All3Media-owned Little Dot Studios has achieved B Corp certification status, making it one of only a handful of UK production companies to meet the stringent benchmark in social, environmental and governance performance.
Dan Jones
The digital content producer and distributor has been awarded the mark following more than two years of assessment of the business’s entire operations by B Lab, the not-for-profit organisation behind the global B Corp movement.
The audit covers impact areas related to practices around governance, workers, community, the environment and customers. It requires companies to change the articles of their association to legally commit to consider the interests of all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Other production companies in the UK to have achieved the certification include UK indie and true crime specialist Woodcut Media, animation studio Blue Zoo Productions and shortform entertainment studio Rubber Republic, which has been certified since 2018.
The certification is the latest step in Little Dot’s Impact Plan, which has seen it become a Living Wage employer; a signatory of the Race at Work Charter, a public commitment to improve racial equality and inclusion in the workplace; and a verified carbon-neutral business, among other milestones. Little Dot said it had reduced its emissions by 68% since 2021 and is on track to achieve net zero by 2030.
Little Dot Studios CEO Dan Jones said: “Media, production and communication organisations have a huge role to play in leaving a positive impact on people and the planet.
“Little Dot Studios has a desire to hold ourselves accountable and inspire change by reducing impact and driving sustainability across our networks. We are immensely proud of how far we have come, and achieving B Corp certification shows we are committed to creating a more purpose-driven, sustainable future – while also producing industry-leading work.”
Saunders Carmichael Brown, Little Dot Studios’ sustainability lead, added: “We’ve made significant strides in developing a comprehensive understanding of what impact really means and what progress looks like, balancing profit and purpose to create a progressive, inclusive business that’s good for people and the planet.”
Nearly 10,000 organisations globally hold B Corp certification, spanning 102 countries, but the proportion of B Corp companies operating in the content industry is still small.
Others in the sector to have been certified include Brazil-based prodco Maria Farinha Filmes, which has been certified B Corp for over a decade; WaterBear Network, the environment-focused streaming service, London’s Garden Studios, and Vancouver Film Studios in Canada.
Jones urged other businesses in the industry to follow suit: “We are proving that large-scale production and distribution can be done responsibly, and we encourage the industry to follow.”
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, described Little Dot Studios’ certification as “an exciting moment for the digital media and production industry,” adding: “B Lab UK and the rest of the B Corp community are really pleased that the company is paving the way for a new way of doing things.”
