How We Became a B Corp Travel Marketing Agency (And What It Means for the Industry)

We’re so proud to say that north9 is now a certified B Corp. 

Fundamentally, B Corp certification reflects our dedication to balancing profit with purpose, and builds on the responsible and ethical way we run our travel marketing agency. This commitment is publicly documented on our B Corp profile.

A profile that took nearly two years, many spreadsheets, and a dedicated task force to obtain  – but we’re so glad we persevered.

In 2021, we made the radical decision to donate 100% of our profits to two educational charities, and have been making bold business moves ever since. B Corp was the most obvious next move. 

The process wasn’t easy: it forced us to pull apart how we actually operate, and some of what we found was genuinely uncomfortable. Not because we were doing bad things, but because a lot of the great things we were doing weren’t documented anywhere. 

What We Were Already Doing Before Anyone Asked

north9 is built around a fairly unusual structure for a marketing agency. For us, running a profitable business isn’t for the sake of having a profitable business. 

Since April 2021, 100% of our retained profit – yes, all of it – has gone to educational charities. That’s not a PR move or CSR tick box – it’s our whole business model.

And beyond the financials, we’ve always tried to make north9 a place where people actually want to work. Initiatives like Wonderful Wednesdays, which give every team member one Wednesday off per month to do with as they wish without touching their holiday allowance. There’s also the genuine option to work abroad for a stretch, for anyone who wants a change of scenery.

We deliberately keep our team small and focus on one sector because we recognise that a deep knowledge of the industry we work in will have a greater impact on the businesses we work with – and the people behind them – than a generalist agency could.

It’s things like these that made B Corp feel like the right fit, not a stretch.

Why the B Corp Process Is Harder Than It Sounds

Everyone says it before they start: “We already do all this stuff, it’ll be fine.”

We said exactly that.

It was not fine. 

Or rather – it was fine in the sense that we have always been a good employer running an ethical business, but the B Impact Assessment doesn’t care what you believe about yourself. 

B Corp cares what you can prove. And that’s where things get interesting. 

For anyone genuinely curious about how to get B Corp certified, here’s the honest truth: you will spend a very long time – longer than you expected – discovering how many things you do really well but have never actually documented properly. 

It took us almost two years to get the achievement. We actually put together a dedicated task force to drive the process, and there were stretches where the amount of work remaining felt completely disproportionate to how far along we thought we were. 

Uncomfortable at times, but very much worth it.

We’re now committed to continual improvement, driving positive change through higher social and environmental standards, and proud to join a global movement of over 10,000 companies, including over 630 in the advertising and marketing industry.

What is a B Corp Marketing Agency?

A B Corp (short for Benefit Corporation) is a business certified by the non-profit B Lab for meeting independently verified standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

To become certified, companies complete the B Impact Assessment – a rigorous scoring process across five categories: workers, community, environment, customers, and governance. 

You need a minimum score of 80 to certify. The median score for ordinary businesses is 50 – and we’re proud to say that north9 scored 84.3!

Therefore, a B Corp marketing agency is a marketing agency that holds this certification. It means the agency isn’t just saying the right things – it has been independently verified to be doing them and is committed to maintaining those standards.

For travel brands, working with a B Corp agency also has a practical benefit: that relationship can count towards your own supply chain compliance, which matters increasingly as sustainability reporting requirements tighten.

What a Digital Marketing Agency Actually Gets Audited On

Most people assume a digital marketing agency would sail through the environmental section with no physical waste to speak of – but it’s not that easy.

• The B Impact Assessment asked us to account for the carbon footprint of our entire digital infrastructure – the servers, the hosting environments, the tools we use day to day. 
• It scrutinised our Leeds supply chain, wanting to know who we buy from locally and whether those suppliers meet ethical standards. 
• Data privacy came under the microscope too: how client data is stored, shared, and protected.
• The workers section covered financial security, career development, and team wellbeing in detail – documented and verifiable evidence of how we treat our people was required. 

And, with all of this, if it isn’t in writing, it doesn’t count.

Why We Work the Way We Do

When it came to considering B Corp for north9, the most obvious thing is the 100% model – but there’s more to it than that.

We only work in travel, tourism and hospitality. 

Not as a positioning exercise, but because deep sector knowledge genuinely makes the work we do better. We’ve spent years building expertise specific to how travel businesses grow, what their customers actually search for, and what converts – and we didn’t want to dilute that by taking on work outside it.

north9 deliberately works with small and medium businesses because we want to properly understand the businesses we work for, build real relationships with the people running them, and stick around long enough to see the strategy through. 

And now being a certified B Corp, we’re accountable for all of it.

Why Sustainable Travel Marketing Has to Be Earned

And it’s not just agencies that need to be accountable.

