Beechurst Serviced Apartments achieves UK first as B Corp

Family-run Cheltenham business Beechurst Serviced Apartments has announced its certification as a B Corporation, becoming the first Serviced Apartment Provider in the UK to attain B Corp status.

The certification from B Lab also marks the first accommodation operator in the South West, as it joins over 8,000 businesses in more than 90 countries and over 160 industries certified as B Corps.

Beechurst Serviced Apartments, which provides accommodation for business and leisure purposes comprising five apartments in Cheltenham, has successfully met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit. The assessment criteria for B Corp certification include evaluating a company's performance in five categories of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.

Through a stringent certification process, applicants must achieve scores of at least 80 and demonstrate appropriate practices such as waste and water management, energy consumption and supply, worker compensation, diversity and corporate transparency. Beechurst secured an overall score of 89, against an industry average of 81, particularly excelling in their commitment to customers, business governance and the environment.

Beechurst is now part of a fast-growing global community who have certified as B Corps, from startups to multinationals and across many different industries, including well-known UK brands such as The Guardian, innocent, Patagonia, The Body Shop and organic food pioneers Abel & Cole. 

The apartments were first launched in July 2021 amidst intermittent COVID-19 lockdowns, and the business has thrived since its inception. From the outset the leadership team has had a vision to deliver “the most sustainable stays in Cheltenham”, committing to environment-first building practices during the property conversion, and adopting a sustainability mindset to underpin every business decision. The business has a “mission lock” registered with Companies House, legally committing the company to ethical practices and to act in ways aligned with the values of the B Corp movement.

Furthermore, the company has undertaken an extensive carbon footprint assessment, reducing the carbon cost of overnight stays to less than half the national average, with a stay at Beechurst Serviced Apartments producing just 6.35kgCO2e compared with an industry standard of 14.3kgCO2e. This has been done through energy reduction and commitment to renewables, environment-first building standards, reduction of consumables, changes to the laundry and procurement processes, and an ongoing commitment to guest education.

The business is now on course to be net zero by the end of December 2025, and to be a climate positive, regenerative business by the end of December 2028. There is a programme of planned year-on-year investment into both the facilities and building, as well as to the local community.

Separately, the business is also independently certified as a four-star silver with Quality in Tourism, and has a Safe, Clean, Legal certification demonstrating exemplary cleanliness and hygiene practices.

Angie Petkovic, Co-Owner of Beechurst Serviced Apartments, commented: “We're joining a collective of formidable names who have demonstrated values towards their employees and the communities they serve, as well as having a purpose for their business. This certification affirms our position at the helm of the hospitality industry, having been the first Serviced Apartment Provider in the UK to obtain B Corp status, and the first accommodation operator, based in the South West.

“The journey to gain B Corp certification has been a lengthy but rewarding one; it has been an enjoyable learning curve and we still have a lot we want to accomplish. We could not be happier to be part of the B Corp community, and we’ll continue in our commitment to help promote the importance of ethical values beyond profit.”

Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Beechurst Services Apartments to the B Corp community. They have an opportunity to lead the way within the hospitality industry and champion the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit. We know that the Beechurst team are going to be a fantastic addition to the community and will continue driving the conversation forward.”