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Distinct, a recruitment firm based in Nottingham with offices in Milton Keynes, Boston, and New York, has just become a B Corp certified recruitment firm. The company, also recognised as a Sunday Times Best Place to Work, supports UK- and US-based candidates in finding opportunities across areas such as Accountancy Practice, Finance, Supply Chain & Procurement, Marketing, HR, and IT & Office Support.
The certification process was led by Finance Director Leanne Gelderd, who joined Distinct in 2021. Since then, she has embraced the company’s strong culture and spearheaded its sustainability initiatives. Leanne explains: “Our CEO, James Calder, and I discussed how he set up the company to create a place where people genuinely wanted to come to work every day. This is why I believe we are different and I wanted to bring Distinct’s value-first culture to life through sustainable initiatives.”
“In my interview, I asked James what the company was doing to ensure it was sustainable and he said that if I were passionate and wanted to take the lead, then I would be ‘pushing at an open door’. In my first year, Distinct funded my first ESG course, “Sustainable Corporations”, which made me consider various parts of our business and how we could improve. Then I started a Green Team, which led to our ESG Committee. This then became the driving force for many changes in the company and ultimately our B Corp application.”
Distinct’s CEO, James Calder, commented: “This isn’t merely a certification; it’s the culmination of a two-year journey that’s truly rooted in who we are. In a sector fundamentally focused on placing people, our B Corp status proves we don’t just talk about ethical practices. We truly live and breathe fairness and well-being in every interaction, for our employees and the wider world of work. We’re genuinely leading the way and hope our journey inspires others in recruitment to embrace a purpose-driven approach.”
B Corporations, or B Corps, are businesses that have been certified by B Lab for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. These standards are shaped by stakeholder feedback, research, and proven best practices. They form the foundation for B Corp Certification, guide B Lab’s impact management tools, and support the network’s programs and collaborative initiatives.
You can read Distinct’s official announcement here.
See also;
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