4 minutes
Table of contents
B Corp certification is an international certification that recognizes companies that meet standards in social and environmental responsibility. The certification is awarded by B Lab and focuses on a company balancing profit with a positive purpose.
Why become B Corp certified?
The B Corp certification is one of the most recognized standards for responsible business in the world. It is designed for companies that want to take responsibility - not only for the bottom line, but also for people, the environment and society.
The certification focuses on documenting what the company already does well and identifying potential for improvement where you as a company have shortcomings. The certification is a way to show the outside world that you are serious about responsibility, ethics and good management.
In addition, many companies find that certification:
- Gives greater credibility in the market
- Creates pride internally and strengthens culture
- Creating competitive advantage in the market
- Attracts conscious customers, investors and talented employees alike
- Setting a direction for accountability in the company
How to achieve the certification
The path to B Corp certification starts with B Impact Assessment - a free online tool where you measure your company's impact in five areas: management, employees, environment and climate, local communities and suppliers, and customers. Here you answer questions about everything from salary and climate impact to purchasing policies, supplier partnerships and customer safety.
To get certified, you need to:
- Achieve minimum 80 points out of 200
- Document your answers with concrete data and documentation
- Change your articles of association so your business Legally committing to consider all stakeholders - not just shareholders and owners
- Review a validation process with B Lab
Many use the process as an internal training ground to strengthen corporate responsibility across areas - even if they don't get certified right away. It's a learning and value-adding exercise in itself.
In April, B Lab released their new and updated standard, which you can read more about here.
Part of a broader strategy
B Corp is not necessarily a replacement for industry or product certifications such as GOTS, Oeko-Tex, FSC or EU Ecolabel - but rather a valuable supplement. Where product certifications say something about what you sell, B Corp is all about how to You run your entire business.
The certification provides a holistic perspective and can help to:
- Connecting accountability initiatives across the business
- Show that responsibility is not only something that happens in production, but also in management style, relationships and decisions
- Provide access to a network of companies with shared values
A certification like B Corp can strengthen your company's position and make it more attractive to both customers and partners. If your company is already working with responsibility, B Corp can be the framework that unifies the different initiatives into a single approach.
B Corp as a strategic investment
For SMEs, time and resources are often scarce. That's why it's important that a certification isn't just a 'nice to have', but creates real value. And B Corp does - when used correctly.
The certification can be seen as a strategic investment i:
- Robustness: Get a handle on policies, processes and data to make your business more resilient
- Differentiation: You stand out in a market where more and more people talk about sustainability, but few have documentation
- Attractiveness: For employees, partners and conscious customers alike
- Preparing for future requirements: B Corp helps you achieve many of the areas that future legislation will require
The B Corp certification is not just a stamp - it's a long-term commitment to responsible business. B Corp is not a shortcut, and for many companies, it's exactly what it takes to go from good intentions to concrete, documented responsibility.