Channel 4 Sales has announced the sustainable businesses that have been shortlisted for its B Corp competition in association with B Lab UK.
Over 200 businesses applied and the shortlist has been whittled down to 10. Everyone on the shortlist has demonstrated what being a B Corp means to them and shared the vision of their TV ad.
The 10 businesses from across the UK are:
• Ancient + Brave: Wellness brand that blends botanicals, nootropics and functional ingredients
• Divine: Launched by a group of cocoa farmers in Ghana, it’s the first farmer-owned Fairtrade chocolate brand
• Marshfield Farm: Award-winning ice-cream products
• Presto: A planet-friendly coffee brand
• Seep: Maker of everyday essential products to help create a cleaner home and planet
• St Eval: Turns natural fragrances into scented candles from its Cornish base
• The White Company: Specialises in high-quality white homewares
• Ticket Tailor: Platform that allows users to sell tickets online simply and affordably
• Tiny Rebel : Award-winning brewery from Newport, south Wales
• Untamed: Cat food that aims to be as close to a natural diet as possible
The shortlisted companies will go through to a final pitch stage in June, with five winning £120,000 worth of airtime each, allowing them to benefit from TV advertising for the first time.
Winners and runners-up will also benefit from a series of expert masterclasses to help them grow.
The judging panel will be chaired by head of sales strategy Sam Hicks. It comprises leaders from the Advertising Association, B Lab UK, Channel 4, Quiet Storm, Sonder and Thinkbox. The Media Leader — whose parent, Adwanted UK, is a recently certified B Corp — is also a judge.
“It’s been challenging to narrow down, as the quality of submissions was really high across the board. We think this shortlist reflects the breadth and depth of the UK B Corp movement,” said Ros Holley, director of communications and marketing at B Lab UK.
“Through this partnership, we’re hoping to build understanding of a new way of doing business among a wider audience.”
Ewan Douglas, Channel 4 Sales’ head of sales and business development, highlighted how these businesses are “committing to sustainable practices, as well as the demonstrable appetite to harness the power of TV advertising”.
He continued: “Our shortlisted businesses showed a clear and impressive vision for their adverts and how it would sit within their broader business strategy, and we’re excited to hear more from them as we move into our final stage.”
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