Hillier Hopkins earns B Corp certification — putting purpose at the heart of accountancy

We are delighted to celebrate Hillier Hopkins becoming a Certified B Corporation (B Corp) – a milestone that reflects the firm’s longstanding commitment to responsible, values-driven business. As a Top-50 UK accountancy firm recognised for its ethos of “friendly expertise”, Hillier Hopkins has always placed integrity front and centre. Now, with B Corp certification, the firm has strengthened this further by embedding its core value – Do the right thing, into a broader pledge to do the right thing for people, clients, communities, and the planet.

This certification demonstrates their commitment to balancing profit with purpose: taking into account the wellbeing of people, communities, clients, and — increasingly — the planet. For Natural Distinction, supporting Hillier Hopkins on this journey has been a privilege, and their success reflects exactly the kind of leadership we advocate across professional services.

Hillier Hopkins celebrates B Corp certification.

What being B Corp Certified means for Hillier Hopkins

 The B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab, the nonprofit network that verifies businesses’ performance across social and environmental impact. To certify, firms must demonstrate strong practices across five key impact areas: Governance, Workers, Clients, Community and Environment.

Hillier Hopkins has received a verified B Impact Assessment score of 80.2 – comfortably above the certification threshold. This reflects serious commitment across the organisation: from staff welfare, community contributions, sustainable operations, to good governance and stakeholder care.

But more than that, B Corp certification is not a destination, it is a journey to continuous improvement and it requires future-facing commitment. This mindset of constant learning and growth resonates strongly with Hillier Hopkins’ own belief in always doing the right thing – including doing the right thing for the planet.

“Do the right thing” – and what it means for the planet

 Hillier Hopkins’ longstanding core value, Do the right thing, has shaped how the firm serves its clients, supports its people, and engages with communities. It reflects a deep commitment to fairness, integrity, and long-term thinking – traits that have built the firm’s reputation over decades.

Through the B Corp framework, this core value now extends naturally into environmental responsibility: doing the right thing for the planet.

For Hillier Hopkins, this means:

• Embedding environmental awareness and action into day-to-day business practices from office energy use to procurement, waste reduction, and sustainable operations.
• Encouraging sustainable choices across all levels of the business: suppliers, offices, staff behaviour, and community outreach.
• Recognising that even firms with comparatively low direct environmental impact (compared with manufacturing or heavy industry) still have a role and responsibility to reduce harm, set example, and influence others.
• Using their platform and professional standing to lead by example – showing that sustainability, ethics, and professional excellence are not competing priorities, but complementary.

This expanded interpretation of “Do the right thing” positions Hillier Hopkins not simply as a business that avoids wrongdoing, but as one actively seeking to make a positive difference for people and planet.

Celebrating B Corp certification for Hillier Hopkins.

A reflection of what already exists — and a guide for what comes next

Hillier Hopkins’ B Corp journey builds on strong foundations already in place:

• A people-first culture: with decades-long commitment to staff well-being and development.
• Community impact: through volunteering, charitable fundraising, and pro bono support for small charities.
• Sustainable operations: including measures like renewable energy usage, waste reduction, recycling initiatives, and environmentally conscious procurement practices.

What the B Corp certification does is provide a structured framework for continuing and deepening these efforts. It helps ensure that sustainability isn’t a side project or occasional initiative but embedded into governance, values and decision-making at all levels.

Moreover, it formalises the firm’s intention to treat all stakeholders: employees, clients, suppliers, communities, and the environment as integral parts of their business purpose.

Why this matters for the professional services sector

Accountancy firms shape the financial future of businesses every day. They guide strategies, growth, tax, compliance and increasingly, ESG and sustainability practices. When a firm like Hillier Hopkins commits to B Corp certification, it proves that even professional services traditionally seen as technical and compliance-driven, can lead with purpose.

This matters for the sector because it challenges the notion that “impactful business” belongs only to certain industries. Hillier Hopkins’ certification shows that value-driven practice, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility belong in firms of all types – including those centred-on advice, audits and accounting.

For clients, this signals they are working with advisors who care not just about financial outcomes, but about broader consequences. For staff, it reinforces a workplace culture grounded in integrity, fairness, and shared purpose. And for the sector at large, it raises the bar encouraging others to follow.

Our work with Hillier Hopkins – aligning purpose with practice

In our collaboration (described in the Hillier Hopkins case study), we supported the firm to articulate its sustainability ambitions, align them with its brand values, and embed them meaningfully into their public messaging and internal governance. Our aim was to help bring their “Do the right thing” philosophy alive in a way that felt authentic, practical and aligned with their identity as a professional services practice.

Through that work, they have shown that service sector firms with relatively low direct environmental footprint can lead by example – influencing clients, peers and communities, and demonstrating that sustainable practice is a choice available to all.

Looking ahead

With B Corp certification now secured, Hillier Hopkins has signalled its commitment to continuous improvement, responsible governance, and environmental care. Their core value – Do the right thing can now resonate more strongly than ever, guiding the firm to consider people, communities and planet in every decision.

We’re proud to have supported them on this phase of their sustainability journey. We’re excited to see how they continue to champion purpose-driven change across professional services – and hope their example inspires others to embed sustainability at the heart of their business model.

If you’d like read more, you can view their public announcement of B Corp certification here, and explore their most recent Sustainability Impact Report (2024 -2025) here.