Why Becoming a B Corp Matters in Education Recruitment

Class People is now a Certified B Corporation!

This is not a badge we have added lightly, and it is not a marketing exercise. Becoming a B Corp is a formal recognition of something we have been working towards for years: building a recruitment business that puts people, purpose and long-term impact at the centre of how we operate.

In a sector as crucial to society as education, how recruitment agencies behave genuinely matters. Schools, teachers and support staff shape lives every day, and the organisations that support them carry a real responsibility to act with care, integrity and accountability.

What does it mean to be a B Corp?

Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Certification is awarded by B Lab following a detailed assessment of how a business operates across five key areas:

• Governance
• Workers
• Community
• Environment
• Customers

To become certified, businesses must also make a legal commitment to balance profit with purpose. That means considering the impact of decisions on people and the planet, not just shareholders.

Put simply, B Corp status means being independently assessed and held to higher standards.

Why B Corp matters in education recruitment

Education recruitment is about far more than filling vacancies. It directly affects stability in schools, staff wellbeing and outcomes for children and young people. When recruitment is rushed or overly transactional, schools and staff feel the impact immediately.

Becoming a B Corp matters because it aligns recruitment with the values education itself is built on.

Putting people before placements

Teachers, teaching assistants, SEN professionals and early years staff are not commodities. They are skilled professionals whose wellbeing and job satisfaction have a direct influence on classrooms and learners.

Our B Corp commitment reinforces our approach to:

• Fair treatment and transparent pay practices
• Honest conversations about roles, expectations and suitability
• Building long-term relationships rather than chasing short-term fixes

This shapes how we support candidates from initial registration through to ongoing placements. You can find out more about how we work with education professionals on our candidate pages.

Supporting schools sustainably

Schools and settings are under significant pressure, financially, operationally and emotionally. Ethical recruitment plays an important role in reducing churn, improving continuity and supporting better outcomes for pupils.

Our B Corp status strengthens our focus on:

• Matching the right people, not just available people
• Taking the time to understand school cultures and priorities
• Supporting long-term and permanent solutions where appropriate

You can learn more about how we support schools and settings across the South West on our services pages.

Accountability in a crowded market

Education recruitment is a competitive sector, and not all agencies operate in the same way. B Corp certification provides reassurance to schools and candidates that our values and practices have been independently verified.

It holds us accountable to:

• Ethical decision-making at every level of the business
• Clear, transparent policies and processes
• Ongoing improvement, with reassessment every three years

This certification is not a one-off achievement. It is an ongoing commitment.

Positive impact beyond the classroom

Education does not exist in isolation. Recruitment agencies also have a role to play in supporting communities, reducing environmental impact and creating healthy, sustainable workplaces.

As a B Corp, we are committed to:

• Responsible growth that benefits local communities
• Reducing our environmental impact wherever possible
• Creating a workplace that supports development, wellbeing and inclusion

These principles influence how we operate internally and how we work with partners externally.

What this means going forward

Becoming a B Corp does not mean we are finished. It means we are formalising our responsibility to keep improving.

Going forward, this means:

• Greater transparency around how we operate and measure impact
• Continued investment in people, not just processes
• A long-term approach to education recruitment that prioritises quality over volume

For candidates, this means working with an agency that values your career, wellbeing and professional contribution.

For schools and settings, it means partnering with a recruitment agency that takes its responsibility to your staff and pupils seriously.

Recruitment with purpose

Education shapes futures, and recruitment shapes education.

Becoming a Certified B Corporation reflects our belief that education recruitment should be ethical, accountable and purpose-led, while still being commercially sustainable.

This certification marks an important milestone for Class People, but more importantly, it represents an ongoing commitment to doing things the right way.