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ESG / CSR
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Businesses are under increasing pressure to demonstrate real commitments to sustainability and social impact - but the path forward isn’t always clear. With a growing backlash against ESG and mounting skepticism over reporting frameworks, companies are struggling to prove that their efforts are meaningful. In this landscape, how can they showcase real impact and avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing?
One way is through B Corp certification. Awarded by the nonprofit B Lab, this internationally recognized certification verifies that a company meets rigorous, third-party standards for sustainability, ethical governance, and social responsibility.
❗️And big changes are coming.
In 2025, B Lab is rolling out new standards that will raise the bar for certification. Companies will no longer be able to qualify based on a flexible scoring system - instead, they must meet clear, sector-specific impact requirements. For example, businesses will be required to:
In this article, we break down what it takes to become a B Corp, the upcoming changes to certification, and what these updates mean for businesses looking to get certified.
B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab, a nonprofit organization that assesses companies on their impact across key areas, including workers' rights, governance, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. To qualify, businesses must go beyond profit-driven decision-making and commit to balancing purpose and profit.
As of 2025, B Lab reports that 9,480 companies worldwide have achieved B Corporation certification. While the movement is growing, it remains largely made up of smaller businesses, with a few notable exceptions like Danone and Nespresso. Certification is also more common in consumer-facing industries such as fashion, food, and finance, while uptake among B2B companies has been more limited.
Until now, certification was based on an 80-point threshold in the B Impact Assessment (BIA). However, this system is changing in 2025. Moving forward, B Corp-certified businesses must meet explicit performance requirements across key sustainability and governance areas.
Every certified B Corp must:
B Corp is not a one-time achievement. Certified companies must continuously improve to remain in the community, facing recertification every three years under increasingly stringent standards.
With the new 2025 updates, the certification process will become more robust, requiring companies to meet clear, sector-specific sustainability goals rather than simply accumulating points in a flexible scoring system.
One of the most significant updates is a stronger focus on climate impact. Under the new standards, every company seeking B Corp certification must:
Previously, businesses could still qualify as B Corps even if they had weaker environmental scores - now, climate action is non-negotiable. Every B Corp must actively contribute to emissions reductions rather than simply offsetting their carbon footprint.
The new standards move away from a points-based system, where companies could qualify by excelling in certain areas while lacking in others. Now, businesses must meet clear performance criteria across all seven key Impact Topics.
Under the new model, companies must:
Every company must now prove measurable performance in seven key areas:
Each of these areas comes with specific, enforceable standards rather than broad, self-reported efforts.
B Corps have always been expected to embed stakeholder governance into their legal structure - but 2025 will tighten these requirements further.
To certify, companies must:
This ensures that B Corps are structurally committed to social and environmental responsibility - not just in practice, but in legal obligation.
Recognizing that a tech startup and a large multinational have different sustainability challenges, the new standards introduce contextualization mechanisms.
What this means:
This shift ensures that B Corp certification is both rigorous and attainable for businesses of all sizes.
The new 2025 standards raise the bar, making certification more meaningful but also more demanding. Businesses looking to certify will need to:
For companies that are already B Corps, these changes will apply upon recertification - so businesses must start adapting now.
B Lab doesn’t just certify businesses - it collaborates with governments, policymakers, and advocacy groups to elevate sustainability standards globally. Some of its key policy initiatives include:
B Lab launched the Coalition for Interdependence, a group of 100+ companies advocating for stronger corporate sustainability legislation.
Why this matters for B Corps: The coalition actively lobbies for policy changes that hold businesses accountable for their environmental and social impacts - ensuring that B Corps remain at the forefront of ethical business practices.
B Lab is pushing for legal reforms worldwide that embed stakeholder accountability into corporate governance.
Why this matters for B Corps: Companies that want to legally commit to stakeholder governance can align with Benefit Corporation legislation, which B Lab is working to expand beyond the US.
For businesses seeking or maintaining B Corp certification, B Lab’s policy influence offers major advantages:
Here’s how the process works under the updated system:
Before applying for certification, businesses must demonstrate their commitment to responsible business practices by fulfilling the B Corp Foundation Requirements. These include:
Only companies that meet all foundation requirements can proceed to the next stage.
Under the new 2025 certification standards, businesses must meet sector-specific performance requirements across the seven key Impact Topics:
Unlike the old system, where companies could balance weaker areas with stronger ones, businesses must now meet minimum thresholds across all impact topics.
Once a company completes the Impact Topic Assessment, it submits the results to B Lab for review and pays the required verification fees, which are based on annual revenue.
B Lab conducts a comprehensive audit to verify the accuracy of the company’s Impact Assessment responses. This includes:
The verification process can take up to 12 months, depending on company size and complexity.
Once a company passes verification, it must:
Certification is valid for three years, but businesses must recertify under updated standards to maintain their B Corp status.
