Podcast
Human-Centric Leadership: Ben Garthwaite on Building a Purpose-Driven B Corp
- Explore how Ben Garthwaite and Fors Marsh use human-centric leadership, B Corp accountability, and purpose-driven practices to support people and sustainable growth.
About the episode
Can a company grow without compromising its values? And what happens when doing good becomes a core part of how a business measures success?Â
On this episode of Doing Good by Doing Better, host Margaret Rogers sits down with Ben Garthwaite, CEO of Fors Marsh, to explore how human-centric leadership and purpose-driven business practices can create meaningful social impact while supporting long-term growth. As Fors Marsh has grown from 20 to more than 400 employees, Ben has helped build a culture where putting people first isn’t just a stated value. It’s part of how the company operates, makes decisions, and defines success.Â
Ben shares how becoming a certified B Corp transformed Fors Marsh’s approach to business, providing a framework for greater accountability, transparency, and positive impact. From expanding mental health and recovery benefits to introducing second-chance hiring and investing in community resilience research, he explains how the organization translates its values into action.Â
The conversation also explores the business case for doing good, including how purpose-driven leadership can strengthen employee retention, attract talent, build trust, and support sustainable growth. Ben challenges traditional measures of success, emphasizing that meaningful outcomes and lasting change matter just as much as business growth.
Margaret and Ben also discuss:Â
- Making Values More Than Words: How Fors Marsh uses its B Corp commitments to embed accountability, transparency, and human-centric leadership into everyday business decisions.Â
- Putting People First While Scaling: Why investing in employee well-being, inclusive hiring, and organizational culture matters as a company grows.Â
- Turning Research Into Real-World Impact: Why understanding a problem is only the beginning, and how Fors Marsh works to translate research into meaningful outcomes for communities.Â
- Balancing Innovation With Responsibility: How the company approaches AI and emerging technology through a people-first lens while encouraging experimentation and managing risk.Â
- Building Trust Through Purpose-Driven Leadership: How third-party accountability, organizational values, and a commitment to doing good can strengthen relationships with employees, customers, and communities.Â
Whether you’re leading an organization, shaping business strategy, or looking for ways to put your company’s values into practice, this episode offers a thoughtful perspective on how human-centric leadership can help businesses grow while making a positive difference.Â
Episode links
About the guest
Ben Garthwaite serves as chief executive officer of Fors Marsh and guides the company growth and culture. Under his leadership, Fors Marsh has been certified as a B Corporation, recognized as a Top Workplace USA, and named to the Inc. 5000 Hall of Fame. Throughout his tenure, Fors Marsh has grown from 20 employees with one client to 350 employees serving clients across government, non-profit, and commercial markets. Prior to joining Fors Marsh, he spent a decade in the technology industry supporting and leading programs serving military personnel and their families. Â
About the host
Margaret Rogers, the Host of the Doing Good by Doing Better Podcast, serves as the CEO of Pariveda Solutions, a strategy and technology services firm with a mission to help people develop, catalyze, and discover their potential. She found her way into consulting right out of school, back when dial-up, blinking text, and wallpaper backgrounds defined the web. As User Experience began to emerge, she transitioned from technologist to roles where she was able to explore human-centered design. Margaret is fascinated by the uniqueness of human dynamics in business and is deeply invested in advising leaders on how to design organizations that nurture a strong culture and operational excellence. Her love of learning also extends well beyond the workplace, most recently into the curious behaviors of sourdough starters and backyard hens, who, much like people, have a surprising amount to teach about rhythms, relationships, and the environments they need to thrive.Â
About the Doing Good by Doing Better podcast
The Doing Good by Doing Better podcast highlights founders, executives, and innovators who share hard lessons, bold ideas, and real strategies for purpose-driven growth.
Every conversation offers practical insights you can use to solve forward. In each episode you’ll meet leaders who prove that being impact-driven and achieving meaningful success are not mutually exclusive.
Follow Doing Good by Doing Better on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and join us every other week as we keep learning how to do good by doing better.
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