Portman Estate awarded B Corp status

West End landowner the Portman Estate has gained B Corp certification, becoming the first estate to achieve the accolade. The London estate, which comprises 110 acres of Marylebone, W1, said its certification reflected its focus on creating a “distinctive, varied and vibrant” destination while safeguarding its history, architecture and heritage. The landowner added that through the rigorous standards set by B Corp, it has committed to a “future of positive social and environmental action”. Certified businesses are reassessed every three years. The estate scored particularly highly in the “workers” category, against indicators that assessed employee wellness, career development and satisfaction. Earlier this year, the landowner published a sustainability action plan, which included a commitment to deliver net zero carbon status by 2040. It has additionally worked with charity and social enterprise Bioregional since 2019. Katie Balderson, corporate director at the Portman Estate, said: “We are proud to be leading the way for London’s great estates. Our journey to achieving B Corp certification has taken two years and is only the start of a longer journey for us. B Corp represents the next chapter for socially responsible businesses and achieving certification underlines so much of what we stand for and do as an organisation. “People are at the heart of what we do, so we are immensely proud that B Corp certification has recognised our efforts to prioritise our workers and customers. It is fundamental that we provide our employees with an environment to grow both professionally and personally. We plan to use this achievement to demonstrate how property owners can work collaboratively to benefit all of our customers, employees, partners and the local community.” Chris Turner, executive director at B Corp, said: “The certification process is rigorous, with applicants required to reach a benchmark score of over 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. “Being able to welcome the Portman Estate to our global community of over 5,000 B Corps is hugely exciting, boosting a community of leaders working collectively for economic systems change. By committing to continuous improvement, transparency and going through the recertification process every three years, the Portman Estate is actively contributing to a movement creating a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.”   To send feedback, e-mail pui-guan.man@eg.co.uk or tweet @PuiGuanM or @EGPropertyNews Image from Portman Estate