B Corp FAQ

Yesterday was another lightbulb moment for me. Yes, I've had a lot this year.

I'd been invited to talk to a business about B Corp.

It's quite a big business, and the senior team wanted to learn more about the B Corp journey.

So far so good. Presentation ready and rehearsed. Good to go.

My first question to the room was: "out of interest, how many of you have heard of B Corp?"

The answer: just one.

This isn't unusual.

And in many ways a great opportunity to talk about B Corp to an audience who were keen to hear more and had no preconceived ideas.

At UK for Good we positively bang on about better business and B Corp, and it's easy to forget that both are still relatively new concepts for many people.

I'm regularly asked to present to companies to explain what B Corp is, why it matters, and how you become one.

It's really important to engage your whole team, and ideally from the get go.

So I thought it may be helpful to do a bit of a summary of the FAQ we're often asked:

1. What is B Corp - Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, are companies verified by B Lab (the not-for-profit arm of B Corp) to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. ie. they are companies that care about their people and the planet and prove it.
2. Why does it matter? The world is facing unprecedented environmental and societal challenges and as individuals, businesses, and governments we need to adapt quickly. We need to do so much more...and so much faster.

And research shows that the majority of people believe that it's businesses that should and will create the change we need in the world.

The B Corp Certification is the only globally recognised certification which considers the impact of a business on ALL of its stakeholders, not just its shareholders.

Today, people want to work for, buy from, and invest in businesses they can trust. The B logo is evidence that the business has completed a rigorous assessment which has been independently audited.

You can read a detailed description of B Lab's Theory of Change here It clearly explains why we need a better economic system, how we can shape a better future, and the outcomes we can expect. Well worth a read I promise.

3. How do I become B Corp Certified? To become a B Corp you have to complete a free online assessment called the B Impact Assessment, or BIA. It is for for-profit businesses, is intentionally difficult, and provides an excellent framework for both identifying what you are already doing really well, and super-importantly, where you can improve.

4. How long does it take?

It really does depend (and that isn't a cop out!), on the size, sector, and complexity of your business, your own commitment to the process, and whether you secure external support from organisations like ours or other B Leaders .

5. How many B Corps are there? There are currently about 5,300 B Corps across the globe, and just over 800 in the UK, and that number is growing like topsy. You may recognise some familiar brands here:

6. Are there any advantages to becoming a B Corp? The short answer is lots. You can see some of them here:

7. Many of the brands on the slide are big companies - can smaller companies become B Corps too?

Absolutely! About 90% of B Corp Certified businesses in the UK are SMEs

I'm sure you will have more questions.

If you haven't ever heard of B Corp, or have just a little knowledge, it really is worth looking at their website.

If that's piqued your interest and you would like to learn more about ways we can support you please let me know.

If you are already doing great things for your people, communities and the environment, and have been meaning to embark on the B Corp journey then why not join us on our next online B Corp Accelerator Programme which begins on 6th September? It's a cost and time-effective way of committing to the journey with other like-minded, forward-thinking businesses? You can register here

Any questions at all, please shout.

Have a great week.

Donna