A luxury exclusive-use venue located just outside of Edinburgh has become the first castle in the world to be awarded B Corp Certification for its commitment to environmental and social wellbeing.
Carlowrie Castle, part of the Carlowrie Group owned by Scottish entrepreneur Andrew Marshall, joins international companies such as Patagonia, TOMS and Aesop who have all received B Corp Certification for putting people and planet before profit.
“In an age where businesses and consumers are seeing the importance of putting social and environmental issues above everything else, becoming B Corp Certified this month after 10 years of trading, is an excellent way to show our customers our lasting commitment to doing good by people and planet," Mr Marshall said.
Obtaining B Corp Certification requires a comprehensive assessment of a company’s entire social and environmental performance, from supply chain and input materials to charitable giving and employee benefits. All B Corp businesses are manually assessed and audited every three years to ensure they maintain these high standards.
“When our guests come to Carlowrie Castle, whether that be for a business conference, a wedding, an exclusive-use party, a community event, or a private stay, they know that they are supporting us on our mission for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy,” Mr Marshall added.
The castle is said to have a long history of promoting social and environmental wellbeing, and in the 19th century was home to one of Scotland’s most remarkable botanists and explorers, Isobel Wylie Hutchison. Ms. Hutchison was the first woman to receive the Mungo Park Medal, a member of the Scottish Geographical Society, and a published writer in National Geographic.
Under the ownership of Carlowrie Group, the castle operates its own charity which provides meals and support to people experiencing homelessness. It also hosts free community events such as Picnic and Praise and Carols at Carlowrie.
On the environmental side, electric vehicle charging points are available for guest and staff use while extensive tree planting has been deployed to regenerate unused land.
Chris Turner, executive director of B Lab UK, said: “Welcoming Carlowrie Castle to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
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Energy giant Drax declared it will invest £80 million in a major refurbishment of the Cruachan site, which has been producing hydro power since the 1960s. Drax said the investment will support UK energy security after it was brought into sharp focus by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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