Oxford, September 2024
Since its beginning in 2006, the B Corp movement has evolved into a powerful global community of over 9,000 companies – Certified B Corporations – across more than 100 countries. These companies share a common mission: to transform how businesses operate by prioritizing a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.
The 2024 Louder than Words festival in Oxford, organized by B Lab UK, brought this vision to life. With over 40 sessions ranging from regeneration and systemic change to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) and impact investing, the festival united B Corps, activists, and change-makers from around the world to rally around tangible action. The urgent need to finally move beyond words and ‘walk the talk’ was particularly evident in the opening panel where Clay Brown, Interim Co-Lead Executive at B Lab Global, emphasized the crucial role businesses play in systems change: “Business is the problem and therefore must be part of the solution.”
The opening panel of the ‘Louder than Words’ B Corp Festival in Oxford, Credit: Mykola Romanovsky for B Lab UK
The true power of the B Corp movement goes beyond certification. It’s about scale, collaboration, and interconnectedness. Companies of all sizes and industries come together to share values, learn from each other, and find synergies. Events like the Louder Than Words festival showcase how business leaders are uniting to look beyond individual impact and create large-scale change to create a more resilient economy.
Faryaal Zaman, B Lab Europe’s Certification Lead, expressed the energy felt at the event:
Arriving in Oxford the night before the official kick-off of Louder Than Words, there was already a tangible buzz. Being part of one of the largest ever gatherings of B Corps created an infectious energy that could be felt throughout the event.
One of the most important aspects of the Louder Than Words festival was the emphasis on collaboration over competition. This was a core message shared across numerous discussions, highlighting the importance of businesses uniting to tackle large-scale challenges. For the European B Corp movement, this is a powerful reminder of the need for cross-sector partnerships to drive meaningful change. Companies across industries are increasingly understanding that working together is the only way to achieve the scale of impact needed to address the global issues we face.
This sentiment was echoed by Bernardo Maza Stern, B Lab Europe’s Senior Community Engagement Lead, who noted, “Say yes to collaboration, not competition.” during his speech for the B Corp Beauty Coalition on the second day of the festival. His experience at the event underscored how collaboration fosters innovation and strengthens the movement, as B Corps continue to seek synergies and collective solutions to today’s most pressing problems.
Bernardo Maza Stern and Jo Chidley on the Second Day of the festival; Credit: Mykola Romanovsky for B Lab UK
The 2-day Louder Than Words festival featured a packed schedule of keynotes, panels, workshops, and debates. Topics ranged from regeneration and systemic change to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) and impact investing. This diversity in content provided participants with a well-rounded learning experience, deepening their understanding of what it means to drive meaningful change.
My personal highlights were listening to businesswoman, broadcaster, author, and activist Mary Portas, and the short sessions showcasing how B Corps worked with their local communities to create impact.
Mary Portas on the Day 1 of the festival; Credit: Mykola Romanovsky for B Lab UK
I particularly enjoyed the variety of the event’s program. The sessions on climate advocacy, JEDI, and impact investment were inspiring. The city’s cafés and restaurants buzzed with conversations on solutions to the critical issues we discussed." “One standout session, titled ‘Travel on Trial,’ sparked a passionate debate on the ethics of air travel in a climate crisis. The session asked tough questions about whether slow train and boat travel could replace flying and how travel can be reimagined to align with sustainable values. It ended with a resounding message: action—however imperfect—speaks louder than words.
Travel on Trial Fringe Session; Credit: Mykola Romanovsky for B Lab UK
The Louder Than Words festival was not just an event but a call to action. For the European B Corp community, the next steps are clear: continue to build on the momentum generated by the festival by engaging in deeper collaboration and moving from individual action to tangible, large-scale impact.
In a world where action speaks louder than words, European businesses are poised to lead the charge toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and regenerative economy. The time for change is now, and the European B Corps are ready to make it happen.
