Our Standards

B Lab's standards are at the heart of the B Corp movement and our Theory of Change, defining social, environmental, and governance best practices for businesses. Our standards serve as the foundation for everything our network does.

Standards Development

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: 

  • B Impact Assessment

    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.

  • Risk Standards

    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.

  • Multinational Company Standards & Baseline Requirements

    Additional baseline requirements for large companies which are defined as a parent company generating $5B+ in annual revenue.

Evolving Standards

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.

Blog Second Public Consultation

Latest Update

Blog Second Public Consultation

In January 2023, the second public consultation on the draft standards has launched! We invite you to help shape the future of B Corp Certification by sharing feedback through a new, interactive website.

B Lab has reached a vital juncture in the evolution of B Corp Certification standards. We need your help to understand if the latest draft is ambitious, clear, and attainable for businesses globally whilst delivering the impact the world needs. Your feedback is mission-critical.

Last updated: 18th January 2024

Standards Advisory Council & Regional SAC

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.

Regional Standards Advisory Council: Europe

Dr. Andrea Berglehner

OmniCert Umweltgutachter GmbH

Camille Verdon

ECOCERT Group

Saïd Hammouche

Fondation Mozaïk

John Scade

MAS Business

Nadja-Timea Scherrer

plus305

Majda Dabaghi

Independent

Robby Collins

7Peaks Brasserie

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