5 Inspiring B Corps Making a Difference in Sustainability
I can’t remember the first time I learned about B Corps, but I’ve been obsessed with them for a while! The ‘B’ stands for “benefit for all.” Any business, even sole proprietors, can become B Corp Certified through B Lab, a “nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet.” In this article, I’ll share the purpose of B Lab, why companies become B Corp Certified, and some of my favorite eco-friendly products from B Corps.
What is B Lab and How Is It Encouraging Environmentally Friendly Businesses?
B Lab is a nonprofit that began in 2006. It was founded by three college friends inspired by companies working to make positive environmental impacts: Andrew Kassoy, Bart Houlahan, and Jay Coen Gilbert. Their headquarters are in Philadelphia, PA, but they have offices globally!
B Lab Founders: Bart, Jay, & Andrew (from left to right) | Photo from sustainabilitymag.lu, Credit: Mark Leibowitz, 2008
As an organization, B Lab sets standards for businesses to operate at higher sustainable levels and be more transparent with their shareholders and stakeholders (including us as consumers).
Shareholder vs. Stakeholder
Shareholder (or stockholder): any person, company, or organization that holds stock in a company. They must hold at least one share in stocks or mutual funds and typically receive a dividend, or share of profits; most companies pay their dividends quarterly.
Stakeholder: anyone who can affect or be affected by a business; this typically includes investors, employees, suppliers, and consumers (like me and you!).
Companies wanting to become B Corp Certified must complete an online B Impact Assessment, which evaluates its performance in (some of) the following categories: governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. From there, the results become verified by B Lab, which typically takes about a year to process. Certified B Corps must repeat this assessment every three years to maintain their certification.
Screenshot from bcorporation.net, B Impact Assessment
The B Impact Assessment, or BIA, standards are overseen by an independent advisory council. Their members come from various backgrounds and expertise, and are appointed by B Lab’s Board of Directors. Certified B Corps commit to believing the following (directly taken from their website here):
[They must] be the change [they] seek in the world.
…all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
…through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
To do so requires that [they] act with the understanding that [they] are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations.
What’s the Point in Becoming B Corp Certified?
According to the B Corporation website, there are currently over 6000 Certified B Corporations in more than 80 countries and 150 industries.
Image from https://www.furbsonfilm.com/ | Photographer: Andie Furber
Today, companies market themselves by greenwashing, or making false statements about their practices. When companies seek to create more environmentally-friendly products or services, having the B Corp certification is a way to verify their claims. Often times, this drive for more sustainable materials or ethical production is driven by the leaders of the corporations.
With more transparency, B Corps can help to build trust with their stakeholders. They must keep higher standards for verified performance and accountability with employee benefits, charitable giving, and supply chain practices. Certified B Corps and benefit corporations are often used synonymously, but are not the same. A benefit corporation is a legal structure; it is not a certification nor required to meet B Lab standards.
5 Eco-Friendly Products From My Favorite Certified B Corporations
I personally try to support B Corps whenever possible. Similarly to the FAIRTRADE Mark or the Climate Neutral Certification, it is a way for me to trust that a company is taking initiative to build a business with the planet and its people in mind. Before making a new purchase, I do my best to research the company, and if there’s one that’s B Corp Certified, I tend to go with them!
There are many companies that have created innovative products to lessen their impact on the planet and create healthy working environments. Below are a few of my favorite Certified B Corps and eco-friendly products:
Mission: to make and donate essential clothing to those who need it. Certified since 2017.
Warby Parker | HQ: New York, NY
Mission: to inspire and impact the world with vision, purpose, and style. Certified since 2011.
Allbirds | HQ: San Francisco, CA
Mission: to prove that comfort, good design and sustainability don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Certified since 2016.
The Body Shop | HQ: West Sussex, UK
Mission: We exist to fight for a fairer, more beautiful world. Certified since 2019.
Plaine Products | HQ: Terrace Park, OH
Mission: to reduce waste in the world and help eliminate single-use plastics. Certified since 2018.
TLDR — Article Actions & Takeaways
Becoming B Corp Certified can be a long and tedious process, but serves to verify that a company is adhering to higher environmental and ethical standards. The ‘B’ in B Corp stands for “benefit for all.” To become B Corp Certified, a company must take the B Impact Assessment through B Lab, a nonprofit, which is headquartered in the United States. When making a new purchase, you can check to see if a company is B Corp Certified by the certification symbol, which is often placed on their physical products or on the footer of their websites.
I love seeing the ways that companies are being creative with their products and services while focusing on sustainable practices. When making a new purchase, I always recommend trying to buy secondhand first, but if it’s not possible… try looking for a B Corp! Search for a B Corp on their directory here: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/. And if you haven’t joined the club yet, you can do that here:
Sources and more reading below: