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How to get a B Corp Certification?
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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 recognised 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:
- Measure and report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Develop and implement a climate action plan
- Meet strict governance, fair work, and human rights criteria
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What B Corp Certification is and how it works
- Key changes in B Lab’s 2025 standards and what they mean for businesses
- The step-by-step certification journey, from assessment to verification
- How to meet the new legal, climate, and impact requirements
- What it costs to become a B Corp and why it’s worth the investment
- Common challenges and how to overcome them
What is B Corp Certification? A quick overview
“B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab, a nonprofit organisation that assesses companies on their impact across key areas, including workers' rights, governance, environmental sustainability, community engagement, and sustainable business practices. ”
To qualify, businesses must go beyond profit-driven decision-making and commit to balancing purpose and profit. It’s about using business as a force for good and helping shape a more just, inclusive, and regenerative global economy.
As part of this mission, certified B Corporations join a growing global movement of like-minded businesses. As of 2025, over 9,400 companies around the world - from small enterprises to global names like Danone and Nespresso - have achieved B Corp status.
Changing thresholds
In recent years, questions have emerged about whether B Corp standards are rigorous enough, especially as larger corporations join the community. Under the current model, companies could qualify by scoring at least 80 points on the B Impact Assessment (BIA), a flexible system that allowed them to balance weaker areas with stronger ones. While this made the certification accessible, it also raised concerns that some businesses were skating through without truly addressing their biggest sustainability impacts.
To respond to these concerns and ensure B Corp certification remains meaningful, B Lab is rolling out a new set of standards in 2025. Moving forward, B Corp-certified businesses must meet explicit performance requirements across key sustainability and governance areas.
Every certified B Corp must:
✅
Meet high social and environmental performance standards assessed across multiple impact areas
📜
Commit to long-term accountability, embedding stakeholder governance into their legal structure
🔍
Ensure transparency by publicly disclosing their performance
♻️
Demonstrate continuous improvement, with recertification required every three years under stricter standards
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The biggest changes in the 2025 B Corp Standards
1. A mandatory Climate Action Plan for all B Corps
One of the most significant aspects of B Lab’s new standards is a stronger focus on climate impact. Under the new standards, every company seeking B Corp certification must:
📊
Measure and report its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions annually
🌡️
Set a science-based target aligned with keeping global warming below 1.5°C
📉
Implement a climate transition plan to reduce emissions over time
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.
2. A shift from a flexible score to strict requirements
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:
📌
Meet explicit performance criteria across all seven key Impact Topics
🧩
Pass both Foundation and Impact Topic Requirements (instead of just accumulating points)
⚖️
Tailor their compliance to industry and company size (ensuring fair and meaningful standards)
3. New Impact Topic requirements
Every company must now prove measurable performance in seven key areas:
Purpose & Stakeholder Governance
Fair Work
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Human Rights
Climate Action
Environmental Stewardship & Circularity
Government Affairs & Collective Action
Each of these areas comes with specific, enforceable standards, ensuring companies focus their efforts on measurable, high-impact outcomes rather than generalised commitments.
4. Stronger legal commitments for B Corps
B Corps have always been expected to integrate stakeholder consideration into their legal structure - but 2025 will tighten these requirements further.
To certify, companies must:
📃
Legally commit to considering all stakeholders in decision-making (not just shareholders)
🧾
Update their legal framework to reflect this within a set timeframe
🔎
Disclose governance structures and sustainability performance publicly
This ensures that B Corps are structurally committed to social and environmental responsibility - not just in practice, but in legal obligation.
5. Tailored requirements by size and sector
Recognising that a tech startup and a large multinational have different sustainability challenges, the new standards introduce contextualisation mechanisms to ensure fair and equitable implementation across industries and company sizes.
What this means:
- Companies will be assessed based on size, industry, and operational footprint.
- Stricter requirements apply to large corporations, particularly around climate action and supply chain accountability.
- Small businesses still need to meet the requirements, but with a focus on what is practical and impactful for their scale.
This shift ensures that B Corp certification is both rigorous and attainable for businesses of all sizes.
