💫 What a journey! From a team of three to creating the largest-ever B Corp event in the world!
Around 60% of B Corps have less than 5 employees: we are proudly one of them. This story shows it’s not the size of your team that matters, but the scale of your ambition and determination.
About 15 months ago, passing a poster for the Stratford-upon-Avon Literary Festival, the idea for this event was born. When pitching to B Lab UK to design, plan, and deliver Louder than Words we were one full-time employee, a part-time employee and an apprentice. But we knew copying a fringe festival framework for a big corporate event would work so well in a city: both for the people coming and the local community.
I have a driving passion to generate positive impacts from absolutely every area of an event – and I knew, with the backing of B Lab UK we would create something that truly embodies the heart and soul of the B Corp movement.
I am proud to say we succeeded. Watch these highlights to see our vision come to life.
Our goal was bold: to bring together changemakers, businesses, and activists to redefine the role of business in our society. And we used the festival itself as a catalyst for change.
Here’s how this EVENT was a FORCE FOR GOOD
✨ Partnering with incredible B Corps made this event even more special! Huge thanks to SLX, Be Inspired Films, Ticket Tailor, Project Merchandise, Blue Stag, and The Attendee Experience Company (atex) for being part of it.
🎭 Six young people trained in our Young Host Academy, gaining public speaking skills and the confidence to become future leaders.
🔊 Our main stage young host, Mathilde, is now being mentored by Shonali Devereaux and is on track to pursue a career as an emcee.
📢 A diverse range of fringe venues meant more voices from the community (153 speakers over 102 sessions) could be heard—across a variety of vital topics.
😋 We cut food waste and boosted the local economy by removing catering entirely!
🌿 Borrow plants? Who would think this is possible…well, we did! Working with a local nursery, all plants from the event went back on sale.
♻ Our signage? Made from 100% recycled materials and recycled after the event. Or wooden and re-usable!
🎬 Our stage furniture? Over 50 years old! Hired from an Albert-certified local TV/Film props company—because sustainability matters. Check out Revival Props.
😊 Our biggest-ever community outreach program partnered with charities and schools, making a direct impact on young people, the homeless, and those facing mental health challenges.
👙 Proud to run the ‘ParticiPANTS’ campaign (in partnership with Y.O.U Underwear). So, we collected 228 bras and 65 pairs of new pants for Smalls for All®. PLUS 30.6kg of underwear, socks, and tights ready for recycling with Cotton Lives On™ & TerraCycle.
🙌 And a massive shoutout to our ‘Event Makers’—50 incredible volunteers. They dedicated three days of their time because they believed in the change this festival brings. Because without them, none of this would have been possible.
