80 Gloucestershire Firms Put People Before Profits

Around 80 businesses in Gloucestershire are rewriting the rules of success by making people and the planet as important as their bottom line.

These companies have earned B Corp certification, passing rigorous tests on social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. March marks B Corp month, celebrating businesses that believe doing good and doing well can go hand in hand.

Greg Pilley, managing director of Stroud Brewery, thinks consumers hold real power. "Probably one of the most powerful things we can do as individuals is spend your money in the right places for a changing world," he said.

His brewery runs on organic principles, avoiding pesticides and herbicides entirely. Rainwater flushes the toilets, and every loan comes from community members rather than banks, keeping interest payments local.

"In this day and age, it is not acceptable for a business to make a profit if it does come at a cost to people and planet," Pilley told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

Jewellery maker Anna McLoughlin crafts her pieces in an off-grid, solar-powered studio in the Forest of Dean. She pursued B Corp certification to prove her environmental and ethical commitments were real, not just marketing.

McLoughlin encourages shoppers to dig deeper before buying. "Think about, where has this come from? Who has made it? What is the supply chain to get this product or service?" she said.

Angie Petkovic runs Beechurst Serviced Apartments in Cheltenham entirely on solar power. She sources 80% of her products within 25 miles of the property and volunteers with charities while mentoring young people.

"We're a business for the purpose, so we're not all about profit," Petkovic explained. Her commitment extends to careful land stewardship and aggressive waste reduction across all operations.

The Ripple Effect

These businesses aren't just changing their own practices. They're creating a model that proves ethical business isn't a fantasy or a sacrifice.

When companies prioritize environmental care and fair treatment alongside financial success, they inspire others to follow. Community loans strengthen local economies, solar power reduces carbon footprints, and transparent supply chains build trust.

The certification process itself pushes businesses to examine every decision through multiple lenses. Every purchase, every partnership, every process gets evaluated not just for profit potential but for human and environmental impact.

These 80 Gloucestershire companies are proving that conscious capitalism works in the real world.