Buttress achieves one of the highest B Corp impact scores in UK architecture
Recertified with an impact score of 141
Our B Impact score
We are proud of the focus and commitment of the whole Buttress team.
Our Impact score is 141. This result places Buttress among the highest-scoring B Corp–certified architecture practices in the UK, and the leading practice headquartered outside London.
We look forward to continuing our journey, with BCorp as our guide.
Proudly B Corp
Becoming a B Corp was the start, not the end, of our commitment to take ongoing and meaningful steps towards creating a more sustainable future for our practice, our projects, and the communities we serve. In 2025, we recertified, improving upon all the independently assessed scores.
As a practice, we are committed to using our work to deliver positive social and environmental impact, creating responsible and resilient places that contribute to a more just society and a positive future. Buttress has always been people-focused and in 2025 became a 100% employee-owned business, embedding equity into our governance.
From the outset, we recognised that being a B Corp should help articulate what we were already doing. We like that B Corp is a measure of trust and authenticity, holding us to account and helping us continuously improve.
Our 2024 positive impact report
Our first Impact report is a reflection of our first year. Watch this space for an updated report later in 2026.
We launched our B Corp journey about a year before certification and harnessed the enthusiasm of our colleagues who provided us with lots of ideas for where we could focus our impact. Our entire practice has helped to make this happen, and every individual will continue to play an important role in our long-term sustainability commitment.
Certification was one of the most rigorous and detailed processes we’ve ever been involved with and one that has really challenged us to think about the evolution of the practice. It’s hard work, deep rooted and hugely valuable in equal measure.
Governance
B Corp certification provides us with a framework which we’ve organised our business around, it’s given us a focus for improving our environmental performance, social impact and the way we manage our business. Each B Corp pillar has a hub, a group of people with the right skills to contribute to its development. The members are taken from across the studio to ensure a diversity of opinion and an attitude that the ‘best idea wins’.
People
The most important part of our business is our people. Our Buttress culture is open, inclusive and friendly. We celebrate success and work through challenges together. We look out for each other’s health and wellbeing whilst supporting career development through formal and informal learning, including coaching and mentoring by trained colleagues. We are committed to creating a working environment that is open and nurturing.
Community
We are conscious of the ability we have as architects to create a positive impact and do good through the integrity of our actions: our actions on the environment, community and social issues, through our teams and our customers. We recognise that delivering effective social value needs to be born out of an internal culture that fosters the same values. Our culture and values run through not only the relationships we have with one another, but also in creating authentic relationships with the people we work with. We work as a team.
Environment
We think sustainability needs to be part of our everyday and not ‘something else’ to have the biggest effect. We recognise the unique position we have to advocate for reduced carbon and the circular economy, sustainable sourcing, and improved biodiversity on the projects we design. We also aim to continuously reduce the direct impact of our company’s operation. We measure and report our environmental impact annually through PlanetMark. Maximising the positive environmental impact of our operations is a process of gradual improvement.
Customers
Working across the whole of the UK, we know that 58% of our work is with purpose driven clients. They are typically non-profit organizations, charities, government organisations etc. This means we have a significant responsibility to develop successful outcomes for our customers. Whether working with us as a client, community, team member or peer we believe we are at our best when we approach design as a collective, collaborative process.
Celebrating our positive impacts
How Buttress has moved the conversation on with Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard
The UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard is the UK’s first cross-industry standard that brings together net-zero carbon requirements for all major building types. There has been a clear demand for a single methodology to unite the industry.
Buttress transitions to 100% employee-owned
We have now transitioned to become employee-owned as part of our long-standing commitment to equity and inclusive design
Buttress implements volunteer day policy for all staff
We have introduced a new employee volunteer day policy, offering 40 days to staff.
Matthew Burl
Matthew is an architect and director at Buttress who has led the successful design and delivery of new build and refurbishment projects across a range of cultural, academic and community-led sectors, both regionally and internationally.
He also coordinates the practice's sustainability activities and has led Buttress' B Corp journey helping the company achieve certification at the end of 2022.
Grace Avery
Grace manages and oversees daily operations in our Manchester and Leeds studios.