The entire process - from initial assessment to final certification - can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
B Corp certification is not a one-time achievement - it’s an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. Every three years, companies must:
The new B Corp standards raise the bar significantly, making certification more demanding. Businesses planning to apply - or recertify - should start preparing now by:
Becoming a B Corp-certified business is a significant investment - not just in terms of sustainability efforts and governance changes, but also in financial costs and time commitments. The 2025 certification updates make the process more demanding, meaning companies need to allocate sufficient resources to meet the new standards.
Here’s what businesses need to consider when planning for B Corp certification.
The cost of certification depends on company size and revenue. B Lab’s fee structure ensures that smaller businesses pay lower fees, while larger companies contribute more due to the complexity of verification and auditing processes.
To start the certification process, companies must pay a verification fee. This covers the initial assessment review and B Lab’s audit process.
Annual Revenue | Verification Fee (Total) |
---|---|
€0 – €4,999,999 | €2,500 |
€5M – €49,999,999 | €5,000 |
€50M – €99,999,999 | €7,500 |
€100M+ | €10,000 |
Businesses pay this fee in two parts: 10% upon submission of the B Impact Assessment and 90% upon verification.
Once certified, companies must pay an annual membership fee to maintain their B Corp status.
Annual Revenue | Annual Membership Fee |
---|---|
€0 – €2,499,999 | €2,000 |
€2.5M – €4,999,999 | €2,500 |
€5M – €7,499,999 | €3,000 |
€7.5M – €9,999,999 | €4,000 |
€10M – €14,999,999 | €6,000 |
€15M – €19,999,999 | €8,500 |
€20M – €29,999,999 | €12,000 |
€30M – €49,999,999 | €16,000 |
€50M – €74,999,999 | €20,000 |
€75M – €99,999,999 | €25,000 |
€100M – €174,999,999 | €30,000 |
€175M – €249,999,999 | €35,000 |
€250M – €499,999,999 | €40,000 |
€500M – €749,999,999 | €45,000 |
€750M – €1B | €50,000 |
These annual fees support B Lab’s global operations, including platform maintenance, impact verification, and community-building efforts.
Despite the costs and time commitment, many businesses see B Corp certification as a strategic investment rather than an expense.
While becoming a B Corp-certified business is a rewarding achievement, the process can feel complex - especially with the new 2025 standards. Many companies face challenges along the way, from understanding the new requirements to implementing necessary changes across their operations.
Here, we outline the most common hurdles businesses encounter and how to overcome them:
Challenge | Why It’s Difficult | How to Overcome It |
---|---|---|
Meeting the New Climate Action Requirements | Businesses must now measure GHG emissions, set science-based targets, and develop a climate transition plan - a major challenge for those new to emissions tracking. |
- Start measuring emissions now using Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). - Set science-based targets aligned with 1.5°C warming limits. - Develop an actionable transition plan, focusing on renewable energy, supply chain decarbonisation, and operational efficiency. |
Meeting the New Legal Governance Commitments | Companies must legally commit to stakeholder governance, which may require bylaw amendments and internal restructuring. |
- Review legal requirements early to ensure compliance. - Seek legal advice to integrate stakeholder governance into corporate structures. - Educate leadership and key stakeholders on the long-term benefits of a stakeholder model. |
Collecting & Disclosing Impact Data | Businesses must publicly report on wages, diversity, emissions, and supply chain practices, requiring strong internal tracking systems. |
- Use sustainability reporting tools (e.g., GRI, CDP) to standardise impact data. - Improve supplier accountability by integrating ethical sourcing and fair labor requirements. - Create a centralised impact report for easier updates and public transparency. |
Managing the Time and Resource Commitment | The certification process can take 6–12 months, requiring significant internal resources. |
- Develop a structured roadmap, assigning clear responsibilities. - Prioritise impact areas where progress can be made quickly. - Leverage external expertise, such as B Corp consultants, to streamline the process. |
Ensuring Continuous Improvement for Recertification | Certification must be renewed every three years, with businesses required to demonstrate measurable progress. |
- Embed sustainability into company culture, making it a core operational priority. - Set long-term improvement goals to align with evolving B Corp standards. - Regularly engage employees and leadership to maintain commitment and accountability. |
Navigating the B Corp certification process - especially under the revised 2025 standards - can be complex and time-consuming. Greenly streamlines the journey, providing expert guidance to help your business meet the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements essential for certification.
Here’s how Greenly supports companies throughout the B Corp certification process:
A GHG assessment is now mandatory for B Corp certification. Greenly helps you:
Under the new B Corp requirements, businesses must not only measure emissions but also implement a reduction strategy. Greenly helps you:
A company’s environmental impact isn’t just internal - supplier emissions matter too. Greenly helps you:
B Corp certification requires cross-functional expertise in governance, sustainability, and compliance. Greenly connects you with:
Beyond emissions reduction, many businesses choose to invest in carbon contribution projects. Greenly provides:
B Corp certification is evolving, ensure your company is prepared to meet the new requirements with Greenly’s expert guidance.