B Corp Certification
A Benefit corporation certification managed by B Lab Company (Berwyn, Pennsylvania). Standards V2.2 published on 20 February 2026 with a binding compliance system across eight axes.
Context
B Corp is the Benefit corporation certification managed by B Lab Company (a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2006, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania). It verifies corporate performance across governance, social, environmental and stakeholder commitment.
Regulatory origin
Managed by B Lab Company. Standards V2.2 published on 20 Feb 2026. It replaces the 0-200 scoring system (V1) with a compliance system of Foundation + Performance Requirements.
The 8 axes of the B Corp Standards V2
Foundation Requirements · basic eligibility.
Purpose & Stakeholder Governance · binding stakeholder governance.
Climate Action · decarbonisation and climate resilience.
Fair Work · decent working conditions.
Human Rights · full respect across operations and the chain.
Environmental Stewardship & Circularity · responsible use of resources.
Government Affairs & Collective Action · political transparency.
Justice / Equity / Diversity / Inclusion · substantive equity.
Timeline
B Lab founded
Not-for-profit organisation in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
First certification
The first 19 companies certified as B Corp.
Standards V2 launched
Replaces 0-200 scoring with binding requirements.
Standards V2.2 in force
Current version with progressive commitment from Year 0 to Year 5.
Applied case
A textile brand starts B Corp certification to differentiate itself commercially and access sustainable financing opportunities.
Month 1-2: registration in the B Impact Assessment + Foundation Requirements (amendment of articles of association, €800 notary fee).
Month 6-9: B Lab verification + remediation of minor gaps · €15,000 annual membership cost.
Month 9-12: final certification + public communication · commitment to Year 3 (review) and Year 5 (full renewal).
Common mistakes
B Corp does not certify a product.
It certifies the whole company. A specific product from a B Corp company may have a good or bad environmental profile in its own right.
B Corp does not exempt you from the risk of greenwashing.
Each product or collection claim is assessed independently under the ECGT. Company certification does not automatically back specific claims.
It is not the same as being a purpose-driven company (BIC in Spain).
BIC (Beneficio e Interés Común) is the Spanish legal form provided for by Law 18/2022 that recognises purpose-driven companies. B Corp is a voluntary international certification. A company can be one, the other, both or neither.
It is not a binding legal certification.
Frequently asked questions
What is B Corp?
A Benefit corporation certification managed by B Lab Company (a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2006, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania). It verifies a company’s performance in meeting binding minimums for governance, the social dimension, the environmental dimension and stakeholder commitment. Under the V2.2 standard (published 20 Feb 2026) it certifies through 8 axes with progressive commitment Year 0 → Year 3 → Year 5.
What axes does B Corp Standards V2 assess?
Eight axes (official B Lab naming): (1) Foundation Requirements (FR · eligibility), (2) Purpose & Stakeholder Governance (PSG), (3) Climate Action (CA), (4) Fair Work (FW), (5) Human Rights (HR), (6) Environmental Stewardship & Circularity (ESC), (7) Government Affairs & Collective Action (GACA), (8) Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI). Each one with minimum requirements differentiated by size and sector.
How is B Corp certification obtained?
Through the B Impact Assessment (BIA): (i) company registration, (ii) meeting Foundation Requirements (legal, transparency, no industries contrary to the Theory of Change), (iii) meeting Performance Requirements across the 7 Impact Topics, (iv) signing the B Corp Declaration of Interdependence + Legal Requirement, (v) B Lab verification. Average time 6-12 months, annual cost €1,000-€50,000+ depending on turnover.
What is the difference between B Corp and ESG certifications (MSCI, Sustainalytics)?
B Corp (B Lab standard V2.2 published 20 Feb 2026) is a compliance certification with a binding commitment to stakeholder-oriented governance (Legal Requirement: amend the articles of association to recognise stakeholder interests). MSCI ESG Ratings and Sustainalytics ESG Risk Ratings are external ratings for investors under Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (SFDR), with no binding commitment from the company. B Corp is behaviour-oriented (Foundation Requirements + Performance Requirements); ESG ratings are disclosure-oriented. B Corp is renewed every 5 years; ESG ratings are annual with no formal renewal.
What changes did B Corp Standards V2 bring?
V2 (launched April 2025, V2.1 Aug 2025, V2.2 Feb 2026) replaced the 0-200 scoring system (minimum 80) of V1 with a compliance system of Foundation Requirements + Performance Requirements differentiated by size/sector with progressive commitment Year 0 → Year 3 → Year 5. A profound model change from numerical scoring to binding thresholds.
Fuentes oficiales
- B Lab Global2024-2026Voluntary certification
- B Lab Global2024-2026Methodological review
- BOE · Cortes Generales28 sep 2022Standard in force
