North West-headquartered listed healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT), Assura plc, has announced today certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp), making it the first in the FTSE250.
Assura is the largest investor and developer of GP surgeries, healthcare, diagnostic and treatment buildings in a community setting in the UK.
By achieving B Corp certification, Assura is now the first FTSE250 business to be recognised with the certification.
Jonathan Murphy, CEO, said:
“At Assura we have long been at the forefront of our sector in sustainability and social impact, and receiving this certification as the first FTSE 250 listed B Corp has validated the work we have been doing to focus on the impact we have for all our stakeholders.
We know we will continue to make incredible progress as we deliver our ambitions to be net zero across our portfolio by 2040 and become the number 1 listed property business for long-term social impact. The B Corp principles are intrinsic to our approach, and we know how important it is to our investors and customers that we are conscious of our impact on the environment and the communities we work in.”
B Corp certification is an independent and internationally recognised responsible business framework which Assura has used to guide and validate its approach to Environmental, Social and Governance principles.
In order to achieve B Corp certification in the UK, a company must complete the B Impact Assessment which is designed to help measure and manage a company’s positive impact on its workers, community, customers ,environment and governance. The assessment considers the impact of a company’s day-to-day operations and its business model.
Last year, Assura unveiled its Bigger Picture strategy, which detailed the three values at the heart of its business model: Healthy Environment, Healthy Communities, Healthy Business.
Those values have informed Assura’s commitment to becoming net zero carbon across its portfolio by 2040 and how it is taking a sound, ethical approach to engaging with all stakeholders. It has also committed to maximising a positive impact in the communities surrounding its buildings, aiming to generate £3.50 in social value per £1 invested.
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, says
“We are delighted to welcome Assura plc to the B Corp community. In order for our economy to transform, we need businesses of all sizes and sectors to move away from shareholder primacy and balance the interests of all their stakeholders. It’s great to see a FTSE 250 business make this change and pave the way for a new, and better, way of doing things for people and the planet.”
https://www.assuraplc.com/