What Are the Realities of Being an Ethical Employer?

“If we charge one day rate, and another agency who’s not a B Corp says they’ll charge a cheaper one, plenty of clients, no matter their ethos, go with the cheaper option.”

That’s the reality Matt Collins has spent years wrestling with at Platypus Digital.

On paper, the agency looks like the ethical agency owner’s dream: they’re B Corp certified, only work with charities, and offer above-average salaries with generous benefits. 

But Matt has learned that good intentions don’t remove commercial trade-offs.

• Higher salaries for employees mean higher day rates for clients.
• Generous benefits sometimes create unexpected issues.
• And in a charity sector facing financial pressure from every direction, ethical alignment doesn’t always beat a cheaper quote.

What started as a colleague’s suggestion to explore B Corp certification became something much bigger. As Matt worked through the assessment, he realised it was a checklist for becoming the kind of employer he wanted Platypus to be.

In this session, Matt will share the realities of building an agency around ethics rather than slogans.

We’ll cover:

• Why B Corp became a practical blueprint, not a marketing exercise.
• The hidden costs of paying people better.
• Where generous benefits help – and where they create problems.
• Why ethical positioning isn’t a shortcut to winning work.
• How Matt decides where the line is between doing the right thing and running a sustainable business.

If you’re considering B Corp certification, improving employee benefits, or positioning your agency around values and purpose, this is a refreshingly honest look at what those decisions actually cost – and why Matt still thinks they’re worth making.