The Wrexham businesses that are “here for good”

Article from TownSq at The Wrexham Enterprise Hub, ‘delivered as part of the wider Business Wales support family’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

What does it mean to be a business “for good”? Many businesses of a certain size will subscribe to some concept of Corporate Social Responsibility – but is it any more than lip service?

This month, those organisations who pledge to do more for their planet and communities than simply turn a profit are being celebrated as part of B Corp Month.

There are over 6,300 certified B Corps worldwide, all of which have met strict criteria and been officially recognised for their commitment to making a positive difference, but it’s hoped that celebrations throughout March will have inspired many more businesses to adopt similar values.

So, what role could businesses in Wrexham play in solving the societal, environmental and economic problems we face?

There is a growing movement in the UK for organisations to be held to a higher standard. When it comes to a greener future, it’s not uncommon for people to look to the corporate sector to lead the way in manifesting it. Similarly, businesses are seen to have solutions to some of the socio-economic issues that affect the communities they work within.

Whilst we all have our part to play, increasing numbers of companies are taking these responsibilities seriously and pledging to ensure their business can benefit everyone. Those leading the way in these areas are not solely the household names such as Ben & Jerry’s and Patagonia, but are amongst our local communities and at the grassroots – so who are the Wrexham businesses committed to doing better?

Making Wrexham a hub for commerce

For small businesses, the budget and opportunities to get a brand name out there and in front of captive audiences are often massively lacking.

The vicious cycle of needing capital to invest but not having the opportunity to grow is not lost on many North Wales companies, who are now dealing with the added pressures of the rising cost of living and doing business.

Fair Events Management Ltd. is a social enterprise with a mission to give startups, local businesses and emerging talent a creative and cultural platform to showcase their offering to thousands of people for minimal cost. The team founded Wrexham Feast, a local food festival dedicated to supporting chefs, retailers and artists from the area with low costs for traders and attending families, too.

Thousands of free tickets have been given away to people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend, and 227 small businesses have been supported through the company’s work. Last year, Wrexham Feast won the Community Award at the Daily Post Business Awards for the impact it has had locally.

Samantha Harris, Event Coordinator for Fair Events Management and Wrexham Feast, said: “Chances for businesses in their early or developing stages to shine are few and far between in most places, but the benefits of events like Wrexham Feast have been clear. Experience for traders to hone their skills, trial products and connect with the community have proven to give businesses a real boost, and its affordability as a family day out has seen lots of locals come together, which is great to see.

“We’re passionate about local trade and encouraging more people to buy from Wrexham retailers has been another aim for us – the less we need to outsource from other parts of the country and, indeed, the world, the more the planet will benefit.”

Building a more accessible world

When we consider how we can make workplaces, public spaces and homes more accessible, many of us will initially think of mobility aids such as ramps or lifts to help visitors to get around the site conveniently and safely.

Undoubtedly an important issue, accessibility for those with decreased mobility has seen major strides taken in recent years – but how can we tackle the existing anxiety that many still feel before visiting an unfamiliar place, apprehensive that they may face some difficulty?

Familiarisation Videos was founded by Karen Williams and Roxanne France-Barton to ‘make the unfamiliar more familiar’ and offer people the opportunity to assess a public venue based on their needs before visiting.

Karen said that the growing database of videos, showing how venues are laid out and what requirements may be missing, will be a game changer for people with disabilities: “Considerations for accessibility needs are more common than ever in public areas, but, still, people face the barrier of simply not knowing what lies beyond the front door. For people to be able to see this in advance and make plans or request reasonable adjustments will massively reduce anxiety.

“All businesses can do a little more to improve accessibility – no venue will ever be 100% accessible as we all have such complex and wide-ranging needs, but Familiarisation Videos can make a huge difference.

Business that supports other businesses

Some might say that it’s easier said than done to run a profitable business which strives to generate turnover and a positive impact in equal measures.

Town Square Spaces (TownSq), a growing network of coworking hubs and certified B Corp business, looks to support other local enterprises both to grow and do better business. It’s an organisation with an aim to leave the world in a better state than it was when it was founded, using business as a force for good and

Community Director of TownSq, Carl Turner, said: “Being a B-Corp, for us, means making valuable contributions to local economies, championing entrepreneurship and improving opportunities for local business people, and having the minimal possible impact on the environment when setting up and operating coworking spaces.”

TownSq operates the Wrexham Enterprise Hub on Rhosddu Road, which is a huge supporter of its member companies. The hub offers regular business support courses and expert workshops for budding entrepreneurs, and recently hosted a free carbon-neutral event giving guidance to local businesses on how they can work more sustainably.

What can we learn?

It’s clear that a running theme between businesses that are here for good is the importance of togetherness and the lifting up of those around us.

Samantha suggested that doing right by the planet and the community around you may not always be the most profitable approach, but should not be written off: “We’ve already seen a boost to our local economy as a result of a more active trade scene, and this will have a knock-on effect for businesses here, too. The sense of togetherness we’ve fostered in Wrexham between retailers and audiences alike seems to have accrued a great deal of loyalty for companies.

Carl of TownSq said: “We want as many new businesses as possible to share our values of responsibility to the planet and communities we work in, which is why we are so keen to support budding entrepreneurs and invite them into our close-knit network where members are always inspiring one another to do better. We’re proud to say that so many of the businesses based at our hubs or coming through our programmes are making big waves in areas like sustainability and social enterprise.

Karen pointed out the importance of putting yourself in others’ shoes: “It’s all about thinking a little more about the challenges others around us might be facing that we don’t even think about – this is key to making the world more understanding and mutually supportive.

“Also, attitudes are fast changing and it won’t be long before organisations not pulling their weight when it comes to how they impact the world around them will be called out in a major way by consumers. It’s not worth getting left behind!”