Formed to tackle homelessness by providing paid employment and training, a UK events crewing company has become the first of its kind to be certified to join a global movement for business as a force for good.
Connection Crew, a London-based social enterprise powering events, film and TV, plus live production across the UK, is the only events crewing company to be awarded B Corporation certification in the country.
Verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the global B Corp movement, certification recognises the high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability met by Connection Crew. The company achieved a B Corp score of 103.8, way above the minimum 80-point threshold required.
Living-wage work in London
Founded in 2005 as part of The Connection at St Martin’s in Trafalgar Square, Connection Crew was established to address homelessness through paid employment and training. Over two decades since, the social enterprise has grown from a small crew of six into one of the UK’s leading crewing companies. It has generated over 300,000 hours of paid, living-wage work for over 508 people affected by homelessness.
A registered charity, The Connection at St Martin’s works with people who are rough sleeping to help them move away from, and stay off, the streets of London. It runs day and night centres, plus support services.
Model for events and production
Across the events and production industries, sustainability and responsible procurement are increasingly recognised as central to long-term resilience. Connection Crew’s model demonstrates service providers and agencies can embed measurable social and environmental impact into core delivery.
B Corp status makes a business case for sustainability, says Warren Rogers, Director of Connection Crew:
“This milestone marks a pivotal moment in our journey. For 20 years we’ve been asked a simple question: can great service and great impact go hand in hand? The answer is: they can, and they must. B Corp Certification is recognition of the hard work of all those who have helped create opportunities for people affected by homelessness, championed sustainability, and proven business for good is good business.”
The B Corp certification process is rigorous, assessing all business operations and covering practices related to governance, workers, community, the environment, and customers. Companies are required to provide evidence on performance and legally ratify their commitment to purpose as well as profit.
For Connection Crew, the certification demonstrates a mission that has been embedded since its inception and expanded in recent years to include stronger environmental aims, offerings, and reporting.
Formal recognition of the company’s progress marks another key step along its sustainability journey, adds Charlotte Scotland, ESG, Data & Communications Manager and Connection Crew’s B Corp Lead:
“As a social enterprise, people have always been central to our work; since 2020, we’ve been focused on sustainability as well. B Corp certification reflects years of purposefully building people and planet into how we work, how we measure performance, and how we plan for the future.”
Fastest growing community worldwide
Connection Crew joins a growing global community of more than 10,000 Certified B Corporations across 102 countries. The UK is home to the largest and fastest-growing B Corp community in the world, with over 2,600 companies including The Guardian, Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely and The Big Issue.
B Corps truly believe business really can be a force for good, concludes Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK:
“This is a movement of companies committed to changing how business operates. Connection Crew CIC is going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.”
Connection Crew CIC remains focused on strengthening longer-term employment pathways for people affected by homelessness, advancing environmental performance across its operations, and innovating in circular event delivery through its in-house production team, Stitch.
Changemakers in the UK economy
London-based Connection Crew CIC is a long-standing member of Social Enterprise UK, People and Planet First verified, and a multi-year Pioneers Post and NatWest SE100 award winner. The organisation holds ISO9001:14001, became a London Living Wage Employer in 2022, and lists in the BAFTA Albert directory.
From 2020, the company has mapped net zero goals, plus consistently built and promoted sustainability initiatives. In 2025, it conducted a Theory of Change and joined the Crisis Homelessness Alliance.
B Lab is a nonprofit working to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, its global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programmes for business. It certifies companies, known as B Corps, recognised as leading the way.
Part of this worldwide network, B Lab UK seeks to redefine success by building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp movement and influencing change in the UK economy.
Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified to meet B Lab standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. To date, the global community includes one million workers in over 10,000 B Corps across 102 countries and 162 industries.
Further Reading:
- More about new B Corp Connection Crew CIC; and its in-house production team, Stitch;
- More about B Lab and the global movement; also B Lab UK and the UK B Corporation community;
- More about the London homelessness and rough sleeper charity The Connection at St Martin’s;
- Also on SustMeme, Wash away cost of clean hands to people and planet;
- Also on SustMeme, Plant-based food for homeless and vulnerable in Veganuary;
- Also on SustMeme, First Chartered Surveyors in world to become B Corporation.
- Also on SustMeme, Guest Blog: Inequality in the UK (2020).
Check out the full archive of stories on the SustMeme Business & Finance Channel, now available to Sponsor.
