Nile Group – B Corp Impact Report 2025 – Accessible Version

Prepared by Ellie Raeburn and Ellie Hickman

[Image: A group of participants at a Kiltwalk event standing together under a blue “FINISH” arch, wearing event t-shirts and medals]

Founder’s introduction

Incremental gains towards long-term change

Four years on from our B Corp certification, our commitment has moved from ambition to action. The principles of environmental and societal responsibility are no longer just a lens we look through; they are embedded in our daily operations, shaping how we support our team, the partners we choose, and the work we deliver.

This year, our purpose-driven lens led to significant steps. For our team, we launched an inclusive Family-Friendly Leave policy and a new EV salary sacrifice scheme. For our community, we deepened our partnership with social mobility charity Career Ready, providing paid internships and long-term mentorship for local students while raising over £3,000 for their work through the KiltWalk. Externally, we spoke out on responsible technology, challenging the industry to address the growing environmental impact of AI.

This update showcases our progress and highlights what we’re committed to doing over the next 12 months. While there’s more to do, we’re proud to demonstrate that Nile Group is moving in the right direction, step by step, toward a better world where no one is left behind by the systems that shape our lives.

Board of Directors, Edinburgh, 2025.

Sarah Ronald, Founder. Dag Lee, CEO & Chairman.

Our journey to certification

Our B Corp journey

What is a B Corp?

B Corporations are businesses verified to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Certification ensures a company balances profit with purpose, committing to making a positive impact on people and the planet.

Why did Nile become a B Corp?

For decades, many businesses have prioritised profit at the expense of people and the planet, fostering practices that harm communities and ecosystems. At Nile, we believe businesses have a responsibility to do better. Becoming a B Corp in 2021 was a natural step, providing us with a robust framework to measure and drive positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impact.

Our goal and ambition

As a B Corp, we’re held accountable to create long-term value for society, not just our Board of Directors. This commitment directly connects to our core model – our vision, purpose, mission, and values.

We prioritise work that positively affects large numbers of people, and often focus our efforts where others struggle; complex problems in regulated industries with a broad impact. By embedding B Corp principles into our strategy, we are working toward a world where no one is left behind by the systems that shape our lives.

Vision: A world where nobody is left behind by the systems that shape our lives.

Purpose: Making essential products and services effective, for everyone.

Mission: Create the outcomes that matter for people, with technology.

Values: Human at heart, outcome focused, big picture savvy, in it together.

Certification timeline

2020: Discovery & initial scoring

We began our B Corp journey by exploring the framework. Our initial self-assessed score was 81, just above the minimum certification threshold of 80, giving us a clear baseline for improvement.

2021: Verification & certification

In April 2021 we proactively updated our company articles to reflect our commitment to positive impact. By June, we officially became a certified B Corp with a verified score of 90.2.

2024: Recertification

We successfully recertified with a verified score of 94.3, reaffirming our dedication to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

2025: Progress & new standards

We delivered on the majority of our FY 2024-2025 goals, and began strategising towards our next recertification under the new international standards in 2027.

Ongoing commitment

Our current B Corp score of 94.3 is a constant benchmark for our impact. This places us well above both the minimum of 80 required for certification and the median of 50.9 for ordinary businesses, reflecting our deep commitment to using business as a force for good.

While last year was about achieving recertification, this year is about building on that foundation. We see this score not as a resting point, but as a baseline for continuous improvement. Our focus now is on embedding our impact principles even deeper into our daily work as we prepare for the new, more demanding B Corp standards ahead of our 2027 recertification.

  • 94.3: Nile’s overall impact score

  • 80: qualifies for B Corp certification

  • 50.9: the median score for ordinary businesses 

2024 Score: 94.3

  • Governance: 17.8

  • Colleagues: 36.0

  • Environment: 9.7

  • Clients: 10.6

  • Community: 20.0

Our progress: FY 2024-25

Governance

What we said we’d do

  1. Roll out an AI policy that specifically considers our environmental, social and ethical impact.

  2. Publish updated environmental policies after sign-off from our Board of Directors and notify the wider team.

  3. Increase transparency through quarterly Town Hall updates, ensuring employees and leadership are informed on performance and progress.

  4. Collaborate with our team to revisit and revamp our company mission and values.

What we did

  1. Launched our first formal AI policy, embedding environmental, social, and ethical principles into our ways of working to ensure our work is responsible and human-centred.

  2. Updated and published our board-approved environmental policies, creating a clear framework for managing our operational footprint and making our commitment to environmental stewardship tangible and accessible to everyone in the business.

  3. We established a new rhythm of company-wide communication by introducing quarterly Town Halls. These sessions are designed to increase transparency around company performance and key decisions, creating a direct and open forum between leadership and the entire team.

