Producer – Distributor Leads The Way For Inclusivity, Equity and Regeneration
London/Hampshire, 14th January, 2025
Woodcut Media, the female led independent content producer and distributor founded by award-winning producer Kate Beal, has announced its certification as a B Corporation (B Corp), joining a growing movement of companies that are reinventing business for the benefit of all people and our shared planet.
B Corp Certification assesses the entirety of a business’ operations. It currently covers five main impact areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. It is believed that Woodcut Media is the first producer/distributor of television content to have gained the certification, which entails a rigorous auditing process verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the B Corp movement. Companies are required to reach a score of 80 points in the B Impact Assessment survey, while providing evidence of responsible practices relating to energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. A business must also legally embed their commitment to purpose as well as profit in their company articles.
The achievement demonstrates that Woodcut Media meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, alongside a commitment to goals beyond shareholder value.
Kate Beal, CEO and founder of Woodcut Media, said: “The B Corp certification process is certainly not for the faint hearted. It requires absolute commitment to the process by every member of your team. So in this case, the ‘I’m incredibly proud’ press-release soundbite could not be more authentic. We’ve always been committed to breaking new ground for the good of our industry, but this prestigious third-party recognition from a respected global partner positions us as true pioneers. In a world where direct to consumer distribution is rising in importance, it’s an indisputable endorsement of the quality not only of what we produce, but how we produce it.”
Woodcut Media celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and is now part of a growing community of more than 9,000 businesses globally that have certified as B Corps. The B Corp community in the UK is one of the largest and fastest growing in the world. It now numbers 2,300-plus companies spanning a range of industries and sizes, including The Guardian, Innocent Drinks, Patagonia, Tony’s Chocolonely, The Big Issue, Finisterre, Elemis and Sipsmith Gin.
Woodcut Media is now also part of the Better Business Act coalition, which is supported by more than 2,000 businesses. The campaign is working to change the law to ensure that all UK companies align their long-term interests with those of wider society and the environment.
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, says: “We are pleased to have B Corps of all shapes and sizes as part of our community — from startups to multinationals and across many different industries. Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that positive impact is possible in any sector. Woodcut Media’s commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
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About Woodcut Media:
Founded by award-winning producer Kate Beal in 2014, UK indie prodco Woodcut Media is a female-led operation with a diverse team at its core. The company’s main ethos is to provide an honest and trusted voice, creating programming that tells incredible human stories with creativity, authenticity and care. As well as being one of the leading true-crime doc producers in the UK, Woodcut Media also specialises in a broad range of standout unscripted content covering factual entertainment, specialist factual, and premium/talent-led programming. Slate highlights include Confessions of a Psycho Killer (Amazon Prime Video), long-running series World’s Most Evil Killers/Britain’s Most Evil Killers (eight seasons), Fiennes: Return to the Wild and Fiennes: Return to the Nile with Joseph and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Cut from a Different Cloth, Mandela, My Dad and Me, both featuring Idris Elba, Hitler: A Life in Pictures and Paranormal Captured. In 2020, Woodcut launched distribution company Woodcut International. www.woodcutmedia.com
About B Lab: B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 880,000 workers in over 9,000 B Corps across 105 countries and 162 industries. More than 280,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager. B Lab has created and led efforts to pass over 50 corporate statutes globally that enable stakeholder governance, with over 10,000 companies using the legal framework. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net.
About B Lab UK: As part of this global non-profit network, B Lab UK’s purpose is to redefine success in business through building a community of engaged businesses, raising awareness of the B Corp movement and influencing change in the UK economy. Find out more.
About B Corp Certification: B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment, an evaluation of a company’s positive impact, and pass a risk review, an evaluation of a company’s negative impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. B Corps recertify every three years and once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive and regenerative businesses.
B Lab Contact: media@bcorporation.uk
