Cornwall-based gigabit-capable broadband provider, Wildanet, has become the first UK-based AltNet (Alternative Network Provider) to be a Certified B Corporation.
The certification recognises Wildanet’s commitment to operating as a “force for good”, prioritising sustainability, ethical practices and social responsibility as part of its ‘profit with purpose’ approach to business.
B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The growth of the movement means there are now over 1,750 B Corps in the UK, with more than 85,000 employees. In the telecoms sector, Wildanet becomes one of just three UK-based internet service providers to achieve B Corp certification and the first UK AltNet building and operating its own independent network to be a Certified B Corp.
Helen Wylde-Archibald, chief executive of Wildanet, said: “We are delighted and very proud to be recognised as a Certified B Corp and to be leading the way for UK AltNets.
“Wildanet’s founding mission, our ethos and operation is steeped in responsibility and sustainability. It is about working with and supporting communities in Cornwall and the south west, seeking to balance looking after the environment, looking after people, and growing a successful and profitable long-term business.
“Achieving B Corp certification acknowledges this and reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire Wildanet team in ensuring we not only bring transformational broadband and digital connectivity services to the communities we serve but do so as a sustainable business delivering wider benefits for society and our environment.”
Wildanet’s journey to becoming a B Corp saw the launch of its B-23 initiative last year, in partnership with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and LEAP.
The scheme initially brought together 23 Cornish businesses in 2023, inspiring and supporting them to join Wildanet in working towards B Corp certification and with the ambition to create a movement with the potential for further growth, underpinning Cornwall’s position as a beacon for sustainable economic development.
The initiative won widespread praise, funding was secured from Cornwall Council to run a second Cornish cohort of 20 businesses and it is planned to extend the programme to Devon in 2024.
