Organisation for Responsible Businesses

29/05/2026

Some businesses exist to sell. Others look at a harmful system and don’t accept it. The newest members of our Responsible Business Directory directly challenge over-consumption, unequal structures and unsafe online marketplaces. Is there anything else we’ve normalised for far too long in business?

20/05/2026

It’s National Bee Day and we are celebrating one of our wonderful ORB members: . Their handmade kits make it easy to grow pollinator friendly flowers, even if you only have a balcony, window box, or a neglected patch of soil.

Here are six flowers, shrubs and trees bees adore.
Which will you plant first? 🐝

12/05/2026

Spring clean your stress response with SamJ Rehan's tips! We were absolutely delighted to welcome Wellbeing & Ease Ltd into the , and now we hope to give back a little of our conversation. 💜

26/02/2026

Our CEO, Jill Poet will be exhibiting at this event on 5th March Westcliff Rugby Club!

We'd hope to see many business women in the Southend area supporting and celebrating each other on what promises to be an inspiring event!

We are delighted to announce the full agenda for our upcoming Strong Minds, Strong Women event, taking place on Thursday 5th March from 9:30am at Westcliff Rugby Club.

This International Women’s Day event brings together an inspiring programme designed to support, empower, and connect women across business and beyond.

Attendees can expect:
• A powerful keynote panel sharing real stories of female entrepreneurship
• Practical workshops focused on mental health, confidence, and visibility
• Dedicated networking opportunities
• Insightful talks from a diverse range of speakers

We are incredibly proud to host a line up of empowering, authentic, and inspiring individuals who will be sharing their experiences and expertise throughout the day.

🎟 Tickets are now available via our website: https://www.secemind.org.uk/international-womens-day

We look forward to welcoming you for a meaningful and impactful day.

17/02/2026

The Abbey Group – Environmental Commitment

The At The Abbey Group, we believe that quality craftsmanship should go hand in hand with environmental responsibility. As a long-established, eighth-generation family business, we are committed to operating in a way that respects the environment while delivering the highest standards of disaster recovery and furniture restoration.

Environmental Benefits of Our Services

By restoring and repairing furniture, we significantly reduce the demand for new materials and prevent high-quality items from going to landfill. This approach lowers timber consumption, reduces carbon impact, and supports a more circular economy. Over 95% of our documentation is now sent digitally, further reducing paper, packaging, and transport emissions.

This policy is shared with all members of The Abbey Group and reviewed annually to ensure continuous improvement and compliance with environmental legislation — with the aim not just to meet standards, but to exceed them wherever possible.

02/11/2025

There are over 500,000 unpaid carers running UK businesses, and hardly anyone’s talking about it. Oh, and, in the next three years, this number is expected to more than double.

Adrian Ashton has been a Responsible Business Specialist with ORB for over a decade. He also cares full-time for his wife and adult children - without external support. Balancing a business and caring responsibilities isn’t just tough emotionally… It’s economically damaging too.

The myths around unpaid carers make it worse for everyone.

💥 Myth 1: Caring is “mostly women’s work” - Not true. Men are just as likely to be carers.
💥 Myth 2: Carers just look after elderly relatives - More parents are now caring for children with lifelong support needs.
💥 Myth 3: Carer’s Allowance keeps things afloat - Fewer than 10% of unpaid carers even qualify, and many are pushed into poverty.
💥 Myth 4: Carers don’t run businesses - Over half a million do, yet they’re not recognised in any policy or law.

This matters for all of us.
- Our economy loses over £10 billion a year because carers in business get no recognition or support.
- The NHS is under greater pressure.
- And carers themselves are burning out while holding families (and communities) together.

Your contribution to this picture is sometimes as small as asking a colleague, client, or supplier how we can make things easier for them. But think about it as you go about your business today. 💜
“If we want a responsible economy, we need to start recognising unpaid carers in our business communities.” - Adrian.

👉 Read Adrian’s full story on the ORB website https://www.orbuk.org.uk/2025/07/21/myths-of-unpaid-carers-in-the-business-community/

Myths of unpaid carers in the business community: it's mainly women; looking after an elderly relative; you are supported by carers allownce

31/10/2025

We’re ORB: the Organisation for Responsible Businesses.
In plain English, we support solo, micro, and small business owners who want to operate responsibly, treat people and the planet with kindness, and still earn a decent living.
We started in 2010, after the financial crisis, because we were tired of big corporate “responsibility” attempts that say a lot but change nothing. Real responsible business has always lived in the small business community — we just believed it was time someone backed that properly.
Most small businesses are already doing the right things, but too often they don’t get the recognition or support they deserve. That’s where we step up for you. We help values-led business owners connect, learn, and build their impact through small, steady steps — no overwhelm, no halo-polishing, just practical progress.
If you care about people, planet and profit (in that order), we’d love to get to know you.
Curious where your business stands? So are we. Why not take our 5-minute check-in? 👇
https://questionnaire.orbuk.org.uk/

29/10/2025

Debt, doubt... divine intervention? Jill's split-second hallway story captures how made it through a dark night of the soul.

Listen to the full episode here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/47afd204-f210-4fab-a131-1b99c53abba3

25/10/2025

Another hack for the enthusiasts among us. Is anyone planning to round off their Circular Economy Week with DIY this weekend?

25/10/2025

Take five before your weekend tidy! ✋

As it’s still Circular Economy Week (Oct 20th-26th), we thought we’d remind you of A Good Thing UK

Their matchmaking platform turns the concept into practical reality pretty much for you. Now, we best get digging!