Everything you need to know about B Corp certification
Our complete guide to help get you started on your B Corp certification process.
17 November 2022 • 4 minute read

Managing the certification process
The journey to becoming a B Corp can be challenging, complicated, and time-consuming. But those who have been through it believe the resulting business benefits are worth the effort. Preparation, thoroughness, and a realistic approach are the keys to certification success.
Every business approaches B Corp assessment from a unique starting point. Some will have B Lab’s Theory of Change embedded in their DNA; others will require significant evolution to reach that point. “It might not even be for everybody, or not for everybody right now,” says Amy Bourbeau, co-founder and chief impact officer at sustainability advisory Seismic. “First, businesses should understand what their journey towards certification looks like, how they’re performing, and how far they might have to go.”
To certify, companies must submit a B Impact Assessment (BIA), answering 200 questions about the previous 12 months of operation. The BIA covers five main impact areas – governance, environment, customers, community and workforce – with performance points awarded for each. A minimum total of 80 is needed to pass.
“The BIA required us to provide evidence of socially and environmentally responsible practices covering matters such as energy and waste, worker compensation, diversity, corporate transparency, and specific business impacts related to our sector,” outlines Kieron Goodman, director and B Corp certification lead at Threesixty Architecture.
Costs will likely be incurred along the way. “While some changes are free, like putting in place a whistle-blower policy, some will have associated costs, such as offering additional employee benefits. Others might not have a financial cost, but might be time-consuming, like implementing an environmental management system,” says Bourbeau. There is an annual fee, payable once you certify, with a tiered fee structure based on revenue.
B Corps must also amend their articles of association to embed the priorities of a broad range of stakeholders into their legal framework, and commit to ongoing improvement by recertifying every three years. “It’s a journey, not a standalone project,” says Penny Penati, head of operations at founder networking group Helm. Penati led the company through certification and says it’s not a tick-box exercise. “It’s not something you work through for a couple of months then never think about again. It’s a never-ending way of improving.”
Senior sponsorship is vital to sign off on the cost, time and energy involved. Because B Corp is about a business’s core values and vision, its leaders need to drive the B Corp train, not just be passengers, believes Penati. “If you don’t have them on board, it will end up being a side project.”
As one of the core pillars of B Corp, the workforce is an important component in achieving certification. Changing processes and implementing policies requires everyone’s active involvement. “It should be a whole company effort rather than something that sits in a silo,” confirms Bourbeau.
“We actively engaged our staff throughout,” reports Goodman. “It required input from multiple staff members to gather evidence for certification, and we empowered individuals to drive areas of improvement to further our score. It’s critical everyone understands what B Corp status means, why we are one, and why we are always striving to improve.”
Top tips for B Corp hopefuls
- Do a practice run of the free BIA questionnaire to determine your initial score. This will give insight into where you could target additional points by implementing improved procedures or changing your approach.
- Understand the legal requirements you need to meet. Altering the business’s articles of association to embed a stakeholder focus is best completed during the certification process to gain maximum points.
- Reach out to existing B Corps, either within your industry or outside, to discuss their own experience. They’re often open to sharing advice and support.
- Think ahead to future certifications. How are you going to implement further changes, track new processes and maintain momentum?
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