The Gladwins have secured B Corp certification following a two-year assessment process, achieving a score of 96.5.
The certification comes during a landmark year for the family-run business, following the opening of The Black Horse, its sixth site and first venture beyond London.
The opening brings the business back to the Sussex countryside, where the family farm and vineyard have long shaped its Local & Wild philosophy.
As the connection between regenerative agriculture and hospitality becomes an increasingly important focus for the business and the wider industry, B Corp certification provides formal recognition of principles that have underpinned The Gladwins since day one.
At a time when rising taxes, increasing costs and wider economic pressures continue to create significant challenges for hospitality businesses across the UK, the certification marks an important milestone for the group.
Founded by brothers Richard Gladwin, restaurateur, Gregory Gladwin, farmer, and Oliver Gladwin, chef, the family-run business has built its reputation on working closely with British farmers, fishermen and producers, alongside produce from the family’s own vineyard and farm in West Sussex.
Its guiding philosophy, “what grows together goes together”, forms the cornerstone of the business and reflects its approach to sourcing, seasonality and hospitality.
The certification, achieved following a rigorous two-year assessment process, formally recognises the values that have underpinned the business since the brothers opened their first restaurant, The Shed, in 2012.
B Corp certification demonstrates that the business meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, alongside a commitment to goals beyond shareholder value.
Richard Gladwin, Managing Director of Gladwin Brothers, said: “When we opened The Shed in 2012, we weren’t thinking about certifications. We were thinking about how to cook honest, seasonal food in a way that made sense: sourcing from people we trusted, building real relationships with our suppliers, and trying to do right by our team and the communities we were becoming part of.
“The closed loop system between our vineyard, our farm and our kitchens is perhaps the clearest expression of that: lamb keeping the vines and soil healthy over winter – feeding on what grows naturally on the vineyard – before coming onto the menu where we use the whole animal. It is not something we engineered for B Corp. It is just how we have always tried to work.
“What B Corp has given us is the framework to formalise that, to measure it properly, and hold ourselves accountable as we grow. We are so proud of this certification, but the work does not stop here; if anything, it is only just beginning.”
The process required the business to formally document and measure practices that had long existed across the company, from supplier relationships and employee wellbeing to environmental impact and community engagement.
Today, Local & Wild operates on 100% renewable energy, works with a predominantly local supplier network and welcomes a customer base in which 85% of guests live locally to each restaurant.
Richard added: “Moving forwards, it’s an indicator to everyone we work with – our suppliers, our guests and our team – that when they choose us, they’re choosing a business that genuinely cares.”
For the Gladwin family, the certification is not viewed as an end point, but as a framework for the next chapter of the business.
As the hospitality sector continues to navigate challenging trading conditions, the family believes independent operators have an important role to play in contributing to a fairer, more sustainable and ethical future for the industry.
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