Bristol PR and communications agency Purplefish has been awarded B Corporation status, joining a growing number of Bristol firms accredited by the international movement that promotes business as a force for good.
The consultancy, which this month celebrates its 10th anniversary, started on its B Corporation journey two years ago. 
The rigorous assessment process encourages companies to operate a triple bottom line of people, profit and purpose.
It has enabled Purplefish’s 10-strong team based at Bristol’s Paintworks media hub to evaluate and evidence its community and charitable work, staff culture and commitment to purpose-led client relationships.
The team meets once a month to discuss the agency’s B Corp goals.
Purplefish already has an ongoing commitment to allocate 5% of its time each year to pro bono and cause-related work.
It also donates to three charities each year – both financially and with resource – that are focused on equality, diversity and inclusion, social and community, and environment and sustainability.
Over the past year these have been The Diversity Trust, which provides equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility training and consultancy, mental health charity Mind and FareShare South West, which fights food poverty.
Everyone in the business plays a role alongside an annual commitment to a team volunteering day, spent last year with FareShare. 
Purplefish founder and managing director Joanna Randall, pictured, said it had been a long-held ambition for the business to become part of the B Corp movement.
“The assessment process has really enabled us to review every aspect of how we operate and our contribution to our people, clients and community,” she said.
“We’re very proud to reach the high score we achieved during our first assessment; it’s been a whole team effort.
“We will continue to strive to show how business can be done with purpose and look forward to being part of a growing Bristol B Corp community, along with the international network of nearly 4,500 businesses who are on the same journey.”
With nearly 20 B Corps, Bristol is second only to London for accreditations, reflecting the city’s standing as a hub for businesses with purpose.
Bristol organisations with B Corp status include Business West, the region’s largest business group which also runs Bristol Chamber of Commerce, PR firms Greenhouse and Wild West, specialist energy investment company Thrive Renewables, tea brand Pukka Herbs and financial planning firm Paradigm Norton.
Purplefish works regionally and nationally across a range of sectors and has expertise in technology, property and consumer brands.
Its Bristol clients include St Pauls Carnival, eXmoor Pharma, Grundon and Avondata while it also handles national firms such as Redrow, Mobile UK, investment group BGF and leading law firm Taylor Rose.
The team also works with a number of start-up and emerging businesses, recently supporting Bristol’s pioneering women’s urinal PEEQUAL and veterinary professional community The Meraki Initiative.
Joanna is a trustee of Bristol-based Insane Root Theatre company and a marketeer in residence at SETsquared.
Associate director Lucy McKerron, who recently joined to head its culture offer, is a volunteer with Bristol-based social enterprise Babbasa and leads communications for #OurCity2030, a Bristol-based initiative launching in June to help close the equality gap in the city.
The agency has recently been shortlisted for a UK Digital PR award for its campaign for Mobile UK to raise awareness of the benefits of 5G technology and combat misinformation. The winner will be announced next month.
