1st Formations founder, Graeme Donnelly, shortlisted for Great British Entrepreneur award. Graeme Donnelly, founder of 1st Formations, has been shortlisted for Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year (London) at the Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards (GBEA) 2026. The recognition reflects his approach to building a business around environmental responsibility, employee wellbeing, and community impact, supported by 1st Formations' B Corp and Carbon Neutral Britain certifications and Real Living Wage and Living Hours accreditations. 1st Formations founder Graeme Donnelly is a London finalist for Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year at the Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2026. Often described as the "Grammys of Entrepreneurship", these awards are in their 15th year and recognise entrepreneurs and business owners across the UK. Key takeaways. * The 2026 GBEA shortlist places Graeme Donnelly among London's contenders for Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year. * Its founder has embedded sustainability into business decisions spanning environmental improvements, employee wellbeing, and community investment. * 1st Formations has turned its sustainability ambitions into measurable action, including nearly halving emissions through its digital mailroom. The 2026 shortlist brings together more than 740 businesses across 10 regions and nations, with the Gala Final taking place at Grosvenor House in London on 16th November 2026. What are the Great British Entrepreneur Awards? Launched in 2012, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards recognise the achievements and stories of business owners across the UK. The awards form part of Ideas Community, the entrepreneurship ecosystem behind Ideas Fest. The awards have an impressive alumni community, including the founders of Simmer Eats, Grenade, ClearScore, Zilch, and Unbiased. The scale of the 2026 shortlist. The 2026 awards attracted more than 5,000 applications, with 740 businesses shortlisted across 10 regions and nations. Collectively, the shortlisted businesses have a combined turnover of £3.3 billion and support more than 17,700 jobs. Why Graeme Donnelly has been shortlisted for Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year. Graeme Donnelly's shortlisting reflects the way sustainability has informed his decisions as a business leader. At 1st Formations, this is evident in the company's environmental, workplace, and community commitments. 1st Formations' B Corp certification. 1st Formations, along with its parent company, the BSQ Group, is a B Corporation, making 1st Formations a Certified B Corp company formation agent. To achieve B Corp certification, the global non-profit network B Lab assessed 1st Formations against standards concerning governance, workers, community, customers, and the environment. This included areas such as transparent pricing, ethical practices, and employee wellbeing. The certification process lasted 17 months and involved a detailed review of how 1st Formations work and its wider impact. This gave 1st Formations an independent assessment of its operations and a framework for continuous improvement. Graeme sums up the significance of the certification: B Corp isn't a badge you print off; it's a full independent audit of how you treat your workers, your community, your customers, and the environment. Carbon reduction in the workplace. 1st Formations is Carbon Neutral Britain-certified. 1st Formations has measured its carbon footprint in detail and made structural changes in response. For example, Graeme Donnelly oversaw a switch to a digital mailroom, which nearly halved its emissions. 1st Formations' Covent Garden office was also rebuilt with recycled materials. 1st Formations is responsible with its consumption, too, ensuring zero waste goes to landfill - 1st Formations has rolled out a full office recycling programme and work exclusively with registered waste carriers operating Zero to Landfill policies. As Graeme puts it: Net zero is not a target 1st Formations has stuck on a slide - it's a commitment 1st Formations is actively working towards. Championing sustainability through people and practices. 1st Formations' sustainability story extends beyond environmental measures. 1st Formations pay every employee at least the Real Living Wage, and are London's 9th newest accredited Living Hours employer. In addition, 25% of the company's share options are held by employees through an Enterprise Management Incentive scheme. Supporting communities and encouraging entrepreneurship. 1st Formations has: * Donated £50,000 to the Wonder Foundation - which supports girls' and women's access to education around the world - with a three-year commitment, totalling £150,000. * Housed seven charities rent-free in more than 3,000 sq ft of the Covent Garden headquarters. * Donated £79,000 to LSE initiatives covering the Neurodiversity, Race Equality, and Startup Competition clusters. Every employee also receives two paid volunteering days a year, contributing to 330 volunteering hours in a single year. Sustainability as a choice, not a certification. Its founder, Graeme Donnelly, believes the business should evolve with intention, including the way 1st Formations approach sustainability. Graeme began his entrepreneurial journey in 2000 with a boutique office-space business. He researched the market and pivoted to a scalable, overhead-free virtual-office model - a smart move that positioned