B Lab is a non-profit organization that certifies companies as B Corporations, which means they meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
Founded in 2006 by Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan, and Andrew Kassoy.
Launched the first version of the B Impact Assessment tool in 2007.
By 2017, over 2,200 B Corporations existed in 50 countries and 130 industries.
In 2019, B Lab launched the B Movement Builders Campaign to support the growth of the global B Corp movement.
A global organization that connects businesses, individuals, and nonprofits to address the world's most pressing environmental issues.
A certification and labeling organization that works to promote fair trade and improve conditions for farmers and workers in developing countries.
A certification program by the US Green Building Council that recognizes buildings and neighborhoods that are designed, constructed, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.
A certification program that measures a company's social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
A global network of companies and leaders who are using business as a force for good.
Advocacy and policy work to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
A B Corp is a type of business that has been certified by the non-profit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
To become a B Corp, a company must complete the B Impact Assessment, which evaluates a company's impact on its workers, community, environment, and customers. The company must score at least 80 out of 200 points to be eligible for certification. The company must also adopt the B Corp legal framework and meet the legal requirement to consider the impact of its decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
B Corp certification can help a company attract and retain customers, employees, and investors who care about social and environmental issues. It can also help a company differentiate itself in a crowded marketplace and reduce the risk of negative publicity or legal action related to social and environmental performance.
As of 2021, there are over 4,000 B Corps in 77 countries and 153 industries.
A Benefit Corporation is a legal structure that requires a company to consider the impact of its decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders. B Corp certification is a third-party verification of a company's social and environmental performance. A company can be both a Benefit Corporation and a B Corp, but they are not the same thing.