corps.

The B Corp community in the UK is the largest and fastest growing in the world, with over 2,500 companies spanning a range of different industries and sizes.

Marc Brough, chief executive of Cubo, said: “Becoming a B Corp is a significant achievement for Cubo.

“From day one, it has been our aim not only to revolutionise flexible working but to build a business that genuinely contributes to a more sustainable and equitable world.

“The certification is external validation of the principles we’ve embedded in our operations – and a promise to keep improving.

“We believe the future of business is about balancing profit with purpose. As we expand, we want Cubo to lead the way in demonstrating that flexible workspace operators can, and must, play a central role in creating a sustainable economy.

“B Corp certification will help us identify where we’re excelling and where we can improve further to help our members thrive in a way that benefits people and the planet.”