the business for growth. With his new venture, he went on to support 2,000 startups within five years. He later identified an opportunity to help entrepreneurs address company formation challenges, leading to the launch of 1st Formations in 2014. His experience of learning from setbacks and adapting business models continues to shape how he develops new initiatives, including its Hassle-Free Compliance Service. Throughout every change, Graeme has kept customer needs front of mind while embedding sustainability and an awareness of the business' wider impact into every decision. For example, the digital-first approach of its Hassle-Free Compliance Service offers customers convenience and reduces unnecessary printing, postage, and paper-based admin. Sustainability is part of its commitment to constant improvement, not something 1st Formations do to achieve certifications. A message from Graeme Donnelly. One of its core values is for a better tomorrow, and that's not something 1st Formations put on a wall and forget about. For me, it means continually asking whether 1st Formations can do things better - for its customers, employees, communities, and the environment. That mindset shapes every decision I make. I haven't always known where certain decisions would take the business, but I've always tried to keep moving in the right direction and ensure that commercial growth hasn't come at the expense of its company values. Being shortlisted for Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards is meaningful to me because it shows recognition for that approach. What the Great British Entrepreneur Award shortlisting means for its customers. Graeme's shortlisting gives its prospective and existing customers a new opportunity to get to know the person behind 1st Formations and the values that shape how 1st Formations operate. The acknowledgement sits alongside independently assessed recognitions, including B Corp, Carbon Neutral Britain, Real Living Wage and Living Hours certifications and accreditations. 1st Formations look forward to the Gala Final at Grosvenor House, London, on 16th November 2026, where Graeme will find out whether he wins Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year for the London region. To find out more about its commitment to people and the planet, explore its sustainability initiatives.

1st Formations x Zero Gravity: supporting students in 2026. 1st Formations has teamed up with Zero Gravity to sponsor a scholar, helping remove economic barriers for talented students from low-income backgrounds. Representing its team at Zero Gravity's recent scholars' roundtable, 1st Formations' CEO & Founder, Graeme Donnelly, sat down with former students to hear about the reality of navigating university and the job market. The takeaway was clear - practical advice and strong networks make all the difference, and businesses have a real responsibility to help open those doors. Graeme tells 1st Formations more about 1st Formations' work with Zero Gravity. As the UK's only company formation agent certified as a B Corp, creating a positive impact is a core part of how 1st Formations do business at 1st Formations. As part of its commitment to social responsibility, 1st Formations is proud to have an ongoing partnership with Zero Gravity - a charity working to remove economic and social barriers for talented students who might otherwise not make it to university or lose out on career opportunities. Last month, a colleague and I attended Zero Gravity's scholars' roundtable to discuss higher education, graduate recruitment, and how social mobility in business can create genuine opportunities for the next generation. Hearing directly from former Zero Gravity scholars brought the discussion to life, offering firsthand perspectives on the barriers they encountered and the support that helped them progress into higher education and graduate careers. Key takeaways. * Students from lower-income backgrounds often face hidden costs and a lack of informal guidance, regardless of their academic ability. * While AI tools can help with applications, human mentors and real-world networks remain essential for building confidence. * Businesses have a direct role to play in closing the social mobility gap through practical mentoring, accessible recruitment, and scholarship funding. What is Zero Gravity? Zero Gravity was founded by Joe Seddon, who grew up in West Yorkshire with his mother and younger siblings. After navigating the state school system to earn a place at the University of Oxford, he set out to build an organisation that would help talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds access top universities and graduate careers. Seddon founded Zero Gravity with the final £200 of his student loan, aiming to use technology to level the playing field for talented students across the UK. Today, the platform connects ambitious students from low-income backgrounds with undergraduate mentors, application masterclasses, scholarships, and major employers. So far, it has helped propel more than 23,000 students into top UK universities. Zero Gravity scholars are nearly twice as likely to attend a leading university. Meeting the scholars. The roundtable brought together former scholars whose success stories show just how far the right support can go. 1st Formations met Stephanie, a University of Sheffield graduate now working on HSBC's Cyber Security Graduate scheme; James, a University of Warwick Master's student in Mathematics, who co-authored a