B Corps are businesses that use profits and growth for a greater good and have a positive impact in the lives of their employees and communities, and on the environment. The certification scheme was established by B Lab, a US-based non-profit organisation that advocates using business as a force for good.

Businesses are externally assessed across a range of criteria and must meet a certain overall score to qualify. Criteria include governance and transparency, working standards, community impact, environmental impact, and customer impact.

There are currently over 3,000 B Corp-certified organisations worldwide.

GMG has also pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

It committed to the goal alongside outlining how The Guardian will expand coverage of the environment, giving greater prominence to the climate emergency and acknowledging the importance of appropriate language when reporting on the climate.

GMG chief executive David Pemsel said: “The Guardian is one of the most trusted and recognised news organisations in the world, and our audiences rightly expect high standards in everything we do.

“Becoming a B Corp is an important step for GMG in making ourselves more accountable.”

Separately, The Guardian reported strong circulation figures for September, claiming that it was ahead of the majority of the news market, with increased sales across weekday and weekend editions. Last month was also its biggest ever month for digital traffic, with page views at 1.37 billion, and one of the highest ever months for unique users, at 162 million.