An Thame-based events production company has achieved internationally recognised B Corp certification following several years of work to examine and improve its environmental and social impact.
THAT event company (TEC), based in North Weston near Thame, has been awarded Certified B Corporation status after undergoing assessment by B Lab UK. The certification recognises businesses that meet independently verified standards covering areas including social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
TEC supplies audio, lighting and audio-visual equipment and technical production services for events across Oxfordshire and beyond. Its clients and venues have included University of Oxford colleges and Blenheim Palace.
For a business operating in an industry dependent on transport, energy-intensive equipment and large-scale event logistics, the certification represents a significant milestone in its sustainability programme.
Years of scrutiny behind the certification
TEC’s senior management team spent several years reviewing different areas of the business as part of the B Corp process.
The assessment included staff policies, environmental reporting, purchasing, governance, waste management, event planning and delivery. The company says the process helped formalise work already taking place while also identifying areas where further improvements were needed.
James Walton, founder and managing director of TEC, said the certification marked an important point in the company’s sustainability journey.
He said the B Corp framework would help the business continue measuring its impact and identifying opportunities for improvement.
“Achieving this status is testament to our team and clients who share our commitment to having a positive impact on our people and community,” Walton said.
Tracking the environmental impact of events
TEC has introduced a number of measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact associated with its operations.
The company has invested in electric vehicles, operates within a relatively small radius of its Thame headquarters, and reuses and recycles equipment. It also offsets carbon emissions.
One of its more distinctive initiatives is an in-house carbon-reporting system designed to estimate the carbon impact of equipment included in individual event hires.
The system is intended to help clients understand the environmental implications of their equipment choices and consider how equipment can be used more sustainably.
TEC says the approach is particularly relevant to an events industry where equipment, transportation and energy consumption can all contribute significantly to an event’s overall environmental footprint.
From a family conversation to a business strategy
Walton’s interest in sustainability began as a personal journey before becoming increasingly embedded within TEC’s operations.
He has previously attributed the shift to a conversation with two of his children while watching a David Attenborough documentary about the environment.
That prompted him to question how he could expect others to address environmental problems while continuing with business as usual himself.
The subsequent B Corp process took several years and required the company to examine much of the way it operates.
TEC has also supported Oxfordshire charities including Edge Housing, Sobell House and The Porch, with the company saying it aims to prioritise projects capable of delivering measurable social impact.
Part of a global movement
TEC now joins a worldwide community of more than 10,000 certified B Corporations.
B Corp certification is administered by B Lab, a global organisation that develops standards and programmes intended to encourage businesses to balance commercial objectives with wider social and environmental responsibilities.
For TEC, the certification is being positioned not as an endpoint but as a framework for continuing to assess its impact.
As sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration for venues, organisers and corporate clients, the certification could also strengthen TEC’s position in Oxfordshire’s competitive events and hospitality supply chain.
Walton said the company would continue looking for ways to reduce emissions and waste while helping clients deliver events more sustainably.
For an Oxfordshire events business whose work is often behind the scenes, B Corp certification puts its environmental and social ambitions firmly in the spotlight.
