A group running nurseries in the south West has won B Corporation (or B. Corp). The certification is awarded to businesses that meet the highest social and environmental standards for people and the planet. Currently, with more than over 3,500 B. Corps in 150 industries and 70 countries across the world, Tops Day Nurseries has become the first day nursery provider in the UK to become a certified B. Corp business.
To become a B. Corp, Tops were assessed and audited against demanding standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. Tops Day Nurseries have already contributed a lot for an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible world – They’ve gained attention globally with their ‘Glitter ban’ in 2017, removal of singe use plastic, installation of energy saving equipment and more.
Cheryl Hadland, managing director, said: “I first came across B. Corp in 2019 at an Adventure Unlimited Conference in London. We have always been working to more being environmentally-sustainable and socially responsible, with action plans developing for more solar panels, more electric cars, less one-use plastic, and a goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2025.
“Visiting care homes and taking part in community events, enabling staff to take part in training and career opportunities and supporting parents with childcare while they work or train, are all steps we took to become socially responsible. With all of this put into consideration we managed to exceed the required points needed to achieve B. Corp.”
Tops Day Nurseries claim to be one of the most eco-sustainable family of day nurseries in the UK, offering childcare from children aged three months to school age with Hi 5’s clubs across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon.