B Corp Certification Support
Gaining B Corp Certification
Why choose B Corp?
B Corp aims to promote businesses as a force for good, and the concept has taken off since B Corp certification was launched in 2006. Today, more than 6,200 companies in 87 countries and 159 industries are now Certified B Corps.
Certified B corps are legally mandated to consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders. This ensures that as the business grows and evolves, it remains legally accountable to workers, communities, customers, suppliers and the environment, and not just to its shareholders.
Ready to go, or in a rush? Book a meeting today – click here.
The B Corp Certification Process
B Corp: how long does it take, and what’s involved?
The certification process starts with the B Impact Assessment (BIA) which measures your company’s economic, social and environmental impacts. This is a key part of the certification process, and it is best viewed as a confidential assessment which grades your company’s accountability and transparency, its impact on employees, the community and the environment, as well as the beneficial impact of its products or services.
While the BIA is a free tool, achieving a score of at least 80 is demanding in the extreme. Very few businesses have the proper procedures in place, and almost no one has an adequate employee handbook. Relax: with ESG PRO we cover all of this with you!
If you decide to pursue B Corp certification, you will then need to submit your results to B Lab for verification. At this stage there’s a small application fee to pay, and then your certification fee which is based on your annual revenue – but this doesn’t happen until you’ve passed. The B Lab staff will go over the results, clarify the certification fees, ask for supporting documentation and possibly arrange a site visit.
Don’t be tempted by agencies offering instant results – you must approach the B Corp process diligently and honestly.
Certification is time consuming. It starts with gathering the necessary documentation and submitting your application, and this alone requires quality guidance to get it right the first time.
Remember that everything needs to be verified, so you’ll need documentation to prove you have certain practices in place. The legal team at ESG Pro have the model documents ready to customise for your business, but the real expertise is in advising how to implement changes to your employment practises, helping you to conduct a supply chain sustainability audit, and running a materiality assessment.
Overall, the B Corp certification tends to take up to nine months from start to finish, although if your organisation already has a strong HR team, and solid CSR programme, it might be faster.
Ready to go, or in a rush? Book a meeting today – click here.
How can ESG Pro help?
We offer a fully managed B Corp service!
Getting started with B Corp requires the same level of commitment as tackling ESG reporting to the standards of the GRI or SASB frameworks. The senior leadership team must invest their own time and effort, in addition to the many tasks which may be delegated. You will need to think about:
- Should you create a B Corp steering group, because it’s too big of a task for one person alone?
- Is B Corp the best solution, or should this be run in parallel with gaining an ESG certification and rating?
- What external help will enable your business to be ready to submit your application faster?
- Do you have an upcoming bid you’re trying to win, and would you like an option for rapid compliance?
Our experts will be pleased to explore these criteria with you in greater depth, guiding you towards a successful strategy!
Ready to go, or in a rush? Book a meeting today – click here.