Travel brands have a tricky job right now. Regulators are watching, the press are actively looking for greenwashing stories, and travellers themselves have got pretty good at spotting the difference between a business that’s genuinely committed and one that’s just playing the game. 

Getting it wrong is expensive – reputationally and, increasingly, legally.

For tour operators and boutique hotels trying to work out how to market sustainable tourism without overstating it, the challenge usually isn’t a lack of good practice. It’s the gap between what you actually do and what you can credibly say in public. 

That’s a problem we understand from the inside – the B Corp process forced us to close exactly that gap ourselves.

But when you work with a B Corp agency, that relationship can count towards your own supply chain compliance. Small detail, but it adds up.

What Ongoing B Corp Accountability Looks Like – For Us and the Brands We Work With

B Corp certification needs to be renewed every three years. The standards tighten, the assessment evolves, and you have to keep proving it. 

We signed up for that knowingly, because the accountability is the point.

For travel brands, here’s what it actually means in practice: 

• If you’re genuinely doing good work on the sustainability side, your marketing should be able to reflect that – and do so in a way that won’t fall apart under scrutiny. 
• If you’re earlier in that journey, having a partner who has been through the same process makes it considerably easier to navigate. 

We work with many travel businesses – tour operators, boutique hotels, destination brands – that want to grow without compromising on what they stand for. 

Want a marketing partner who gets your niche, values transparency, and is legally committed to doing good?

Drop us a line (or an email) for a chat. No corporate jargon, promise.

Was Two Years of Paperwork Worth It?

We scored 84.3. The median for ordinary businesses is 50.9. We’ll take that.

But honestly, the badge is the smallest part of this. What B Corp gives us – beyond the certification – is a mirror. A thorough and occasionally uncomfortable look at how we actually operate, not just how we think we do. 

Some things we were genuinely proud of. Some things needed work. That’s probably the most honest description of any decent business.

We donate 100% of our profits to charity, we care for our people, and we want to support our wider communities. And now we’ve got a third party to back us up on it.

Feels pretty good, not going to lie.

FAQs: B Corp and Sustainable Travel Marketing

What is B Corp?

B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab, a non-profit that assesses businesses across five categories: workers, community, environment, customers, and governance. Companies need to score at least 80 on the B Impact Assessment to certify, and must recertify every three years as standards evolve.

What does it mean to be B Corp certified?

It means a company has been independently verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance — and is legally committed to balancing profit with purpose. It’s not a self-declared badge. It requires evidence, documentation, and ongoing accountability.

How to become a B Corp?

Start at bcorporation.net and complete the B Impact Assessment. You’ll be scored across five categories. If you reach 80 or above, you can submit for verification. B Lab will review your evidence, request supporting documents, and — once satisfied — certify you. Expect the process to take longer than you think.

Why become a B Corp?

For us, it was about accountability. We were already doing a lot of the right things, but B Corp gave us a framework to document, prove, and improve on all of it. It also signals to clients, partners, and employees that our commitments are genuine — not just good intentions.

How much does B Corp cost?

The B Corp certification fee is based on annual revenue and typically ranges from a few hundred to several thousand pounds. The higher cost, though, is time. Gathering evidence, writing policies, and working through the B Impact Assessment can take months or years depending on how prepared your business is going in.

What is sustainable tourism?

Sustainable tourism refers to travel that minimises negative environmental, social, and economic impacts while benefiting local communities and preserving natural and cultural heritage. It’s about ensuring the destinations people travel to can continue to thrive for future generations.

Why is sustainable travel important?

Tourism contributes significantly to global carbon emissions and can put serious pressure on fragile ecosystems and local communities when managed poorly. Sustainable travel matters because the industry depends entirely on the destinations it sells — protecting them is both an ethical responsibility and a long-term commercial one.

How can tourism be more sustainable?

For businesses, it starts with operations: reducing carbon footprints, supporting local supply chains, protecting natural environments, and being genuinely transparent about impact. For travellers, it’s about slower travel, locally-owned accommodation, and spending money with businesses that have real sustainability credentials — not just a leaf on their logo.

How can we promote sustainable tourism?

Credibly. The biggest mistake travel brands make is overstating their credentials. Promoting sustainable tourism effectively means being able to back up every claim with evidence, communicating your actual impact clearly, and avoiding the kind of vague language that invites scepticism. Regulators and travellers alike are getting better at identifying the difference.

About The Author...

Amelia Selby

PR | Impact | Partnerships

Amelia leads our PR activity – gaining links to top publications through creative campaigns, press releases, PR stunts, social media, newsjacking, and more. The country that has her heart is India – diverse scenery, incredible people and the food is to die for!