client case study
OKA
OKA is a leading high-end interiors and lifestyle brand in the UK, known for creating timeless homewares inspired by global influences and defined by exceptional quality and craftsmanship. Originally founded in 1999 as a mail-order business, OKA has since grown into a successful omnichannel retailer, with 13 stores across the UK and a thriving e-commerce platform that serves both domestic and international customers.
Victoria Ashley-Khan, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, OKA
“One of our highlights has been the guidance provided during our B Corp certification. B·ABLE’s meticulous attention to detail and thorough understanding of the certification requirements, as well as our business model, enabled us to navigate the rigorous verification process and ultimately gain our certification.”
Services: Sustainability strategy | Sustainability reporting | B Corp certification | Modern slavery reporting | Implementation support
Industry: Interiors
Size: 200+ Employees
The Challenge
As OKA scaled from a start-up to a global brand, its sustainability ambitions grew with it. Investor expectations, increased ESG disclosure requirements, and a broader shift toward sustainable living all sharpened the company’s focus on developing a more structured and strategic approach to sustainability.
OKA approached B·ABLE to support them in building a strong sustainability foundation—one that would set a clear direction for the business and be fully embedded across operations. The business needed a long-term sustainability strategy with defined goals, measurable targets, and clear accountability, as well as ongoing support to help drive implementation and provide additional technical expertise and capacity where needed.
The Solution
Our work with OKA began with a materiality assessment, where we engaged key stakeholders across departments and levels of the business, as well as external stakeholders to identify the sustainability issues that mattered most. These insights formed the basis for OKA’s first sustainability strategy, tailored to the brand’s values, ambitions, and operating model. Working closely with the team, B·ABLE helped set clear short- and long-term targets, define internal ownership, and establish a realistic roadmap to guide action over a 5–10 year horizon. This strategy was designed to integrate seamlessly with OKA’s wider business objectives and ensure sustainability remained central to long-term planning.
Beyond strategy development, we support OKA with implementation of sustainability initiatives across key areas, including supply chain engagement, GHG emissions calculation, Science-based target (SBTi) setting, and investor-focused ESG reporting. A core focus for the team was achieving B Corp certification, a significant milestone for the business. B·ABLE led the certification journey, from initial scoping through to submission and verification. OKA was certified as a B Corp in 2023, achieving a score of 80.6.
We continue to work in close partnership with OKA, providing annual sustainability and modern slavery reporting, supporting external communications, and acting as a long-term implementation partner to ensure continued progress.
The Results
OKA now has a clear and credible sustainability strategy that is fully embedded across the business and aligned with its global operations. Through our long-term partnership, B·ABLE has helped build internal capability and knowledge, and establish governance structures to ensure accountability and engagement across all levels of the business.
We’ve delivered five GRI-aligned sustainability reports, helped OKA achieve B Corp certification, and continue to provide expert support to help deliver on their long-term sustainability ambitions. Five years into our partnership, sustainability is now a core part of how the business thinks and operates.
Looking to build a sustainability strategy that drives real business value?
Contact us to learn how we can help – hello@bable.world.