Dudley Building Society has become the first regional building society in the UK to achieve B Corp certification.

B Corp is a globally recognised accreditation that verifies companies meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

The certification is awarded by non-profit organisation, B Lab, with B Corp companies committing to positively impacting all stakeholders: workers, communities, customers and the planet.

Dudley Building Society is just the second UK building society to be awarded B Corp status, achieving an overall score of 89.9, with the median score for ordinary businesses that complete the assessment standing at 50.9.

Chief executive officer at Dudley Building Society, James Paterson, said: "We are passionate about making a positive impact on people’s lives and doing the right thing as a business. That’s why we wanted to join a global movement of like-minded businesses and achieve B Corp certification.

"We believe the B Corp principles align perfectly with our own strategic pillars – customer, capability, community, and climate. This certification also showcases our dedication to authenticity and transparency as a business.

"The B Corp assessment took an in-depth look at our practices, assessing our entire social and environmental impact across various measures. Moving forward, we will aim to maintain, build on, and improve these practices to ensure that the society remains up to date with the highest standards.

"The society is committed to creating a sustainable future for both our members and communities. We will therefore use the insights gained from the B Corp assessment to drive forward our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives."

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