You’ve built strong foundations. Now let’s build even further.

Congratulations on achieving BBfG Activate and becoming BBfG Verified.

BBfG Elevate is the second stage of the BBfG Verification journey, designed for organisations with over 25 staff (although not limited to) that want to build on the positive foundations they’ve already established.

During your first year you demonstrated your commitment to people, community and the environment. BBfG Elevate helps you take that commitment further by strengthening environmental leadership, employee wellbeing, community partnerships and organisational impact.

✓ Continue building on your BBfG Verified achievements.

✓ Strengthen your sustainability and ESG credentials.

✓ Develop future talent and healthier workplaces.

✓ Lead initiatives that create lasting community impact.

“Being a business rooted in community and family values, we recognise our responsibility to be a role model for positive change. Through BBfG, we’re actively connecting with like-minded local businesses, sharing best practices, and working together to make a meaningful impact.”

Cheryl Standing, Head of People and Operations, Cornerstone Nurseries

BBfG Elevate Verification

Your Elevate verification journey

BBfG Elevate builds upon everything you’ve achieved during your first year as a BBfG Verified organisation.

To achieve BBfG Elevate you must:

Continue to meet at least 5 of the 7 BBfG Activate criteria

PLUS

Achieve at least 5 of the 9 BBfG Elevate criteria

This ensures organisations continue building on strong foundations while demonstrating continual improvement year after year.

Simple, transparent pricing

  • up to 10 employees – £500
  • 11-49 employees – £595
  • 50+ employees  – £999
Celebrate your progress

We’ll review everything your organisation has achieved since becoming BBfG Verified and discuss where you’re ready to take the next step.

Continue Building

Choose the Elevate criteria most relevant to your organisation and work towards completing at least five of them over the year.

Achieve BBfG Elevate

Celebrate your continued progress and become recognised as one of North Hampshire’s leading organisations for people, community and environmental leadership.

Criteria for BBfG Elevate Verification 2026

To achieve BBfG Elevate, organisations must complete at least five of the following criteria whilst continuing to meet five of the seven Activate criteria.

Support local employment and work experience

Create opportunities for local people through hiring people living locally, taking on apprenticeships, work experience and  student placements or supported employment.

Become a greener business

Complete a Green Review with Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council’s Green Team and receive a toolkit, identifying practical opportunities to improve your environmental sustainability. (only available for organisations located in Basingstoke & Deane area)

Extend your ESG knowledge

Complete SEEDL’s Sustainability and ESG Reporting programme to strengthen your understanding of ESG reporting and future organisational requirements.

Invest in Emotional Wellbeing for your employees

Have trained Mental Health First Aiders within your organisation. Larger organisations are encouraged to also appoint a Neurodiversity Champion.

Instigate a Community Action Programme

Develop or lead a Community Action Programme that creates measurable local impact, such as Hop into Reading.

Make your Workplace Suicide Prevention Pledge

Sign the Workplace Suicide Prevention Pledge, demonstrating your commitment to creating a workplace where mental wellbeing is openly supported.

Biodiversity and Wildlife Survey

Set staff a practical monthly sustainability challenge to help improve the environment and engage your team in living a greener lifestyle at home – we provide lots of ideas for challenges.

Download the Brevity 12 month Sustainability Challenge – download now.

Reporting on your Impact

Bring together the difference your organisation makes to people, communities and the environment in a simple Annual Impact Summary.

Many funders and grant providers now want to understand not only the outcomes your organisation delivers, but also how you operate, your sustainability credentials and the wider contribution you make to your community.

Your Annual Impact Summary should bring together your key achievements, partnerships, environmental actions and future commitments in a simple format that can be used to:

  • Strengthen funding and grant applications.
  • Demonstrate your sustainability credentials.
  • Report to trustees and stakeholders.
  • Share your achievements with supporters and the wider community.
  • Showcase your organisation to local businesses looking to support charities through volunteering, fundraising, sponsorship and skills sharing.

BBfG provides a simple framework to help you create and update your Annual Impact Summary each year.

What happens after BBfG Elevate verification?

  • Demonstrate leadership – Show customers, employees and partners that your organisation is committed to continual improvement, not simply maintaining standards.

