A partou practitioner in a red fleece crouches down in an outdoor play area with two toddlers, all three focused on exploring a tyre together. The practitioner is smiling broadly, pointing into the tyre and fully absorbed in the moment alongside the children. Both children, one in a navy fox-print puffer jacket and cream beanie and one in a silver-grey hooded coat, are leaning in with curiosity. The image captures the kind of warm, present, and unhurried adult attention that helps children feel safe and confident to explore.

Partou is a Certified B Corp™: childcare as a force for good

Business can be a force for good, and we believe childcare should be too. Partou is now a Certified B Corporation™, one of a small number of childcare providers to meet the standard. But a badge only matters if it means something for the people it affects, so here is what our B Corp™ status means for you, your child and your family. It is recognition that we hold ourselves to account for our impact well beyond business performance, and a commitment to keep improving across everything we do in the early years.

 

What is a B Corp?

B Corp is a global certification awarded to businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. To become certified, an organisation completes a rigorous independent assessment of how it is governed, how it supports its people, how it contributes to communities, how it cares for the environment and how it serves its customers.

Certification is not a one-off tick. B Corps recommit at regular intervals, so the standard has to be lived rather than earned once and shelved.

Partou is a certified b corp™: childcare as a force for good | partou

What does being a B Corp mean for Partou?

Being a B Corp means we don’t measure success by business performance alone. We also hold ourselves accountable for the impact we have on:

  • the children we care for
  • the families we support
  • our team members
  • our local communities an
  • the world those children will grow up in.

For us, B Corp isn’t a finishing line. It’s a commitment to keep improving.

Close-up of a child exploring creative, sustainable play at partou by arranging naturally sourced materials including pinecones, leaves, shells, conkers and soil on a wooden base. This hands-on nature activity supports learning through play and reflects partou

What was Partou’s B Corp score?

Partou achieved an overall B Impact Assessment score of 84.1, exceeding the 80-point threshold required for certification. For context, an ordinary business completing the same assessment typically scores around 50, so the number reflects a meaningful standard rather than a pass mark.

The assessment looked at five areas:

  • governance
  • workers
  • community
  • environment
  • customers

It recognised particular strengths in the way we are governed, how we support our people and our commitment to children and families, while also pointing to areas where we can keep improving.

Close-up of a partou sustainable play activity using recycled kitchenware, muffin trays and naturally sourced materials including flowers, leaves, herbs, oats and wooden utensils. Children can explore textures, colours and scents through sensory play, reflecting partou’s values as a b corp organisation committed to people, communities and the environment.

What does B Corp status mean for families?

The five assessment areas each translate into something families can see in our nurseries.

Governance

We make decisions with children, families, team members and communities in mind, not business performance alone. In practice that means strong safeguarding and ethical standards, open ways to share feedback, clear accountability and a commitment to continually improving our nurseries.

Our people

Children thrive when they’re cared for by people who feel valued, supported and able to grow themselves. You’ll see well-trained nursery teams, ongoing professional development, career progression opportunities and wellbeing support for our team members.

Community

Every Partou nursery plays an active part in its local area, through local events, charity fundraising, inclusive environments and strong relationships with schools, libraries and community organisations.

Environment

Helping children care for the world around them starts with us. You’ll see us taking steps to reduce waste, using resources thoughtfully, encouraging children to care for nature and continuing to improve how we lower our environmental impact.

Children and families

Everything we do is focused on helping children feel safe, happy and confident, while giving families confidence in the care we provide. That shows up as high-quality early years education, strong safeguarding, regular opportunities to share feedback and continuous quality improvement across our nurseries.

What happens next?

Becoming a B Corp is the beginning, not the destination. Over the coming months and years we’ll keep sharing the progress we’re making, from lowering our environmental impact to strengthening our communities and measuring the difference we make for children and families. Where we fall short, we’ll say so, and we’ll show what we’re doing about it.

Choosing a nursery is a big decision and our B Corp certification is one way of showing that the values we talk about are ones we’re independently held to. It doesn’t change the everyday warmth of nursery life, the songs, the messy play, the small proud moments. It simply means the care behind all of it is built on standards you can trust.

Nature-inspired water play activity at partou, with floating lily pad shapes, leaves, twigs and other natural materials arranged in a sensory tray. Designed to encourage exploration, creativity and connection with the natural world, the activity reflects partou

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A B Corp nursery is part of a business certified as a B Corporation, meaning it has passed an independent assessment of its social and environmental impact. For families, it signals that the provider is held to account on how it treats children, staff, communities and the environment, not only on financial performance.

No. B Corp certification reflects how a business is run and the standards it holds itself to, not a premium service tier. It’s about accountability and impact across governance, people, community and the environment, rather than a change to what families pay for their childcare place.

Partou completed the B Impact Assessment, an independent review across five areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. We scored 84.1, above the 80-point threshold required. Certification is reviewed at regular intervals, so we recommit to the standard rather than earning it once.

It means the care your child receives sits within a business independently assessed on its impact. In practice that supports strong safeguarding, well-trained and well-supported nursery teams, and a genuine commitment to improving quality across our early years settings over time.

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