  4. Through a company-wide, collaborative initiative, we engaged the entire team to co-create an updated expression of our core DNA. This process led to the reshaping of our core model to accurately reflect who we are today and our vision for a world where nobody is left behind, ensuring our B Corp ambitions remain deeply rooted in our collective purpose.

Colleagues

What we said we’d do

  1. Embed wellbeing into our culture through initiatives such as mindfulness, lunchtime walks, shared interest activities, and remote socials.

  2. Invest in wide-ranging training through LinkedIn Learning and set clearer career progression pathways across Nile Group.

  3. Launch short Quarterly Pulse surveys to complement our Employee Engagement Survey, focusing on targeted feedback.

  4. Update the Flexible Working Policy and Family Friendly Policy with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.

What we did

  1. We actively promoted a culture of wellbeing by introducing a range of team-led initiatives. These included weekly mindfulness sessions, summer group walks, and shared interest activities, providing dedicated time for colleagues to connect and recharge.

  2. To support career growth, we invested in an annual subscription for LinkedIn Learning, and set up learning pathways on topics such as AI and handling data. We also began work to define and formalise clearer career progression across the entire Nile Group.

  3. We ran two significant feedback initiatives this year: our large-scale employee engagement survey and an AI usage survey. To ensure these gathered quality insights without overloading our team, we postponed the launch of our planned short quarterly pulse surveys and will now carry this goal forward into the next financial year.

  4. We evolved our support for working parents by replacing our traditional maternity policy with a comprehensive new Family-Friendly Leave policy. This provides enhanced paid time off for all new mothers, fathers, and adoptive parents, creating a more equitable and inclusive foundation for every family in our team.

Environment

What we said we’d do

  1. Launch an Electric Vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme in partnership with LoveElectric, providing sustainable transport options for employees.

  2. Our team will volunteer for a beach clean-up day to remove waste from local beaches and protect the seafront around Edinburgh.

  3. Further prioritise B Corp-Certified, local, and environmentally friendly suppliers. Our focus will include sustainable logistics solutions, such as low-emissions delivery methods using electric vehicles or electric drones.

  4. Donate unused Nespresso pods as we transition to an environmentally friendly bean-to-cup coffee machine.

What we did

  1. We made sustainable transport more accessible for our team by launching a new Electric Vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme. This initiative, run in partnership with LoveElectric, provides an affordable way for colleagues to switch to an EV.

  2. Our planned team beach clean-up day was rescheduled due to adverse weather conditions and team availability earlier in the year, and is confirmed to take place in August 2025. We look forward to reporting on the impact of this activity in our next update.

  3. This year, we took direct action to improve our supply chain’s environmental impact. By deliberately switching to B Corp Certified and local partners, 100% of our office stationery is now sourced from certified green and recycled sources.

  4. To reduce office waste, we transitioned to a new bean-to-cup coffee machine, eliminating single-use pods from our daily operations. We ensured this environmental improvement also had a social benefit by donating our remaining supplies to Who Cares? Scotland, a national charity that provides vital advocacy and support for children and young people in the care system.

Clients

What we said we’d do

  1. Help to deliver the University of Edinburgh innovation and entrepreneurship programmes, supporting emerging technology start-ups.

  2. Collaborate with Heriot-Watt University and the Centre for Sustainable Brewing and Distillation to address environmental opportunities in solving logistical inefficiencies and sustainable packaging solutions.

  3. Expand our service offerings around ESG, digital accessibility, and inclusion for organisations and their customers.

  4. Speak at Norway’s Energetic Future conference about the energy dilemma posed by the exponential growth of AI technologies.

What we did

  1. As the trusted design partner for the University of Edinburgh’s AI Accelerator, we helped the next generation of innovators build businesses that solve global challenges. This year we delivered 35 expert-led sessions and over 17 days of hands-on support to 10 early-stage AI companies. Our team provided mentorship and training on everything from customer research and UX design to product strategy, helping these start-ups navigate critical growth challenges and contributing to a thriving local innovation ecosystem.

  2. In partnership with Heriot-Watt University, we helped address a major environmental challenge: the impact of shipping 1.83 billion bottles abroad annually from the distilling industry. Our facilitated workshop brought together key figures from academia and industry, generating concrete ideas for sustainable packaging and logistics to advance a collective, planet-focused solution for one of Scotland’s most vital sectors.

  3. We strategically expanded our services to help clients improve their social performance, with a key focus on digital inclusion. Through our Dig Inclusion team, we trained approximately 2,000 NHS England staff across 25 sessions, equipping them with the skills to ensure the NHS website and its vital digital services are accessible to everyone.

