My Pension Expert – Our B Corp Journey

My Pension Expert recently achieved B Corp status with a score of 84.9. We spoke to their B Corp Team: Lily Megson (Policy Director), Bernie Dunlop (HR Director and CoSec) and Natalie Rowe (Marketing and Communications Executive) about their journey to gaining the accreditation.

What inspired MPE to pursue B Corp certification, and what does it signify for the company’s future?

Lily – To be honest, it was in part inspired by Palatine. We know that sustainability and driving positive impact are central to their mission, and we’ve always felt that our values, principles, and the way we make our advisors accessible strongly align with the ethos of B Corp—creating meaningful, positive change.

For MPE, pursuing B Corp certification was a natural step, especially with Palatine already having achieved it and offering such valuable support. While we were keen on the idea, their guidance gave us the momentum to take that first step. With their backing, we’ve been able to embed this commitment internally in a much more structured way. Their support was incredibly valuable—it would have taken us significantly longer to get everything in place without their insight and direction.

Bernie – I completely agree with Lily. Steph and Nikhita were incredibly supportive in helping us navigate the certification process. They provided valuable guidance on specific questions and directed us to the right places to find the answers. Their support made a real difference in getting everything over the line.

Lily – For MPE, B Corp certification signifies our ongoing commitment to making a positive impact—not just for our clients and employees, but also as an opportunity to continuously push ourselves to do more. This is a long-term commitment, not just a box-ticking exercise. It’s not about getting certified and moving on; rather, it gives us a framework to review our activities, improve our impact, and drive meaningful change for both our business and the wider community. I believe the certification has strengthened our overall company vision and the way we approach sustainability and responsibility.

Natalie – I completely agree with Lily. The support we received from Palatine was invaluable, especially in the early stages. Opening that massive spreadsheet with all the questions was overwhelming at first—we didn’t know where to start or how to tackle it. Having someone guide us in the right direction and reassure us that once we got through the initial steps, the process would become much more manageable was incredibly helpful.

Beyond that, I think achieving B Corp certification is a powerful way to demonstrate our commitment to doing good. It’s not just about saying we care—it’s about having a meaningful accreditation that reinforces our dedication to making a positive impact.

What were the biggest challenges you encountered during the certification process, and how did you overcome them?

Natalie – Our biggest challenge was gathering all the necessary data. Many of the questions required information like energy statements for our office building, but since we lease the space from the council, retrieving that data from third parties was quite tricky. Turning all that information into a clear, usable format also proved challenging.

Another hurdle was managing the sheer volume of data. It required significant time and resources to collect, organise, and input everything correctly. At one point, Lily, Bernie, and I were juggling multiple spreadsheets, and I was sending a lot of emails with questions. However, having a dedicated person to push things forward—someone to ask those persistent questions—really helped.

Once we started involving more people and they realised that the questions weren’t actually difficult, just a lot of them, the process became much smoother. As soon as we got into a rhythm, things started to fall into place.

Bernie – Time was another major challenge. The certification process requires a significant investment of both time and resources. Coordinating with the right people across different teams and ensuring they understood the urgency was crucial—but also difficult, as everyone has their own workload and priorities. Encouraging collaboration wasn’t always easy, but Natalie did an excellent job of keeping things on track and making sure we got what we needed.

Lily – A key factor in this process was securing management buy-in from the start. Having leadership fully understand the importance of the accreditation meant that if we needed their support in nudging their teams, they were ready to step in. This made a huge difference—Natalie wasn’t left chasing people on her own; instead, there was a clear commitment from the top, which really helped streamline the process.

How do you plan to sustain and improve your impact score moving forward? Are there any upcoming initiatives?

Bernie – Lily reached out to the Citizens Advice Bureau to explore ways we could offer support, such as running advice workshops in the Doncaster area. Unfortunately, they weren’t in a position to collaborate on this initiative, which was disappointing.

However, we are actively engaging with Doncaster Chambers to support their educational programmes in secondary schools. This would include initiatives such as sending some of our advisors into schools to help educate students. Identifying the right contacts to make this happen is always a bit of a challenge, but we’re committed to making progress and ensuring we can contribute in a meaningful way.

Lily – If Doncaster Chambers isn’t able to support this initiative, we’re exploring alternative options. We’re looking into partnerships with local charities such as AgeUK and The Salvation Army, as well as identifying other organisations within our community that we can support. Our goal is to find meaningful ways to make a positive impact locally.

