The Guardian has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2030 and has announced that it has achieved B Corporation accreditation in recognition of its commitment to "balance profit and purpose". It is the first major international publisher to gain B Corp status.

The certification is part of an ongoing commitment to become a more purposeful business across all of its operations, Guardian Media Group said, including its new commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

In an article on Tuesday, The Guardian also stated its ongoing commitment to report on the environment and climate change crisis.

According to B Corporation, to achieve certification a business must meet the "highest standards" of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability, and must balance profit and purpose.

There are currently more than 3,000 B Corp-certified organisations worldwide. In 2016, 18 Feet & Rising – now known as And Rising – became the first UK ad agency to be awarded B Corp status. Havas was also awarded the accreditation in 2018, joining a raft of well-known businesses including The Body Shop, Teapigs and Cook.

"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," David Pemsel, outgoing chief executive of Guardian Media Group, said.

Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of Guardian News & Media, added: "At The Guardian, we believe that the climate crisis is the most urgent issue of our times. As an organisation, we will take steps to address The Guardian's own impact on the environment.

"Today, we commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2030 and we are currently undertaking a full audit of our emissions to assess how we will achieve this challenging goal."