B Corp 101 for Small Businesses: A friendly intro to the new standards

Maybe you have heard of B Corp. Maybe you have googled “sustainability for small business” and closed the tab 30 seconds later. You are not alone.

This session is for small business owners in the Shoreham Port community - and beyond - who feel they should be doing more on sustainability but aren’t quite sure where to start.

We’ll cover what a B Corp actually is (and isn’t), what’s just changed with the new standards, and what it all means for a business of your size.

The headline: B Corp has just become a clearer framework for SMEs. You don’t have to do everything all at once, you just have to start. Together we’ll look at three small moves any small business can make this week, and how a Sussex community of certifying businesses can help carry the weight.

No homework, no jargon, and no requirement to come in already “sustainable”. Just a practical, down-to-earth hour, with space for your questions at the end.

Please note, Shoreham Port is holding it's Sustain ability Week networking session immediately after this talk in its sustainability focused cafe, Port Kitchen. You are welcome to stay and continue the conversations about how we can work towards a greener future together. Please tick the relevant box on your booking form so we know you are attending.

Sussex Impact Pathway is a B Corp training programme for small businesses across Sussex and London. They help you prepare for B Corp certification through an affordable 12-week small-group programme, with an additional 50% discount for marginalised-owned businesses. They believe B Corp certification should be collective, supported and affordable, not a solo uphill climb.

Meet your speakers

Demi Heath, Co-Founder, Sussex Impact Pathway

Demi Heath is a sustainability consultant and self-confessed B Corp nerd. She is Co-Founder of Sussex Impact Pathway - a Brighton-based programme that makes B Corp certification affordable and supported for small businesses.

Demi is also Co-Chair of Brighton B Local. She believes the B Corp movement should feel less like an exam and more like an invitation, and is on a mission to make sustainability practical, joyful and within reach for small business owners across Sussex.

Ella Turner, Co-Founder, Sussex Impact Pathway

Ella Turner is a sustainability and governance specialist with over 20 years’ experience across business, public policy, and the non-profit sector. She is Co-Founder of Sussex Impact Pathway.

Alongside her work with Demi, Ella advises on strategy, governance, and complex system challenges with a particular interest in how organisations can grow and build resilience while contributing to healthier, fairer communities.

She believes B Corp is not just a certification, but a practical framework for embedding purpose into decision-making and driving meaningful, lasting change

More information

We welcome visitors to the Port to come and experience our unique environment and learn more about us. While enjoying your time here, please be aware that this is a working Port and moving vehicles, uneven ground and deep water all feature within our footprint.

Please be careful as you explore; keep away from the water’s edge and bear the weather conditions in mind. While here you must follow any instructions provided by our team, and stay on marked walkways at all times.

Please make sure you wear suitable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing.

How to get here

With sustainability in mind, we are a short walk from the train station at Southwick, right on the Stagecoach 700 bus route, and have a lot of room for cycles. If you choose to drive, there are a limited number of parking spaces available at Shoreham Port, including disabled spaces.

We ask that attendees ensure to allow plenty of time to get to where you need to be, for most events we would advise arriving 10 minutes before the advertised start time. There is no need to print tickets, please just give your name to a member of the team at the entrance.