How has becoming a B Corp influenced your relationships with customers, investors, and other key stakeholders?

Lily – Becoming a B Corp has given us a great opportunity to review what we were already doing and identify areas for improvement.

From a customer perspective, we’ve focused on making their journey more engaging, improving their understanding, and enhancing outcomes in a more efficient and sustainable way. For example, in December 2024, we launched My Pension Hub, an online platform that allows clients to store key pension documents, easily contact team members, and book appointments. It’s a great example of how we’re using technology to enhance the client experience while also promoting sustainability.

For our team, we’ve been looking at ways to foster a happier and healthier workforce. We already had mental health first aiders in place, but we’re now increasing the number of team members with this qualification. We’re also expanding initiatives like the National Forest Programme, which encourages tree planting. Not only does this benefit the wider community, but it also supports employee well-being by encouraging people to spend time outdoors, get fresh air, and contribute to a greener planet.

Natalie – The National Forest Programme was an exciting opportunity. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect at first—I had never even dug a hole before! But it was incredible to be outdoors with people whose work is dedicated to improving the planet. We’re always looking for activities that promote a happier, more engaged workforce, and it was inspiring to hear their perspectives and passion for what they do.

The B Corp certification process was also a real eye-opener. It gave us the chance to reflect on what we were already offering and identify areas for improvement. Initially, I naïvely assumed the accreditation was mainly about carbon emissions, but I quickly realised it’s about so much more—it covers every aspect of business impact. The process pushed us to think beyond sustainability and ask ourselves what else we can do to create a better, more responsible business.

Lily – To be honest, the process has really deepened my understanding of the Palatine Impact Fund and what Palatine is striving to achieve. When you visit their website and see phrases like investing for good, it now holds much more meaning for me. I have a clearer perspective on how the Impact Fund is driving positive change, particularly by encouraging portfolio companies to focus on areas like carbon emissions and sustainability.

Another key takeaway has been a shift in how we view ESG reporting. Previously, it felt like just another administrative task, but now we can see the real value behind it. It has helped me understand why this work is important and why we need to continue doing it—not just as a requirement but as a meaningful way to track and drive positive impact.

Bernie – I completely agree with Lily. The process has heightened our awareness of ESG and the importance of initiatives like the Palatine Carbon Literacy Programme. Many of us, including our CEO, CFO, and most of the executive team, have also attended Palatine’s ESG days, which have been incredibly valuable. It has given us a new perspective and really changed the way we look at these issues.

What advice would you give to other companies in your industry considering B Corp certification?

Natalie – My biggest piece of advice is to ensure that everyone understands this is a company-wide effort. B Corp certification isn’t something that one person can manage alone—every department needs to be involved. The process requires input from multiple teams, so having their support from the outset makes a huge difference.

It’s also helpful to have as much data prepared in advance as possible. One of our biggest challenges was obtaining energy statements, like gas and electricity usage, from the council since we operate in a leased building. It was a long and time-consuming process, so being proactive with data collection can save a lot of time.

Most importantly, B Corp isn’t just a badge for the website—it’s an ongoing commitment. Achieving certification isn’t the finish line; it’s just the beginning. Companies need to continue pushing for improvement, embedding the principles of B Corp into their daily operations, and striving for better impact year after year.

Bernie – It’s essential to have a dedicated resource and a main point of contact to drive the accreditation process. Someone needs to take ownership and keep things moving forward. Additionally, it requires a significant time commitment, so companies need to be prepared and ensure they have the capacity to see it through.

Lily – It’s absolutely worth the commitment because the benefits extend beyond the business—it positively impacts employees and the wider community as well. However, it’s crucial that a company pursues B Corp certification for the right reasons.

You need full buy-in from everyone; if the goal is simply to get the logo on the website, it will be a real struggle to see the process through. But if the company genuinely understands that this is a long-term commitment and has the necessary resources in place, then it’s a truly worthwhile journey.

Bernie – Before starting the accreditation process, ensure all your key policies—such as HR and compliance—are in place and up to date. You’ll need to reference them throughout the certification process, so having them ready from the outset will make the journey much smoother.

Natalie – Once you’ve completed all the questions and move into the review stage, be prepared for an in-depth assessment. The calls with the B Corp team can be quite intense—they scrutinise everything you’ve submitted and ask detailed questions to verify your responses. It can feel a bit daunting to have your work challenged, but it’s all part of ensuring that only the best companies, like MPE, achieve certification.