The Social Hub helps put industry’s social and environmental change in the spotlight as it celebrates B Corp™ certification

The company has been certified by B Lab, the non-profit behind the B Corp movement, for meeting rigorous social and environmental standards to help create a better world for all.

It became a B Corp at the first attempt, achieving an overall score of 107.1 out of 200 – the average is 94.

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Amsterdam, The Netherlands (29 October, 2024) – Global hybrid hospitality group The Social Hub has called for meaningful social and environmental change in the international hospitality and real estate industries after becoming a Certified B Corporation for the first time.

The move sees the 1,000+ employee organisation join a growing global group of thousands of companies reinventing business by legally committing to pursue a sustainable purpose as well as profit through B Corp certification. The Social Hub currently operates hubs combining hotel and student accommodation, food and beverage, events and coworking spaces in 18 locations across the UK & continental Europe.

The Amsterdam-headquartered hospitality and real estate group, which counts 10,000 rooms and welcomes millions of hotel guests, students, coworkers, and members of local communities to its hubs every year, has made the pioneering move to cement its social and environmental credentials as well as blaze a trail in industries where making an impact on sustainability and community is fast becoming an essential aspect of business. 

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The ‘milestone’ announcement kicks off a calendar of events across its hubs to celebrate and build on B Corp certification and help drive change in the industry, beginning with a “Green Community Table” event at The Social Hub in Delft, The Netherlands on October 29. Key figures from across the hospitality, real estate, and business sectors will be there to discuss the future of the respective industries, with panellists including of B Corps including Tim de Broekert of Tony’s Chocolonely and Baba Toure of creative agency Home.

There are more than 9,000 B Corps globally, and more than 2,000 in Europe, including Patagonia, San Pellegrino, Rituals, Tony’s Chocolonely, and Ace & Tate. However, there are just 212 certified hospitality organisations – and fewer than 50 in Europe – which The Social Hub want to help change.

Amber Westerborg, The Social Hub’s Director of Sustainability and Impact, who helped set the group on its route to B Corp certification two years ago, said: “It’s about walking the talk. There is no hiding place – becoming a B Corp means you are held to the highest social and environmental standards where honesty and transparency are fundamental. Customer demand and the rising significance of sustainability amongst travellers, business owners, students, and the wider public are, of course, an important factor in our pursuit of B Corp certification. However, the biggest driver has been our ambition to be accountable and set ourselves apart on the positive impact we can make on the planet and the global community.

This is a massive milestone in The Social Hub’s journey. Other environmental certifications are important, but B Corp matters to us because it best reflects who we are as a community, the impact we have, and where we want to get to. Day-to-day people may not notice much difference, but that’s because we have been aligning ourselves with B Corp principles from the start. Becoming a B Corp affirms who we are and what we stand for.

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The biggest impact we can make is to help pull the industries we operate in up and challenge other similar organisations to follow our lead. That’s how we can create a better society together.”

Becoming a B Corp involves committing to a rigorous testing process carried out every three years by B Lab, the non-profit behind the B Corp movement, across five key areas covering the entirety of an organisation’s operations including governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.

Following a year-long assessment, The Social Hub became a B Corp at the first attempt. achieving an overall Score of 107.1 out of a maximum of 200 points – the average is 94. Applicants must reach a benchmark score of at least 80 while providing evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices on energy supplies, waste and water use, worker compensation, diversity, and corporate transparency. Certified companies must legally embed their commitment to purpose beyond profit.

However, B Corp certification is only part of the story for The Social Hub, which is more concerned about why it has earned the certification, and what it means for its community, and the wider hospitality, real estate, and workplace industries. 

By 2030, The Social Hub has committed to reduce 78% of its greenhouse gas emissions, produce 50% of its energy on-site, achieve further environmental certification through BREEAM (In-Use) for all properties, and divert 100% of residual waste from landfill or incineration.

Community impact is also paramount, with The Social Hub hosting more than 5,500 purpose-driven community events and experiences engaging more than 100,000 attendees across its locations every year, as well as working with other B Corps across its network. It also pledged to donate 1% of revenues to the recently launched TSH Talent Foundation, a non-profit that supports changemakers facing barriers to opportunity; presents masterclasses that upskill the next generation of social leaders through The Better Society Academy; and collaborates with Talent Garden to develop skill sprints for students and co-workers within its hubs. 

For The Social Hub, B Corp certification is also significant ahead of the roll out of updated European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) for use by all companies subject to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Charlie MacGregor, The Social Hub’s Founder & CEO, explained: “Environmental and social responsibilities are crucial to remaining relevant in any industry. It affects customer loyalty, brand credibility, and your ability to do business. Banks are already becoming stricter on who they finance, and legislation such as CSRD makes the urgency greater. Any organisation that doesn't move now will have to move fast or be obsolete within five years. 

As a large hybrid hospitality company that will soon grow to operate 23 hubs and counting across Europe, we feel the responsibility to keep innovating for the greater good and a more sustainable hospitality sector. B Corp certification is just the beginning. We plan to open more hubs and welcome millions of guests, including students, the next generation of leaders and a central part of our unique community-building model. From here, our contribution to creating a better society will only get bigger and bolder.”

Tessa van Soest, Executive Director at B Lab Benelux, said: “Welcoming The Social Hub to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Their commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and really help spread the idea that we can redefine success in business to be as much about people and planet as it is about profit.” 

For more about The Social Hub’s B Corp certification, visit its profile on B Lab’s website.

About B Lab: B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes 400,000 workers in over 9,000 B Corps across 89 countries and 161 industries, and more than 245,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment. B Lab has created and led efforts to pass over 50 corporate statutes globally that enable stakeholder governance, with over 10,000 companies using the legal framework. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net.

About B Corp Certification: B Corp Certification doesn’t just evaluate a product or service, it assesses the overall social and environmental impact of the company that stands behind it. To achieve B Corp Certification, a company must meet a score of at least 80 out of a maximum of 200 points on the B Impact Assessment, an online tool that measures a company’s positive impact; change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders; and exhibit transparency by allowing information about their B Corp Certification performance to be publicly available on their B Corp profile on B Lab’s website. B Corps recertify every three years and once certified, are expected to increase their score over time as they progress towards becoming more equitable, inclusive, and regenerative businesses.

About The Social Hub

A Certified B Corporation driven by a purpose to create a better society, The Social Hub is a pioneer in the hybrid hospitality industry, offering spaces where guests from all walks of life can learn, stay, work and play. With hotels located across Europe’s most dynamic cities, The Social Hub connects and creates a unique community of travellers, students, business professionals, neighbours, and more.

From hotel facilities, student and extended stay rooms, co-working spaces, through to auditoriums, gyms, event spaces and a comprehensive social impact programme including its TSH Talent Foundation, The Social Hub is a place where people can connect and learn from one another, build a community and engage in unique experiences that help spark ideas and make change happen.


Founded in 2012, The Social Hub is headquartered in Amsterdam and counts with more than 1,000 employees. The Social Hub’s total locations amount to 23, including 18 hotels and over 10,000 rooms currently operating in Amsterdam (two hubs), Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Delft, Eindhoven, Florence, Glasgow, Groningen, Maastricht, Madrid, Paris, Rotterdam, San Sebastián, The Hague, Toulouse, and Vienna. Five hubs are currently in development and opening in Florence Belfiore, Rome & Porto in early 2025, and Lisbon and Turin further ahead.

For more information: www.thesocialhub.co.

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