18 Nov 2025
Take 10 – celebrating a decade of B Corp
The UK B Corp movement is celebrating a big birthday! A decade ago, the first B Corps were certified in the UK. Since then, the community has grown to over 2,600 UK businesses committed to using business as a force for good.
Since certifying as a B Corp in 2020, we’ve spent the past five years working with communities, businesses and individuals to increase our positive impact on people and planet. And after recertifying in 2024, we are now proud to sit in the top 3% of all UK B Corps for our commitment to social and environmental justice. Below are 10 key highlights from our B Corp journey so far:
Governance
'Best for the World'
Thrive’s corporate structure is ‘mission locked’ meaning that we were founded specifically to deliver a positive outcome for people and planet – bringing people together to fund and deliver clean energy projects that tackle climate change. As an ethical business, it was particularly important for us to undergo external assessment of our performance. We became a B Corp in 2020 with a score of 110.8, the highest scoring renewable energy company in the UK B Corp community at that time. And for two years running in 2021 and 2022, we were proud to be awarded B Corp’s ‘Best for the World’ status, scoring in the top 5% of Global B Corps for our impact on the environment.
Recertifying in top 3% of UK B Corps
In April 2024, we recertified as a B Corp with a twenty-point impact score increase to 131, smashing our original target of 120. Core areas of the business that we’ve focused on include environmental reporting and supply chain due diligence. We also reduced business emissions by nearly 20% in 2023 compared to the previous year, plus significantly increased energy efficiency in our office- for example overhauling the lighting to an intelligent system of LEDs that are using over 60% less energy.
Community
Hosting open days for communities near our projects
With the wind blowing and the sun shining, in 2022 we welcomed over 500 people to our Avonmouth wind farm in Bristol to see the turbines up close and learn more about renewables. As part of Thrive’s 30th birthday celebrations, in 2024 we hosted another open day at Caton Moor wind farm in Lancashire. Last year it was also great to invite the local nursery school to our Feeder Road battery project in Bristol, to explore the new nature area on site.
Helping community centres cut carbon and costs
Through our annual Community Benefit Programme, we provide energy efficiency grants to community centres near our projects to make improvements such as insulation and heating upgrades. 2023 was a record year for the programme, as we were able to award over £37,000 to community buildings across the UK, helping them reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint, whilst boosting comfort and warmth.
Customers
Helping local people take a stake in clean energy
We believe in putting people at the heart of the energy transition. In 2022 we helped fund England’s largest onshore wind turbine, which is also wholly owned by the local community. Recently, we launched Community Energy Catalyst - a £40 million funding partnership with Better Society Capital which offers flexible funding for community groups to build their own clean energy projects or take a stake in part of a larger project in their area.
Supporting UK businesses to decarbonise
Through on-site renewables, we also empower businesses to take an active role in the clean energy transition – helping them cut carbon and costs. One of our direct wire projects – a 1.5MW wind turbine in Cambridgeshire – provides one of the UK’s leading suppliers of potatoes with local clean power. As a result, Greenvale AP can better manage their operational costs and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
Environment
Reducing UK emissions
So far, Thrive has built and/or funded 45 clean energy projects – including wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and battery storage. To date, the portfolio has generated over 2 million MWh of clean electricity and avoided the emission of over 1 million tonnes of CO2e. Now we’re pressing on with plans to double generation capacity in the next five years.
Enhancing biodiversity at our clean energy projects
We do as much as we can to conserve and enhance biodiversity at our sites, going beyond legal requirements. For example, after commissioning Feeder Road battery project in Bristol in 2023, we introduced a range of biodiversity measures aimed at providing animals with more places to nest and shelter – including building a number of bird, bat and insect boxes, plus planting trees, species rich grassland, shade scrub and native ferns to strengthen local habitat corridors.
Workers
Championing green careers
We’re committed to supporting and inspiring the next generation to get into green careers by hosting educational visits for schools and university students. For example, in 2024 we hosted an insight day at our Avonmouth wind farm for Babbasa, a Bristol based social enterprise empowering young people from ethnically diverse and less advantaged communities to realise their professional aspirations.
Collaborating with other purpose-driven businesses
One of the best parts of being a B Corp is the opportunity to connect with other like-minded businesses. Every March, for ‘B Corp month’ we engage with local B Corps across the South West at events such as Purposefest, to celebrate and spread awareness of the movement. In 2025, we invited a few B Corps from Bristol and the surrounding areas to our Avonmouth wind farm to share how they’re using business to build a better tomorrow for people and planet.
Celebrating B Corp Month 2025
We invited local B Corps to our Avonmouth wind farm to share what they're doing in business to deliver positive social and environmental impact.