Clearly PR, the Bath-based agency, has pledged to provide free public relations consultancy services to 100 certified B Corp businesses and brands over the next 12 months – double the number it delivered last year.
The move means the agency, itself B Corp accredited, will have worked with more than 5% of the total number of UK B Corps in under 18 months.
In 2021 Clearly PR became one of the first in its sector in the UK to become B Corp certified – a status regarded as being to business what Fairtrade is to bananas or coffee - and just the second in the South West.
Last year Clearly launched its free PR consultation service to support B Corp organisations struggling to generate brand awareness and media attention for their environmental and social impact stories.
The initiative welcomed 50 B Corps in under four months, with Clearly providing 150 free hours of its time – equivalent to 21 working days.
Many of those who benefitted were based in the South West, specifically Bristol – home to one of the highest number of B Corp businesses in the UK and second only to London.
They ranged from small businesses and fast-growing start-ups to large-scale national and international brands within the beauty, fashion, legal, fitness, manufacturing, drinks, food, design, events and marketing industries.
Clearly PR managing director Paul MacKenzie-Cummins, pictured, who founded the agency just over 10 years ago, said: “The B Corp movement is seeing incredible growth right now both within our region and nationally, with almost 3,000 certified businesses in the UK alone.
“This is a six-fold increase since Clearly PR gained B Corp status in 2021.
“Yet despite its popularity and widespread attention, many B Corps report difficulties in successfully generating press interest in their ESG (environment, social and governance) related news.”
He said the dramatic rise in the number of organisations exposed for exaggerating their environmental credentials by ‘greenwashing’ their marketing and PR had left a sour taste in the mouths of the media.
“When once media outlets couldn’t publish ESG-related stories fast enough, they are now increasingly sceptical of businesses and brands looking to promote any news that is aimed at heightening their profile as an environmentally responsible business.
“This presents a real challenge for B Corps and other ESG-led organisations who have great stories to tell. Take the example of a consultation we had with a very well-known international skincare brand.
“They confided in us a fear of talking about the great work they do to protect and restore endangered ecosystems in case they were labelled as ‘greenwashers.’
“This is despite the brand’s green credentials clearly outshining most if not all of their direct competitors.”
The second reason B Corp organisations were failing to get media coverage was down to them not understanding ‘how’ to construct their stories, he added.
“Too many create press releases that are either overly self-promotional or they fail to include key details that address the questions that journalists will likely have.
“Every organisation who attends a one-on-one online PR consultation with Clearly PR gains invaluable real-world ideas that are specific to them.
“These in turn can be developed as news stories that – with Clearly’s guidance on ‘how’ to present and pitch them to the media – will pique the interest of journalists and increase the chances of publication.
“If we reach our target of 100 by the end of this year, which we are already on course to do, we will have supported over 150 B Corp businesses and brands in less than 18 months. That’s one in every 20 certified organisations in the UK.
“The more businesses we help to get their great social and environmental stories 'out there', the greater the possibility that others will look at how they too can become a more responsible business. In doing so, we can create a powerful ‘domino’ effect.”
Established in 2014, Clearly PR is a multi-award winning agency and recognised by the PR industry’s leading membership organisation as the South West medium sized PR firm of the year for three consecutive years – 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Its client base includes Wessex Water, Bath’s oldest charity St John’s Foundation, accountancy group Monahans and Harnham, the international data and AI recruitment services firm.
