The process required us to closely examine how we operate as a business, the decisions we make, and the outcomes of our work across the 2023/24 financial year. It demanded evidence, accountability and a willingness to improve.
We achieved a B Impact Score of 107.6, exceeding the minimum requirement of 80 points by more than 27 points.
A significant contributor to this result was qualifying for four Impact Business Model (IBM) bonuses. B Lab notes that earning credit for an Impact Business Model is difficult, and that it’s extremely rare for a business to qualify for three or more. We’re proud to be among that group.
Two of our IBMs were awarded for providing services that support purpose-driven and underserved organisations, and for serving populations experiencing disadvantage. As a design studio, this required us to clearly demonstrate the link between our work and the real-world outcomes achieved by our clients.
One example came from Social Ventures Australia (SVA), whose 2023/24 Annual Review reported that SVA-supported initiatives reached 430,000 Australians experiencing disadvantage — close to 19% of Australians living with disadvantage, based on Australian Government Census data.
Another example drew on data from the City of Sydney and Tierney House, a transitional accommodation facility supported by our long-standing client St Vincent’s Curran Foundation. From this, we calculated that around 25% of people sleeping rough or relying on hostels benefited from the 12-bed residential program.
At Leading Hand, design has never been just about aesthetics. It’s about strategy, integrity and impact. Becoming a B Corp Certified design studio formalises what has long guided our work — that going to work is about getting important things done. Good things. For people, communities and the planet.