  • Strengthen tenders and ESG reporting – Your Annual Impact Report and Elevate achievements provide valuable evidence for procurement, funding applications and stakeholder communications.

  • Lead positive change – Become an active contributor to Community Action Programmes and help shape future BBfG initiatives across North Hampshire.

  • Inspire others – Share best practice with other BBfG members through People Planet Pint, case studies and community events.

  • Prepare for BBfG Vanguard – Elevate is designed to prepare organisations for the next stage of the BBfG Verification journey, recognising those that consistently lead by example across people, community and the environment.

Get BBfG Verified

Provide your contact details and Kaia Vincent will contact you to discuss BBfG verification. 

Got a question? Call us on 07446298634 or email kaia@bbfg.org.uk

BBfG FAQS

No. To become BBfG Verified, your organisation must currently meet, or commit to achieving, at least five of the seven verification criteria. We’re looking for organisations that are committed to continual improvement, not perfection.

That’s exactly who BBfG is for. Many organisations are already making a significant contribution to their people, community and the environment, but haven’t stopped to recognise just how much they’re doing. Existing BBfG members often tell us that the verification process helped them appreciate the positive impact they were already making, while giving them a clear framework to involve their teams and build on it year after year.

Yes. BBfG brings together businesses, charities and public sector organisations that want to make a positive difference across North Hampshire.

Many of our business members are actively looking for charities to support through employee volunteering, fundraising, sponsorship, skills sharing and long-term partnerships. BBfG helps create opportunities for those relationships to develop through People Planet Pint, Community Action Programmes and the wider BBfG community.

Not significantly. Most organisations discover they’re already doing far more than they realise.

The verification process helps you bring together the positive work happening across your organisation, from supporting local suppliers and volunteering to employee wellbeing, sustainability and community engagement. Many members tell us they finish the process with a much clearer picture of their overall impact.

That insight can then be used to strengthen tender submissions, support ESG and social value reporting, demonstrate your values to customers and employees, and celebrate the positive contribution your organisation is making.

Rather than creating extra work, BBfG helps you make better use of the work you’re already doing.

No. BBfG recognises organisations that are committed to people, communities and the environment. Every organisation will be at a different stage of its journey, and verification reflects a balanced approach across all three.

The verification meeting normally takes around one hour. Beforehand, we’ll ask you to prepare a small amount of information so the meeting is straightforward, practical and focused on your organisation.

No. It’s a conversation. We’ll discuss your organisation, review the verification criteria and explore the positive contribution you’re already making, along with any areas you’d like to develop in the future.

People Planet Pint is one of the BBfG verification criteria because we believe positive change happens when organisations learn from one another. It’s a relaxed, informal event where businesses, charities, schools and community organisations share ideas, build relationships and often discover new opportunities to collaborate.

Many members tell us it’s one of the most valuable parts of being BBfG Verified because the conversations are different from traditional business networking.

Representatives from your organisation must attend at least three People Planet Pint Basingstoke events annually.   The events take place at The Alchemy Wine Bar.

Verification is just the beginning. As a BBfG Verified organisation you’ll become part of a growing community of organisations across North Hampshire, with opportunities to attend People Planet Pint, take part in Community Action Programmes, access sustainability resources, celebrate your achievements and continue progressing through annual re-verification.

BBfG and B Corp are designed for different purposes.

B Corp is an internationally recognised certification with a detailed assessment process. For many smaller businesses, it can feel like a significant commitment in terms of time, resources and cost.

BBfG Verified provides an affordable, practical way to demonstrate your commitment to people, community and the environment while becoming part of a local community of like-minded organisations. Some businesses choose BBfG because it meets their needs today, while others use it as a stepping stone towards B Corp in the future.

The Stronger Together Forum brings organisations together to share ideas and strengthen collaboration across Basingstoke.

BBfG Verified complements this by providing independent recognition of your organisation’s commitment, together with a practical framework for continual improvement. It also creates additional opportunities to raise your profile, connect with organisations across different sectors, take part in Community Action Programmes and demonstrate the positive contribution your organisation is making locally. Our Founder, Kaia Vincent, is also a founding partner of #STF.

Many organisations will benefit from being part of both because each serves a different purpose.