  4. Our Design Director took a thought leadership position on responsible AI at the Energetic Future 2024 conference, hosted by the Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce. He highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting a single AI model’s training can equal the lifetime emissions of five cars, while also exploring solutions like data centre innovation to address AI’s growing environmental impact.

Community

What we said we’d do

  1. Participate in the KiltWalk to raise money for Career Ready, a local social mobility charity that helps young people progress to meaningful work.

  2. Sharing our knowledge on themes such as inclusion, accessibility, and financial education through a series of free webinars.

  3. Volunteer on the Career Ready 18-month mentorship programme to mentor local high school students from underprivileged backgrounds, and provide them with paid internship opportunities at Nile over the summer holidays.

  4. Partner with Panmure House, an Edinburgh charity. They provide world-influencing social and economic debate and research, convening in the name of Adam Smith to effect positive change and forge global, future-focussed networks.

What we did

  1. Our team, ‘I Will Walk 500 Niles‘, completed the 21.3-mile Mighty Stride as part of the Edinburgh KiltWalk. Through this fantastic effort, we raised over £3,000 for Career Ready, a social mobility charity helping young people in our community build successful careers.

  2. We shared our specialist knowledge by hosting a series of five free webinars for the wider community. Our experts delivered sessions on critical topics including digital accessibility, the practical application of the FCA’s Consumer Duty, and the human-centred challenges of adopting AI in financial services.

  3. We deepened our commitment to social mobility by providing a paid, three-week summer internship for a local high school student, in partnership with Career Ready. Our team designed a hands-on experience for our intern, and our People Director is continuing to support her as a long-term mentor on the 18-month programme.

  4. Through our partnership with Panmure House, we actively engaged in local debates on the future of capitalism and purpose-driven business. Our team attended a key talk on ‘profit without harm,’ bringing back insights that reinforce our own human-centred principles and our B Corp commitment to helping businesses become more inclusive.

Our goals: FY 2025-26

Embracing B Corp’s evolving standards

Earlier this year, the B Corp movement released new international standards, raising the bar for what it means to be a business that balances profit and purpose. We welcome this evolution as it reinforces our core mission to create a world where nobody is left behind and provides a clear roadmap for deepening our impact.

In preparation for our 2027 recertification, we are already taking decisive action. We have established a dedicated B Corp working group and have attended multiple webinars on the new standards to understand what we need to do to maintain our certification. We are also engaging with B Lab experts, including the Co-Chair of B Corp Local Scotland, to guide our planning. This proactive approach is not just about compliance; it’s an opportunity to learn, improve, and become a more impactful partner to our clients and a more effective force for good.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Foundation Requirements

  • Purpose & Stakeholder Governance

  • Fair Work

  • Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  • Human Rights

  • Climate Action

  • Environmental Stewardship & Circularity

  • Government Affairs & Collective Action

Purpose & Stakeholder Governance

  1. Review and document our existing process for how we consider stakeholder interests (team, clients, community, environment) in major business decisions.

  2. Integrate our company values into our performance and development process by adding a dedicated section to our monthly PDP reports for team members to reflect on how they have lived a specific Nile Group value.

Fair Work

  1. Finalise and communicate the new, clearer career progression pathways for all roles across the Nile Group.

  2. Implement our enhanced annual leave policy, increasing the allowance to 35 days to support team wellbeing and ensure a restorative festive break for all colleagues.

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

  1. Run a series of internal workshops focused on upskilling the team in Inclusive Design principles, culminating in a session on how to apply these concepts to our work in Ethical AI.

  2. Join a Pathways Pledge cohort and commit to a specific, measurable action aimed at improving gender diversity and inclusion within the Scottish business and investment ecosystem.

Human Rights

  1. Conduct an initial risk assessment of our direct operations to identify and document any potential human rights impacts.

  2. Publish a thought leadership article that frames our digital accessibility work, through Dig Inclusion, as a direct contribution to upholding human rights in a digital world.

Climate Action

  1. Attend at least two B Lab or industry webinars on climate action for SMEs to inform our future emissions reduction strategy.

  2. Calculate our company’s baseline carbon footprint for the previous financial year (Scope 1 and 2 emissions).

Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

  1. Volunteer for a dedicated beach clean-up day at Gullane Bents to remove waste and help protect the Edinburgh coastline.

  2. Review our primary office suppliers (e.g., for stationery and consumables) and switch to a provider with demonstrably stronger environmental credentials and a commitment to plastic-free packaging.

Government Affairs and Collective Action

  1. Continue our partnership with Panmure House by participating in at least one public debate or event related to our mission.

  2. Continue our support for Scottish Financial Enterprise through membership and pro-bono work. This includes our CEO aiding the Global Investment Summit, sharing our expertise on vulnerable customers, and joining fundraising initiatives.