B Lab - B Corp Certification

Voluntary, third-party certification for verified social and environmental performance.
Status: 7,000+ B Corps in 70+ countries; new standards effective 2025-2026^{[2][3][5][6][9]}.

Certified B Corps

7,000+

Across 70+ countries, 150+ industries^[2][3][4]

Founded

2006

B Lab global non-profit^[1][2]

Certification Cycle

3 years

Continuous improvement required^[1][3][5][9]

Mandatory GHG Reporting

Yes

Annual Scope 1 & 2; Scope 3 where feasible^[7]

B Corp Certification Requirements (2025+)

Requirement	Description	Timing
Foundation Requirements	Eligibility, legal stakeholder governance, risk assessment	Year 0
Impact Topics	Meet sub-requirements across 7 non-negotiable topics (Governance, Workers, Community, Environment, Customers, etc.)	Year 0, 3, 5
GHG Emissions Reporting	Annual Scope 1 & 2 required, Scope 3 where feasible; verified data for large companies	Annual, ongoing
Continuous Improvement	Meet new sub-requirements at Year 3 and Year 5; progress mandatory for recertification	Year 3, 5, ongoing
External Verification	Third-party review of all assessments (no self-certification)	All new certifications and recertifications

B Corp Certification Timeline and Transition

Year	Milestone	Status
2006	B Lab founded, B Corp Certification launched	Active
2010-2024	80-point B Impact Assessment (Version 6), recertification every 3 years	Legacy standard
2025	New standards launched: Foundation + Impact Topics, phased by size/region	Active (SMEs recertify on old standard until June 30, 2025)^[5][8][9]
2026	All recertifications transition to new standards; large companies required to comply	Active
2027+	Continuous improvement, further standards updates	Ongoing

B Corps by Region (2025, est.)

Estimated number of certified B Corps by region (2025).

B Corp Model: Integration and Influence

Stakeholder governance: Legal accountability to all stakeholders, not just shareholders^[1][6]
Continuous improvement: Mandatory progress at Years 3 and 5, no “set-and-forget”^[3][5][6][9]
Mandatory GHG reporting: Annual Scope 1 & 2, Scope 3 where feasible^[7]
Third-party verification: No self-certification, external audits for all B Corps^[5]
Public transparency: All B Impact scores and recertification status publicly disclosed^[4][6]
Global influence: Referenced in impact investing, SDGs, EU/US regulatory frameworks^[5][6][10]

About B Lab and B Corp Certification

B Lab’s B Corp Certification is a voluntary, third-party standard for companies demonstrating verified social and environmental performance, stakeholder governance, and public transparency. The 2025 standards overhaul introduces phased, mandatory requirements across seven impact topics, annual GHG reporting, and external verification, with continuous improvement required for recertification^{[2][3][5][6][7][9]}. Over 7,000 companies in 70+ countries are certified as B Corps, making it a global benchmark for responsible business and stakeholder capitalism.

Note: All data reflects official B Lab and industry updates as of May 2025.

B Lab - B Corp Certification

B Lab - B Corp Certification

Countries: Global (used in 70+ countries)
Function: Voluntary certification for companies demonstrating verified social and environmental performance

Visit BLAB Website

B Lab is a global non-profit organization founded in 2006 to create standards, policies, tools, and programs that drive corporate accountability toward broader social and environmental goals. Its flagship initiative, the B Corporation (B Corp) Certification, is a voluntary third-party certification that evaluates and verifies a company’s social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

B Corp Certification is built around the principle that businesses should balance profit and purpose, operating not only for shareholder returns but also for the benefit of all stakeholders, including employees, customers, communities, and the environment.

Certification is based on the B Impact Assessment (BIA), a rigorous evaluation tool covering five key dimensions:

Governance: Ethical standards, mission alignment, and transparency in governance structures.
Workers: Employee compensation, benefits, training, working conditions, and satisfaction.
Community: Diversity, equity and inclusion, local economic impact, charitable engagement, and supply chain practices.
Environment: Environmental management systems, resource conservation, emissions reduction, and ecological stewardship.
Customers: Product and service impact, consumer protection practices, and mission-aligned customer engagement.

Companies must achieve a verified minimum score on the BIA to qualify for certification, undergo a background check, and amend their corporate governance structure to reflect stakeholder accountability. For US-based companies, this often involves adopting a public benefit corporation legal status or equivalent amendments to corporate bylaws.

B Lab’s certification process emphasizes continuous improvement. Companies must recertify every three years, during which they must demonstrate progress or sustained performance across evaluated dimensions. Certification is not static; it demands ongoing adaptation to evolving social, environmental, and governance standards.

Today, more than 7,000 companies across over 70 countries and 150 industries are certified as B Corps, including multinational corporations, small businesses, and mission-driven startups. B Corps include notable firms such as Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, Danone North America, and Natura & Co.

Key characteristics of the B Corp Certification model include:

Voluntary nature: Certification is not mandated by governments but serves as a market-driven tool for signaling corporate values and practices to investors, consumers, and employees.
Verification rigor: Companies undergo audits and data verification to ensure the integrity of disclosed information.
Public transparency: Certified companies publicly disclose their B Impact scores, enabling external scrutiny and stakeholder engagement.
Stakeholder governance: Certification requires structural commitments to considering the interests of non-shareholder groups in decision-making.

Although the B Corp movement is voluntary, it has influenced broader trends in ESG investing, stakeholder capitalism discourse, and legislative developments around benefit corporations and responsible business conduct. B Lab’s standards are increasingly referenced in impact investing frameworks and have informed the development of public policy proposals related to sustainable business practices.

B Lab continues to refine the B Impact Assessment to align with global standards such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emerging regulatory frameworks, maintaining relevance as sustainability disclosure practices evolve internationally.