Vicki Whyte from Ethical eDiscovery reflects on the realities behind certification, from flexible working and career development to the ongoing challenge of creating a healthier and more supportive workplace culture.
Since Ethical eDiscovery became the world’s first eDiscovery B Corp we have been shouting about it from the rooftops. It has thrown up a number of emotions:
- We are relieved to have achieved certification (there was a lot of hard work, head scratching, policy and decision making with no guaranteed outcome);
- We are immensely proud(we’re still patting ourselves on the back) of being part of a global movement where businesses don’t just prioritise profit but demand decision making for a positive impact across people and the planet
- And we feel somewhat exposed as we now have to ensure that we maintain those high standards and continue to grow the business alongside our B Corp commitment.
We have written a number of articles and social media posts from different perspectives about becoming a B Corp. However, by acknowledging our partnership with LawCare as a 25 Club member we wanted to consider what becoming a B Corp really means for people and wellbeing. It is one of the most demanding parts of the certification because it requires measurable, documented and verifiable evidence – not just good intentions.
When we became certified, we were measured on five pillars:
- Workers
- Governance
- Community
- Environment
- Customers
Learn more about the five pillars and how Ethical eDiscovery scored against them.
The Workers’ Pillar
The Worker’s Pillar’s purpose is to evaluate how a company treats, protects, develops and empowers its employees. All those acts can affect our wellbeing and mental health in work and at home. I am sure most of us have experienced feelings of being unappreciated, bullied, stressed about achieving impossible deadlines or suffering from imposter syndrome. The list goes on. I am lucky enough to work in a company whereby I don’t experience those feelings and going through the B Corp process has helped to highlight what businesses must do to ensure we hold some accountability for the wellbeing of those we work alongside.
Even if you aren’t a B Corp, there are practices you can adopt to enhance workplace wellbeing. Evaluate your workforce by asking questions such as:
- How can we offer more career stability with greater financial benefits? At Ethical eDiscovery, we’ve implemented healthcare allowances, an employee pension scheme and a profit-share scheme
- What benefits will truly make a difference in people’s lives? We work flexible hours that fit into our personal lives. Some of us have young children to juggle, dogs to walk, university students to visit and gym memberships we want to make use of during quieter times outside normal office hours. Ethical eDiscovery’s approach to our workforce allows people to manage these normal parts of life without feeling judged or penalised, helping support a healthier work / life balance
- How can we develop our team in a way that supports both their interests and their careers? We are encouraged to learn aspects of the business that we are truly interested in and complete courses that are relevant and give us transferable skills in our careers. We are encouraged to set personal work goals and James, the Founder, supports our needs in achieving these. B Corp certification was one of mine!
So that box is ticked?? No. The B Corp process has brought up a new dilemma for us. The new standards which have just come into practice mean there has been a shift from policy based to accountability based certification. We must prove that we are identifying, managing and improving worker wellbeing, not just offering wellbeing initiatives. How do we do that? We are a small company, we don’t have an HR department and we work remotely. How do we make sure we ask the right questions without being too invasive? Read the signals? Maintain professionalism whilst letting people know we care? Who is responsible in the team to measure this and how will it land with individuals? These are all questions we are yet to answer, and it is certainly work in progress.
To answer the question – what does becoming a B Corp mean to people and wellbeing? I am sure the answer is different for everyone but for me it is an opportunity to address who I work for, what they stand for and how they achieve it. The certification process is thought provoking and the decisions across all pillars, but in particular wellbeing, is not straight forward or clear cut. So, whilst I can’t just tick this off my to do list which is my normal approach to work it means I have an opportunity to be part of a team and company that want to make a change for good in the business world.
More about Ethical eDiscovery
Ethical eDiscovery provides expert legal technology support across investigations, litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution. They specialise in data collection and interrogation, forensic investigations, eDiscovery, and AI driven document review. They believe justice must guide every decision. Their work is grounded in honesty, transparency, and ethical practice, with a clear commitment to minimising our social and environmental impact across the legal sector and beyond. As proud members of the Pro Bono Expert Support Group and supporters of LawCare through the 25 Club, they collaborate with organisations that share the same values and their belief in doing what’s right. Ethical eDiscovery is a B Corp business.
For any questions, feedback, or to share experiences, please reach out to Vicki Whyte.
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