Founder and MD, Cheryl Hadland, first came across B. Corp in 2019 at an Adventure Unlimited Conference in London. Already on the journey of becoming more sustainable environmentally, with actions plans progressing for more solar panels, more electric cars, less one-use plastic, and a goal of becoming carbon neutral in 2025, the other aspects of sustainability also needed some focus.
In terms of the companies impact on society obviously the children’s development is a key contribution, we know that enabling children to develop as effectively as possible, so that when they go to school they are engaged, active and fairly independent learners; already competent with self-care, confident to ask questions and to investigate; that this will set them up to do well at primary school, secondary school, and further or higher education; they will be more likely to achieve a good income in a job they enjoy; benefit from good physical and mental wellbeing; and actually be less likely to go to prison.
In addition to that visiting care homes and taking part in community events helps children and adults alike; enabling staff to take part in training and career opportunities, and supporting parents with childcare while they work or train, are all social impacts that are measurable as well. Add to this a Corporate Responsibility policy, with clear and active commitments to ethical practice, transparent systems and reporting; anti-discrimination practices; and Tops easily achieved sufficient points to achieve B. Corp.
At the end of our financial year Tops will not only publish audited accounts but a report giving full details of progress made in every aspect of sustainability, and this will be on the website in June 2021. Of course Covid and underfunding of Early Childhood Education and Care by the government (past and present) both to nurseries and to parents, means that financial sustainability is not an assumption that can be made this year, and many projects that need investing in have had to be put on hold until the nurseries can generate some more income, but the intentions are there, to provide an education for sustainability in as sustainable a way as we can, gradually reducing our impact on the planet while increasing our impact on society, little steps at a time.
B. Corp. review our performance every 2 years so we won’t be resting on our achievements to date.
Providing happy, nurturing childcare for the hours you need, across over 30 nursery settings in: Babbacombe, Plymouth, Bournemouth, Charminster, Copnor, Fawley, Gillingham, Corfe Mullen, Havant, Lakeside, Lymington, Taunton, Newport, Poole, Portsmouth, Salisbury,
Southsea, Wareham, Wimborne, Winchester, and Yeovil.