published paper on nuclear reactor technology following a research placement in Croatia; and Taiyyib, a fourth-year medical student at King's College London balancing his studies while running Bleep64, an AI medical startup backed by $300k in seed funding. While their paths were completely different, the themes they raised were remarkably similar, giving 1st Formations an honest, practical look at the barriers students still face and what it takes to overcome them. What 1st Formations learned from the discussion. The discussion kept coming back to three main areas where targeted support makes the biggest difference: Access to information. Students from low-income backgrounds and state schools often miss out on the "unwritten rules" of university applications, assessment centres, and corporate hiring. Getting early access to mentoring and professional networks helps provide that missing knowledge, giving students the confidence to step into spaces they might otherwise feel excluded from. Hidden costs. The financial strain of university goes far beyond tuition fees, as maintenance loans now fall more than £6,000 a year short of basic living costs. To make up the shortfall, the average student from a low-opportunity background works 19 hours a week - time taken away from studying and career prep. Between medical placements, complex maths courses, and job searches, scholars like Taiyyib, James, and Stephanie didn't have room for term-time shifts. Receiving financial scholarship support removed that burden, freeing them from extra work so they could focus entirely on their degrees and career ambitions. Technology and mentoring. While AI tools are transforming how students prepare for interviews and write applications, access isn't equal. Premium AI tools cost around £20 a month - a structural barrier for students already facing a £500+ monthly shortfall, even as AI fluency becomes a baseline career requirement. Zero Gravity bridges this gap by integrating free AI tools for CV feedback and career guidance directly into its platform. However, the scholars agreed tech only goes so far: generative tools can refine a CV, but they can't replace the real-world encouragement and doors opened by a human mentor. That support translates into tangible career outcomes, with Zero Gravity scholars 3.5 times more likely to secure professional work experience, and they graduate into starting salaries 22% higher than those of comparable peers. Why 1st Formations is supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK. Hearing directly from the scholars made one thing clear: closing the social mobility gap isn't something schools and universities can do on their own. Businesses play a major role in opening doors and providing practical support. At 1st Formations, its entire business is built around helping people take the first step toward building something of their own. Backing Zero Gravity comes from that exact same mindset - the belief that talent and ambition should count for everything, regardless of where someone starts out. 1st Formations is putting that belief into practice by sponsoring a Zero Gravity scholar with a £3,000 financial award, spread across three years. The £1,000 annual payments can be used for costs that help them get ahead, from a laptop and courses to travel and accommodation for internships. Alongside the financial support, scholars gain access to Zero Gravity's community, employer opportunities and mentoring. How businesses can support social mobility. Creating better pathways from education into the workplace doesn't require a massive corporate overhaul. For employers looking to make a real difference, small, practical changes, and the right partnerships, can have a huge impact: * Offer direct scholarship funding: Financial grants help relieve the economic pressure on ambitious students. At 1st Formations, 1st Formations run its own annual Business Scholarship to assist budding UK and US entrepreneurs with essential course materials and living expenses. * Rethink hiring and offer time: Swap rigid criteria for skills-based recruitment, and encourage your team to mentor students or run practical skill workshops. * Educate your team internally: Social mobility starts from within. Hosting regular "Lunch & Learn" sessions where charities and social enterprises present to employees helps foster a culture of awareness, inclusion, and active support. * Form meaningful, targeted partnerships: Collaborate with organisations that directly widen access. Zero Gravity connects students with internships and career opportunities through more than 40 employer partners. Beyond sponsoring scholars through its rewarding partnership with Zero Gravity, 1st Formations work with partners like the Young Camden Foundation and LSE Generate - where 1st Formations sponsor dedicated clusters for Black and ethnic minority founders, as well as neurodivergent entrepreneurs. By embedding these practical measures into everyday operations, businesses can turn untapped potential into real opportunity. Looking ahead. The roundtable was a powerful reminder that talent is everywhere - opportunity isn't. By sponsoring a Zero Gravity scholar, 1st Formations is proud to support an organisation that's actively changing that dynamic. 1st Formations is excited to follow its scholar's progress over the coming year and see the impact of its ongoing partnership firsthand. Find out how your business can get involved with Zero Gravity through mentoring, partnerships, and sponsorship opportunities.

1st Formations shortlisted for UKCXA(TM) 2026 award. 1st Formations has been shortlisted at the UK Customer Experience Awards 2026 for its Hassle-Free Compliance Service (HFCS), which 1st Formations introduced as Companies House requirements evolved. 1st Formations has been recognised for its approach in responding to changing customer needs and improving the practical support available to company directors. The shortlist also reflects the importance 1st Formations place on customer experience when developing its services. 1st Formations is a finalist in the 'Customers at the Heart of Everything - SME' category at the UK Customer Experience Awards (UKCXA(TM), an awards programme recognising organisations that demonstrate excellence in customer experience. The category includes organisations from across the UK, including Simba Sleep, L&G Affordable Homes, and Chrysalis Finance. Its shortlist recognises its Hassle-Free Compliance Service (HFCS) and its positive impact on UK company directors. Key takeaways. * 1st Formations is a UKCXA(TM) finalist for its Hassle-Free Compliance Service. * 1st Formations developed the HFCS to help company directors manage their compliance obligations following major Companies House reforms. * HFCS combines compliance support, expert guidance, and access to legally reviewed business document templates. This shortlist reflects why 1st Formations developed HFCS: to make ongoing compliance support more proactive. Why 1st Formations created the Hassle-Free Compliance Service. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act led to significant Companies House reforms, increasing the ongoing compliance responsibilities faced by company directors. During its own implementation as an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), 1st Formations recognised how challenging many customers would find the changes. By combining its own experience with customer evidence, including Trustpilot feedback, Net Promoter Score (NPS) data, and support tickets, 1st Formations could see that many directors were finding the new requirements difficult. While its Full Company Secretary Service had been sufficient for most directors before the reforms, it was primarily reactive, meaning 1st Formations helped customers after an issue had arisen. 1st Formations developed HFCS as an always-on, digital-first service that provides support before problems occur. What the UKCXA(TM) shortlist recognises. The UKCXA(TM) judges assess entries using evidence of customer outcomes, innovation, and business impact. Its shortlist recognises the measurable improvements HFCS has delivered for customers and its internal operations. HFCS has reduced the number of ad hoc compliance requests 1st Formations receive and the amount of manual chasing required by its staff. HFCS by the numbers. * ~70% fewer ad hoc compliance requests * Staff are carrying out 45% less manual chasing of routine compliance tasks * 7% increase in renewal rate * Account manager emails fell from a peak of 943 per week to 506 per week Since rollout, 1st Formations has also maintained a near-five-star Trustpilot rating across over 27,000 verified reviews. Helping its customers stay compliant. As part of its Hassle-Free Compliance Service, 1st Formations provide ongoing expert compliance and filing support, alongside instant access to legally reviewed business document templates. Its Business Document Template Library is included with HFCS, giving customers access to more than 400 customisable templates covering areas such as company policies, employment agreements, and contracts. 1st Formations also prepare and submit annual confirmation statements, helping customers avoid missed filing deadlines and penalties. While its proactive approach has lowered the number of ad hoc queries 1st Formations receive, 1st Formations still offer direct access to its compliance team by phone and email for customers who need additional guidance. By using digital tools and online resources in place of some paper-based processes, HFCS also supports its wider efforts to reduce unnecessary printing, postage, and administration as part of its Carbon Reduction Plan. This digital-first approach complements the wider sustainability initiatives behind its Carbon Neutral certification. Commenting on being shortlisted for its Hassle-Free Compliance Service, Nicholas Campion, Director of Company Secretarial at 1st Formations, said: As company compliance has increased in complexity following recent legislative changes, its goal at 1st Formations is to help customers stay ahead of their obligations. 1st Formations don't want to simply resolve issues after they've arisen. Instead, 1st Formations is here to help its customers avoid problems in the first place. 1st Formations is already seeing positive results with its Hassle-Free Compliance Service, which empowers its customers with the right tools and guidance. Why UKCXA(TM) recognition matters. As a finalist at the UK Customer Experience Awards 2026, 1st Formations has been independently recognised for the work that has gone into developing and implementing its Hassle-Free Compliance Service. 1st Formations look forward to the ceremony later this year at Wembley Stadium. Whatever the outcome, its focus remains on continuing to improve the experience 1st Formations provide to customers. Its Hassle-Free Compliance Service gives limited company directors proactive support to help them manage their ongoing obligations. Existing HFCS customers can already access the relevant resources, while those considering setting up a new limited company can explore its company formation packages.