This is my story of finding ORB – the Organisation for Responsible Businesses – and how they could help you.  

I started running my own recruitment company back in 2012 and knew I wanted to be different from some of the corporate organisations I’d worked for in the past. When I launched another business, The JobsBoard, in 2020, I made a conscious decision to put responsibility at its heart.  

When you decide to run your own business, you’re faced with countless decisions. There are the obvious ones, like what to call the company, what colour the logo should be, who to bring on board, and how to fund the start-up. All of these matter, and some can feel like the most important choices you’ll ever make.  

But what about the questions that truly shape the business’s future? Questions like, “Am I going to run a responsible business?” or “Is this going to be a company that makes a difference?”

When you’re starting out, everything seems to revolve around not having enough time or money. Decisions about whether the company is going to do good things may be a long way down the list. But maybe they should be higher. Starting your business as a responsible setup is much easier than trying to change your whole way of doing things later. Once you’ve begun, making a shift can feel daunting.  

Running a responsible business doesn’t just make sense ethically; it’s also an excellent way to engage with customers and show that you’re in it for the long term. In a crowded market, it can become a powerful differentiator.  

I developed The JobsBoard out of my recruitment business. It’s a UK job board offering advertising space for all job types. The job advertising industry is dominated by Indeed, LinkedIn, and some large European boards, so I knew I had to offer something different – something better – to make an impact. I also wanted to be surprising in the way I ran the business. And I mean “surprising” in a positive way!  

– Free advertising for employed and voluntary roles for UK charities  

– Support for small companies, including advert writing  

– Support for small recruitment agencies, especially during start-up  

Just being a responsible business and doing something different isn’t enough on its own to guarantee success. I knew I could help many more people if only they knew about my business. But how do you find the right people to use and promote your services?  

In 2023, I began looking for an organisation that understood what I was trying to do – a place where I could connect with like-minded people who shared my values. I wanted support and engagement with people I could help and who could help me.  

My business is commercial, and the recruitment sector doesn’t always have the best reputation. So, I was thrilled to discover ORB – the Organisation for Responsible Businesses. The answer is in the name!  

At first, I wasn’t sure they’d let me join. Thankfully, Jill Poet took the time to understand me and my business. She saw how The JobsBoard could help other companies and charities, many of which struggle to find the right people simply because they don’t know where to start.  

So, what’s next? As my business is mainly a website, I’m looking into ways to reduce the site’s environmental impact. Most people don’t consider this when running their business, but storing and accessing web pages uses a lot of electricity.  

Website metrics are a whole other world of measurements, but generally, the faster your website loads, the smaller its carbon footprint. Google doesn’t yet rank websites on environmental impact, but I think this will come. It’s an idea that could help everyone: websites with lower carbon footprints could (and should) rank higher in search results.  

Through ORB, I hope to use *The JobsBoard* to help many organisations and not-for-profits find the people they need to make a difference. And through *The JobsBoard*, I hope to contribute to making the world a better place.  

Running a responsible business also brings an important benefit: peace of mind. For business owners, that’s invaluable.  

So, please take a look at the ORB website. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve and grow, they might be able to connect you with the support and community you need to succeed.