20 things you probably didn't know about B Corp

1. B Corp was founded  in 2006 in the US by three friends who shared a unique vision to inspire and enable people to use business as a force for good. After leaving their careers in business and private equity, they set out to start an organisation that would enable companies to be publicly responsible for the environment, communities, their workers and their customers.

2. The first 82 Certified B Corps were certified in 2007 - and each year this number has continued to grow. There are now over 4000 B Corp certified organisations across the globe, all of which have successfully met the strict, highest-level requirements needed to pass.

3. The B Corp Certification is based on three major pillars: social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. Mastering just one of these pillars is not enough for becoming a B Corp organisation - as it’s the unique combination of the three that makes the certification so credible.

4. In 2015 B Lab UK, a charity part of an international network, launched here in the UK. Its purpose is to redefine success in business through building a community of engaged businesses and raise awareness of the B Corp movement to influence change in the UK economy.

5. The UK is the second largest B Corp community in the world, with over 670 B Corps representing 48 industries and over 22,000 employees.

6. There are currently over 4500 Certified B Corporations across over 150 industries. Number of B Corps per country include: (Source: B Corp UK)

 

7. Between 2017 and March 2020, UK B Corp SMEs saw their annual employee headcount grow by 8% – compared to 0% for all SMEs (B Corp UK).

8. List of UK B Corp businesses split by Sector sector includes:

11. Annual B Lab certification fees range from £1000 to £50,000 a year, depending on revenue. Source (B Corp)

12. From 2020 - 2021, B Lab Global received more than 6,000 applications for certification from businesses, a 38% year on year increase (B Corp).

13. Committing to use business as a force for good means organisations are obligated to amend all of their articles of association – including those relevant to their shareholders, suppliers, society and the environment. This is a key requirement to receive the B Corp certification.

14. To become B Corp Certified, companies need to have been in business for a year and must earn at least 80 points out of 200 on the Impact Assessment. The average score for non B Corp organisations is currently 50.9 – and no one has yet reached 200, as there are always ways to improve.

15. The B Corp with the highest score is renewable energy firm South Mountain Company, with a score of 183. Since being certified in 2008, it has increased its overall impact score by a third – showing the room for improvement year after year.

16. Each year, B Lab releases ‘Best for the World’ lists of the top-performing Certified B Corps from around the globe. The most recent 2021 honorees include the best for customers, environment, workers and governance.

17. Collaboration is key for the B Global network – and since 2006 B Lab has partnered with an extensive range of stakeholders on all levels. The aim of these collaborations is to inspire B Corp businesses from across the globe to share crucial insights, raise awareness and demonstrate best practices for a more sustainable future.

18. Many companies that are part of the B Corp Climate Collective participate in the UNFCCC’s Race to Zero campaign, committing to be Net Zero by 2030. That’s an impressive 20 years ahead of the 2050 goals set out in the Paris Agreement! There are 1,200 businesses currently part of the group, and the numbers continue to grow daily.

19. B Lab are passionate about ensuring JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) is at the core of all of their operations – a powerful initiative they built to address fundamental injustice in modern day society.

20. On their mission to nurture a fairer and more inclusive economic system, the B Lab Global Network (a unified group of global, regional, and national organizations power the B Corp movement at the local level), created the ‘Theory of Change’. This ‘historic momentum for systems change’ is in place to tackle the problem with global economy for good, and ultimately work towards a world where all businesses are equitable.