What these changes mean for businesses seeking B Corp certification
The new 2025 standards raise the bar, making certification more meaningful but also more demanding. Businesses looking to certify will need to:
- Prepare early by assessing where they currently stand in relation to the updated Impact Topics
- Develop a climate strategy, including emissions tracking and reduction targets
- Ensure their governance structure is aligned with stakeholder accountability requirements
- Commit to full transparency and public disclosure of key impact metrics
For companies that are already B Corps, these changes will apply upon recertification - so businesses must start adapting now.
B Lab's role in policy and global standards
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:
🌍 The Coalition for Interdependence
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.
📣 Global advocacy for stakeholder capitalism
B Lab is pushing for legal reforms worldwide that embed stakeholder accountability into corporate governance – key steps toward driving large-scale economic systems change.
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.
How B Lab's policy work benefits B Corps
For businesses seeking or maintaining B Corp certification, B Lab's policy influence offers major advantages:
📜
Future-proofing against regulations
Many governments are increasing corporate sustainability requirements. B Corps are ahead of the curve because they already meet strict accountability and impact standards.
🌍
Global recognition and edge
As sustainability regulations expand, B Corps stand out to investors, regulators, and consumers as leaders in ethical business practices.
🤝
Access to policy networks
B Corps aren't just businesses — they're part of a movement driving change. Certified companies can shape the future of corporate sustainability.
“With the 2025 certification changes, B Lab is making it clear that B Corps aren't just companies – they are leaders in shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, equitable, and regenerative global economy. By aligning certification requirements with global policy trends, B Corp is strengthening its credibility as a gold standard for responsible business.”
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How to become a B Corp: The certification process
“Becoming a B Corp-certified business is a commitment to meeting the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. With the new 2025 standards, the certification process is now more rigorous, requiring companies to meet explicit criteria across key impact areas.”
Here's how the process works under the updated system:
Step 1: Meet the Foundation Requirements
- Eligibility assessment: Businesses must operate legally, have been in business for at least 12 months, and not be involved in activities that contradict B Corp's mission.
- Risk assessment: B Lab reviews any controversial business practices, unresolved complaints, or potential risks.
- Impact business model assessment: Companies must show how core operations create measurable impact (e.g. emissions reduction, supply chain improvements).
- Legal commitment: Businesses must integrate stakeholder governance into their structure and, where applicable, achieve benefit corporation status.
Only companies that meet all foundation requirements can proceed to the next stage.
Step 2: Complete the Impact Topic Assessment
Under the 2025 standards, businesses must meet performance requirements across seven key Impact Topics:
- Purpose & Stakeholder Governance
- Fair Work
- Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)
- Human Rights
- Climate Action
- Environmental Stewardship & Circularity
- Government Affairs & Collective Action
Unlike the old system, businesses must now meet thresholds in every area – not just an overall score.
Step 3: Submit your application and verification fees
- Submit the completed assessment to B Lab for review.
- Pay the verification fees based on annual revenue (tiered by business size).
- Publish a public profile in the B Corp Directory with verified score and impact report.
Step 4: Undergo the third-party verification process
- Provide supporting documentation: policies, data, supplier records, reports.
- Leadership interviews to assess governance and sustainability practices.
- Cross-check supply chain policies for ethical and environmental compliance.
This process can take up to 12 months depending on business size and complexity.
Step 5: Sign the B Corp Agreement and pay the certification fee
- Sign the B Corp Agreement and Declaration of Interdependence.
- Pay annual certification fees based on company revenue.
- Recertify every 3 years to maintain B Corp status under updated standards.
How long does the certification process take?
The entire process, from initial assessment to final certification, can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months.
- Small businesses with straightforward structures may complete certification in as little as six months.
- Larger companies with complex supply chains and multiple stakeholders may take closer to a year.
What happens after certification?
B Corp is not a one-time achievement. Certified B Corp businesses must continuously improve to remain part of the B Corp community, facing recertification every three years under increasingly stringent standards - a process that ensures B Lab’s standards remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.
Every three years, companies must:
📝
Submit an updated Impact Assessment reflecting their latest sustainability and social responsibility progress.
