Ep. 56: Designing the DNA of Belonging with Andy Hawkins

What if belonging is something we can design on purpose, instead of something we simply hope for?

In this episode of the Love Not Fear podcast, Tine Bieber sits down with Andy Hawkins, B Corp coach and community builder from Bristol, to talk about the DNA of belonging. Andy shares how six years working with communities in Africa changed what he values, why he and his wife chose to move into a brand new neighborhood so they could help shape its culture from day one, and how the same intentionality applies to business through the B Corp movement.

Topics covered in this episode:

- Why Andy left Africa feeling people there were "poor financially and materially, but rich relationally and spiritually"

- What a B Corp actually is, explained through a jar of fair trade coffee

- Moving into a brand new Bristol neighborhood to be a catalyst for community from the get go

- Street champions, tea ceremonies, curtain tracks and other small acts that fast track belonging

- Diversity in a community where people come from more than 25 nationalities

- Micro moments of connection and why we do not have to wait for politicians to be perfect

- Andy's ten step "couch to 5k" approach to helping businesses become better

- Why most businesses see B Corp as a cost, and why Andy sees it as an investment

- "A better time is never coming": why the best time to start is now

- Trust, transparency and how consumers can recognize businesses doing good

- How B Lab is approaching standards for AI

About Andy Hawkins:

Andy grew up in Bristol, spent six years in Africa running community projects for children and families, and later returned to the tech world. After certifying his own tech consultancy as a B Corp in August 2020, he began helping other companies through the process and has since coached more than 500 businesses, from one person organizations to large corporates. Today he is the founder and C-3PO (Chief People, Planet and Purpose Officer) of Business on Purpose, a B Leader with B Lab UK, and a driving force behind PurposeFest in Bristol.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and introducing Andy Hawkins

01:19 From Bristol to Africa: six years that changed everything

04:03 Becoming a B Corp and growing the community

05:26 What is a B Corp? The fair trade analogy

06:30 Living in a disconnected world

08:04 Why Andy moved into a brand new neighborhood

11:16 House number three: building community from the get go

12:40 Festivals, tea ceremonies and a Spitfire hangar

15:07 How the community organizes and what it stands for

17:11 Diversity, age and welcoming newcomers

20:58 We can influence our own neighborhood

22:40 Micro moments of connection

26:13 Why business needs to play its part

28:23 The B Corp "couch to 5k"

32:07 500 businesses and the tipping point

34:22 The biggest challenge: cost or investment?

37:42 A better time is never coming

39:23 Is there good in all of us?

41:07 Trust, local and transparency

43:45 How is B Corp dealing with AI?

46:08 Where to find Andy

Connect with Andy Hawkins:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-hawkins

Website: https://businessonpurpose.uk