Raising the Bar: December19 Achieves Record B Corp Impact Score
Redefining What It Means to Be Better: Our Highest-Ever B Corp Score
The media industry talks a lot about purpose. At December19, we’re delivering it.
That’s why we’re proud to announce that we’ve been officially re-certified as a Certified B Corporation™ - achieving our highest-ever impact score of 104.3 - proof that doing things differently isn't just better for business, it's better for everyone.
When December19 was launched, we rejected the industry's broken norms in favour of transparency, accountability, and genuine responsibility. Today, that challenger mindset has earned us independent verification that we're not just talking about impact, but actively creating it.
Back in 2022, our first certification gave us a score of 83.7 — comfortably above the B Corp threshold of 80. But our 2025 re-certification goes much further. We’ve not only improved across the board, but reached a new level of accountability and impact. For context, the median score for ordinary businesses completing the B Impact Assessment is just 50.9.
What B Corp Certification Means
B Corp isn't a badge to stick on the wall, but independent proof that a business meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
Certified B Corporations are legally bound to consider all stakeholders – workers, communities, customers, and the environment – not just shareholders. Every three years, we must re-certify, proving we're continuously improving and meeting rising standards.
At its heart, B Corp represents a movement to transform the global economy into one that's inclusive, equitable, and regenerative. December19 doesn't just participate in that movement – we're helping to lead it.
“More than just talking about impact, we’re actively delivering it”
Our 2025 Impact Score in Detail
Governance: Embedding Ethics in Everything
We've strengthened how we build transparency and accountability into every decision.
Governance at December19 is about ensuring every choice we make considers all stakeholders, from our people to our clients to the communities we serve.
In fact, we’ve locked our mission into our legal structure, ensuring that stakeholder governance is protected in the long term. Our board formally reviews social and environmental KPIs every year, while management performance reviews also include sustainability goals. We publish an annual impact report, making our progress transparent and accountable
Workers: Where We've Made Our Greatest Leap
This is where we’ve really raised the bar.
Our culture prioritises financial security, wellbeing, and growth. From flexible working and mental health support to genuine development opportunities, we're investing in people so they can thrive both inside and outside of work.
More specifically, every team member shares in success through annual bonuses and profit-sharing.
Our people also benefit from healthcare and life insurance, flexible working, and generous parental leave policies. We’ve invested in wellbeing with subsidised gym memberships, counselling services, and ergonomic workspaces. We’ve also built strong development pathways: structured onboarding, career-long training opportunities, and clear routes for internal promotion. Paid internships at a living wage give future talent real opportunities too.
Community: Rooted in Real Impact
As an independent agency, we're deeply connected to the communities around us.
We've improved how we work with diverse suppliers, increased charitable contributions, and strengthened our approach to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
This year alone, we donated over 1% of revenue to charity, and gave our team paid time off to volunteer — with more than a quarter of staff participating, logging 100+ hours.
We’ve strengthened our DEI approach with blind recruitment, pay equity analysis, and measurable diversity targets. Our procurement now includes preferences for diverse and local suppliers. And with more than 25% job growth in the last 12 months, we’re investing in opportunities that lift others up along the way.
Being born different means lifting others up along the way.
Environment: Measurable Action, Not Just Words
We've taken concrete steps to reduce our environmental footprint – from travel and office energy use to sustainable supply chain choices.
As a media agency, we run our operations on 100% renewable energy and have policies to ensure sustainability extends into home offices too. We measure our carbon footprint, publish intensity metrics, and offset 100% of our Scope 1 & 2 emissions.
We’ve introduced recycling programs for paper, plastic, glass, and compost, alongside safe disposal of hazardous waste like e-waste and batteries. Energy efficiency measures, low-carbon commuting incentives, and reduced travel policies mean we’re cutting impact where it counts.
Customers: Partnership Over Service
For us, clients aren't customers – they're partners in creating responsible, impactful media.
That’s why we have a published ethical client policy, drawing clear lines around who we will and won’t work with.
We integrate carbon impact calculations into our campaign planning, ensuring media choices don’t just deliver reach, but accountability.
We also run annual client surveys and track outcomes so we’re constantly improving the value we deliver.
Why it Matters
Being B Corp certified isn't about being the best – it's about always working to be better.
Every improvement we make in operations, policies, and partnerships is another step towards the kind of economy we want to see: one that balances profit with genuine purpose.
The re-certification process is demanding by design. It ensures that B Corps like us are accountable, transparent, and genuinely committed to positive impact – not just for today, but for the long term.
This matters because the media industry needs to do better. We've proven it's possible.
What’s Next for December19
This score is a milestone, not a finish line. Continuous improvement is built into the B Corp journey, and we're already working on ways to raise the bar again:
Investing deeper in our people – with new initiatives to support wellbeing, professional growth, and true inclusivity.
Building stronger community partnerships – through expanded pro bono work, mentoring, and active volunteering.
Reducing our environmental impact further – exploring new ways to make our operations and supply chain more sustainable.
Creating campaigns that shape society – collaborating with clients to build work that doesn't just sell products but helps create a fairer, more inclusive world.
A Collective Achievement
This belongs to everyone at December19. From leadership to every team member, it's the product of shared values and collective action.
As Managing Director David Lucy puts it: "Our B Corp score proves that we don't just talk about impact – we actively deliver it. But the journey doesn't stop here. Every year, we'll keep pushing to do better for our people, our clients, and our planet."
We're also part of something bigger – a global community of more than 8,000 Certified B Corporations working across 150 industries in 80 countries. Together, we're proving that business can, and should, be a force for good.
The Future Belongs to Those Who Do Better
We're celebrating this moment, but we also know the work never stops. As we look ahead, we invite our partners, clients, and industry peers to join us in building a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable media future.
At December19, "Born Different" isn't just our tagline – it's our commitment to redefining what's possible. And when we all do better, everyone wins.