STOP PRESS! – NFE Recertified to BCorp with 100.1 points in November 2024. And the following week won the New Forest Business Partnership Sustainable Business of the Year, and Business of the Year.
I founded NFE in 2011 with one house and built the company to explore and played with the idea of supporting guests, suppliers and the team to deliver and be inspired by long-term nature-connection and sustainability.
New Forest Escapes is a luxury holiday cottage agency, based in Hampshire, UK.
Now NFE manages 50+ houses and has a team of 5.
I don’t work in the business day-to-day anymore but provide strategic support on broader sustainability goals.
We certified BCorp in March 22. This case study gives an overview of the last 3 years of work I’ve led for the company.
Why did we choose B Corp?
Why?
- Because the brand appeals to customers and businesses.
- The community around B Corp was so positive – we wanted to be part of pioneering change.
- We knew it would help prepare us for coming regulation.
- It would give us competitive advantage amongst others PM’s.
- It was serious enough, positive enough, pioneering enough, and supportive enough that we felt it was a good brand fit.
- We didn’t know at the time it would give us a massively credibility edge to create collaborations and partnerships – but we worked it out!
How?
Feasibility Testing
First I did a feasibility exercise and played with the form (on the R). We got 60 points from the work we were already doing – so we knew we could adapt and get the 80 points needed with a bit of work.
Do the work in the Biz
We started switching up some of our business practices, clarifying our social and environmental goals, tracking them with KPI’s, got curious and serious about reducing our footprint. This phase took about 6 months. And some of it was grindy…
Team Time
We educated the team, and basically – grew up! And yes – we asked for some strategic help to get us over the line…
Wooo! Certification! But what next?
Once we’d finished jumping around the room with glee, it dawned on me…
What now? What next?
What are we going to stand for in the long term?
Over 18 months, I dove into using our new found confidence to gain momentum into 13 projects to really make a step-change into the frustrating problems I’d come across.
The things we decided to fight for
You can read these here on the NFE website.
These include:
- understanding where the biggest problems where in our business
- making a plan of action over 5 years to reach Net Zero
- collaboration across suppliers and competitors to solve knotty problems
- working to educate and support our supply chain (our owners) and guests to take responsibility for designing out problems
- reducing our own carbon footprint in the office
- promoting low-carbon travel in our stays
…18 months later… time to move on
The team take on the work
As purpose-led Founder, I led and loved the companies sustainability work but it was time for the team to take on, and own, this work. Most of it was embedded, the rest could be done from the edges.
Green + AI Transition for Tourism
The Green Transition + the AI Transition mean that all businesses are in period of huge change and flux. It’s a good and needed transition, and it means the goal posts are changing weekly; new strong regulations; adapting consumer expectations around climate; owners/suppliers need significant support.
From the edge… Strategic Support
From B Corp recertification, to Impact Reporting, collaboration, special projects and advocacy with Travel by BCorp collective, I support from the edges.
Rachel has been invaluable to us. She has led us through our B Corp journey from conception to creditation and just as importantly, is supporting us ongoing. Her expertise in this area allows us to make changes that matter – quickly and efficiently due to her experience and knowledge, so we get it right first time. Everyone should have a Rachel 😉
The coach approach
Eyes and Ears
My most important role is to be the eyes and ears of the Green Revolution into the NFE business. Jane, MD, and I , meet monthly for downloads. I distill the external, divergent growth going on to her in a palatable, deliverable way.
Solutionist-ing
I find solutions to challenges that affect our business resilience and success. For example, to new regulations that will affect our marketing and long-term business strategy.
On call vet service…
I’m also on call for the team to ask any Q’s about any small element of operations, comms, training etc that they need. And I continue to obsess about how we can connect holidaymakers to nature in a joyful, easy way.
What Next? / Outcomes
NFE continues to grow, continutes to share it’s green IP and make as much of our learning open-source as possible.
Visit the NFE website here.
Visit our Sustainability pages here.
Visit our Owner engagement pages here – and please use the links to get the deeper info’ to copy/tailor/edit that info for yourselves.
