If you’ve ever stepped into The Social Hub, you know it’s more than just a place to stay—it’s a vibrant community. Part hotel, part student accommodation, part coworking, meeting & event spaces, and so much more. The Social Hub is designed to bring people together and spark meaningful connections. With 21 locations across Europe, it’s growing fast with a clear mission: to create - together with its diverse community of travelers, students, business people, and locals - a better society.
The Social Hub is driven by a strong set of values—community, sustainability, and positive impact—which shape everything from its design to its daily operations. So, it’s no surprise that The Social Hub became a certified B Corp in late 2024.
We sat down with Daniel Hernández Lyon, Global Communications Director at The Social Hub, to learn how they shared their journey toward B Corp certification using their PR.co-powered newsroom.
The Challenge: standing out in a sea of greenwashing
Becoming a B Corp is a big deal. But that doesn’t mean it’s an easy feat. There are just a little over 200 certified hospitality organizations – and fewer than 50 in Europe – currently operating under this seal. B Corp certification is a rigorous process that signals a company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility. The Social Hub became a B Corp at the first attempt, achieving an overall score of 107.1 out of 200 – the average being 94. And when it earned its certification, The Social Hub needed to share the news in a way that felt as transparent and impactful as the journey itself. The challenge? Making sure their announcement didn’t just blend into the noise of corporate sustainability claims but truly engaged their audiences, both internal and external changemakers who care about purpose-driven brands.
The Solution: sharing their B Corp journey in their online newsroom
“We make transparency a priority in everything we do. It’s essential that those who interact with us align with our values. So when a guest steps into one of our locations, they should immediately understand what we stand for—not just because of our B Corp certification, but through our everyday actions,” says Daniel Hernández Lyon. “We’ve made a deliberate effort to be transparent in our communications and share the story of our journey towards certification.”
The Social Hub turned to their PR.co-powered newsroom to share the initiatives that earned them their B Corp certification. Over the years, they’ve shared press releases about impactful projects like the The Social Hub Talent Foundation, their own non-profit which donates 1% of revenue to empower changemakers facing barriers to opportunities worldwide, offering scholarships, network, and mentorship to students.
“Thanks to platforms like PR.co, we're able to really easily disseminate the information to our stakeholders, or amplifiers as I like to call them, of virtuous messages like us becoming B Corp certified," Daniel says.
Their online newsroom has become a command center for external communications, making it easy to organize their content and share their story in a concise way. “Whether it’s tied to a specific announcement like B Corp certification or the launch of a new hub, journalists who may not be familiar with our brand can easily find information because it's all organized and accessible in a user-friendly format," he further explains. “Our communications team is also appreciative of the PR software as it allows us to push out information immediately, avoiding time-consuming or redundant tasks.”
The Results
The response from stakeholders has been very encouraging. In the weeks following the announcement, top-tier media across Europe was generated, with 100% positive tone of voice. Since then, The Social Hub has seen a significant increase in press coverage, with more than 90% of its total coverage including key messaging about its unique business model centered on making a social impact. “Journalists now have our information at the fingertips,” Daniel says. "The structured yet engaging format has made it simple for journalists to cover The Social Hub."
Along with the increase in qualitative media coverage of their B Corp certification and new location openings, The Social Hub has also seen an increase of organic inbound requests, including speaking opportunities for their executives at prominent panels and major events, positioning them perfectly to showcase the incredible events they organized across Europe during their inaugural B Corp Month in 2025.
“Our newsroom has become a key resource for transparency,” Daniel says. "It’s more than just a hub for sharing press releases; it’s a space where we can provide updates on our ongoing impact efforts, demonstrating that The Social Hub is a brand that truly walks the talk.”
Takeaways
“Communicating your social impact requires a high level of creativity. It’s crucial to be transparent in order to build trust with all your stakeholders, whether they’re internal teams, guests, or key opinion leaders like journalists or government officials,” says Daniel.
For brands navigating big milestones like B Corp certification, The Social Hub’s approach offers a clear lesson: storytelling and accessibility matter. It’s not just about announcing news—it’s about making people feel part of the journey. With the right tools and strategy, companies can turn their milestones into moments that truly resonate.
Want to see how a well-executed newsroom can elevate your next big announcement? Let’s chat.
About The Social Hub
A Certified B Corporation driven by a purpose to create a better society, The Social Hub is a pioneer in the hybrid hospitality industry, offering spaces where guests from all walks of life can learn, stay, work and play. With hotels located across Europe’s most dynamic cities, The Social Hub connects and creates a unique community of travelers, students, business professionals, neighbors, and more.
From hotel facilities, student and extended stay rooms, co-working spaces, through to auditoriums, gyms, event spaces and a comprehensive social impact programme including its The Social Hub Talent Foundation, The Social Hub is a place where people can connect and learn from one another, build a community and engage in unique experiences that help spark ideas and make change happen.
Founded in 2012, The Social Hub is headquartered in Amsterdam and counts with more than 1,000 employees. The company operates 21 hotels and counts with more than 10,000 rooms in Amsterdam (two hubs), Barcelona, Berlin, Bologna, Delft, Eindhoven, Florence (two hubs), Glasgow, Groningen, Maastricht, Madrid, Paris, Porto, Rome, Rotterdam, San Sebastián, The Hague, Toulouse, and Vienna. Two more hubs are currently in development in Lisbon & Turin.
For more information visit www.thesocialhub.co.
