A B Corp certification is issued when companies meet “rigorous social and environmental standards”, showing commitment to goals that don’t come under profit margins – including goals in sustainability.

“[The certification] shows the incredible commitment of our team to do business more sustainably and we’re excited to work alongside other like-minded businesses,” said Chris Morling, Studee’s CEO.

“We hope our B Corp certification will signal an important change within the industry and inspire others to prioritise the planet over profit,” he declared.

Studee advertises itself as a “simple” way for students to find university courses abroad and apply to them, guiding students along the route to enrolment while “addressing the elephant in the room” – international education’s impact on the environment.

The B Corp was awarded, according to Studee, for its initiatives like its Trees for Degrees project, where a tree is planted for every student enrolled, starting volunteer programs and becoming a carbon neutral company.

B Corp certification, which is run by a company called B Lab, already has 4,600 businesses across the globe on board, open to all industries with famous names involved such as Innocent Smoothies, Patagonia and Abel & Cole.

“We are delighted to welcome Studee to the B Corp community – this is a movement of companies who are committed to changing how business operates and believe business really can be a force for good,” Chris Turner, B Lab UK’s executive director commented.

“Business is a powerful force and B Corps demonstrate that you can do good in any sector – welcoming Studee is an exciting moment because they have an opportunity to lead the way within the international education industry,” he continued.

According to Studee, the negative impact of study abroad is widely “ignored” – considering a large part of the industry’s survival depends on air travel and the aviation sector, which contributes heavily to climate change.

On average, international students take at least two return flights per year.

“We know there’s still work to be done and will constantly be reviewing our practices to make sure we continue to do business in a way that benefits people, communities and the planet,” Morling added.