Launching a business during a global pandemic

Co-founded by work-besties Nyree Ambarchian and Laura Chambers, Jack & Grace is a full-service communications agency – with a difference. True to our belief that doing good is good for business, we only work with brands that are driven by social purpose and that value people, planet and profit equally.

Jack & Grace combines our appetite to work on communications for social and environmental issues that matter, with challenging the status quo to help our clients get noticed for causes they care about.

Leading by example

And true to our own brand ethics, Jack & Grace really does put its people first – we work to live, right?

Because we have a growth mindset running through our fabric – a belief that learning is continuous and intelligence can always be developed – we promote learning, through experience and study, and look for the opportunity to develop in everything we do.

We encourage our staff to choose to work the hours that suit them best – whether that’s to fit around their lifestyle choices or just to coincide with their most productive time of day. We believe that flexibility should be a basic benefit of any organisation – surely we’ve proven that working at home and cutting unnecessary commuter journeys is possible now?

And as a purpose-led business, we’re committed to becoming a Certified B Corp, starting with doing our B Impact Assessment right from the get-go. We’re looking forward to learning what improvements we can make as we begin on our journey.

Timing is everything

In every crisis lies an opportunity. And while the world is currently focused on the immediate issue of stopping the spread of Covid-19 through measures like social distancing, businesses are already diversifying their offer and rising to the challenge to help meet some of the UK’s supply chain needs and changing consumer behaviour.

Over the next few months, we’ll see some companies innovate and thrive, and entrepreneurs start up new businesses to fill gaps in the market. Those that don’t disrupt will struggle.

A crisis changes mindsets, the mindsets of governments, consumers and businesses. Now more than ever it’s clear that organisations need to step up and do more to look after people and our planet.

We just hope they take the opportunity and normalise it.