📈
Demonstrate measurable improvements in areas like climate action, worker well-being, and supply chain accountability.
✅
Meet any new performance requirements introduced by B Lab.
“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. ”
Why businesses should start preparing now
The new B Corp standards raise the bar significantly, making certification more demanding. Businesses planning to apply, or recertify, should start preparing now to keep pace with the evolving expectations of the B Corp movement by:
📋
Conducting an internal sustainability audit or company self-assessment to evaluate current impact areas.
🌍
Implementing a GHG measurement and emissions reduction plan to meet the new climate action requirements.
🏛️
Reviewing governance structures to ensure legal commitments align with B Corp's stakeholder model.
🤝
Engaging with employees and suppliers to strengthen social impact policies.
What it takes to become a B Corp
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.
How much does B Corp Certification cost?
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
Verification fees (paid once upon application submission)
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.
Annual membership fees (Paid every year to maintain certification)
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.
Is B Corp Certification worth the investment?
Despite the costs and time commitment, many businesses see B Corp certification as a strategic investment rather than an expense.
Key benefits of certification:
Competitive advantage
Consumers, investors, and partners trust B Corps because of their independent third-party validation.
B Corp certification enhances your credibility and distinguishes you from greenwashing competitors.
Regulatory readiness
The new 2025 B Corp standards align with major global regulations, helping businesses stay ahead of compliance.
Stay future-proof by aligning your practices with emerging ESG and sustainability disclosure rules.
Stronger brand & retention
Mission-driven companies attract and retain top talent – especially millennials and Gen Z employees.
Being a B Corp boosts employee engagement and supports a values-aligned workplace culture.
Better access to capital
Investors and lenders increasingly prioritise sustainability-focused companies – and B Corps stand out.
Certification signals strong governance, risk management, and long-term value creation to capital providers.
Common certification challenges and how to overcome them
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. |
|
| Meeting the New Legal Governance Commitments | Companies must legally commit to stakeholder governance, which may require bylaw amendments and internal restructuring. |
|
| Collecting & Disclosing Impact Data | Businesses must publicly report on wages, diversity, emissions, and supply chain practices, requiring strong internal tracking systems. |
|
| Managing the Time and Resource Commitment | The certification process can take 6–12 months, requiring significant internal resources. |
|
| Ensuring Continuous Improvement for Recertification | Certification must be renewed every three years, with businesses required to demonstrate measurable progress. |
|
B Corp certification in the UK
B Corp certification is gaining momentum in the UK as more businesses look to embed sustainability and accountability into their operations. From independent retailers to household names like The Guardian and BrewDog, the UK B Corp Community is growing rapidly, demonstrating that purpose-led business is more than a trend.
B Lab UK, the local branch of the global nonprofit, supports companies throughout the certification process and plays a key role in advocating for stakeholder governance in British corporate culture. While UK law doesn’t formally recognise benefit corporation status, companies can still meet the legal requirement for B Corp certification by updating their Articles of Association to include a commitment to all stakeholders.
With regulatory pressure increasing around ESG and greenwashing, becoming part of the UK B Corp Community offers companies a clear framework to build trust, measure impact, and future-proof their brand.
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How Can Greenly Help Your Company?
Navigating the B Corp certification journey - 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:
📊 Annual GHG tracking
- Track Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions with precision.
- Align reporting with B Corp climate criteria.
- Get expert guidance to reduce your footprint.
🎯 Climate action plans
- Build a custom strategy with science-based targets.
- Spot key areas for emissions and efficiency gains.
- Set achievable, impactful goals for reduction.
🔗 Supply chain decarbonisation
- Assess Scope 3 emissions and engage suppliers.
- Adopt sustainable procurement practices.
- Meet B Corp’s circularity and stewardship standards.
🤝 ESG partner network
- Tap into ESG experts at every certification step.
- Access sector-specific guidance for best results.
- Align operations with B Corp best practices.
🌱 Verified carbon projects
- Choose from a portfolio of vetted initiatives.
- Match projects to your climate goals.
- Integrate financing into your broader ESG plan.
B Corp certification is evolving; ensure your company is prepared to meet the new requirements with Greenly's expert guidance.
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