B Lab recognizes that high-quality social and environmental business standards demand continuous improvement in order to meet principles of inclusion, independence, and credibility. Developed according to standards best practices and informed by stakeholder input and research, our standards have continuously evolved since our founding in 2006.
B Lab standards are multi-faceted and include:
A comprehensive tool to measure, manage, and improve a company’s positive impact performance for workers, communities, customers, suppliers, and the environment. A required verified score of 80 on the B Impact Assessment also serves as a certification requirement for B Corp Certification.
An assessment of eligibility for B Corp Certification based on a review of potentially negative impacts associated with a company’s industry and other practices.
Additional baseline requirements for large companies which are defined as a parent company generating $5B+ in annual revenue.
We update and improve our standards on a regular basis. While specific revision mechanisms will vary by the nature of the project, all standards development projects are informed by research and multi-stakeholder input. B Lab’s standards are independently governed by B Lab’s Standards Advisory Council and Board of Directors, with input from external stakeholders and various Working and Advisory Groups.
In September 2022, we shared the first draft of the new standards for B Corp Certification after engaging with stakeholders globally. Over the following two month consultation period, we heard your valued feedback. Read our Preliminary Consultation Summary Report, which collates and summarizes this feedback, and identifies ways to address it in the next draft of the standards for B Corp Certification.
Last updated: 15th May 2023
Oversight of the B Impact Assessment is the responsibility of B Lab’s Standards Advisory Council, an independent committee of 20-22 members, each with deep industry or stakeholder expertise. The Standards Advisory Council is divided into two subgroups — one to oversee the content and weightings for the version of the B Impact Rating System that is appropriate for companies and funds in developed markets; the other for the version that is appropriate for companies and funds in emerging markets.
