How to certify as a B Corp

Step 1: Set up your assessment

1.1 Registration: Sign up for a free B Impact account and complete your Assessment Setup. This ensures the assessment is tailored to your company’s size, industry, and location. If your company has a complex structure, B Lab UK will contact you to define your Scope–the entities and brands within your business that will be included in the assessment–to ensure your certification accurately reflects your corporate structure.

1.2 Foundation Requirements review: Assess your business against the Foundation Requirements. B Lab will review these to confirm your business is eligible to move forward.

Step 2: Complete and submit your assessment

2.1 Self-Assessment: Navigate to the ‘Self Assessment > Requirements’ to begin your assessment against the B Lab Standards. This is the core process where you meet mandatory requirements and provide evidence across seven Impact Topics. 

2.2 Submit: Once you’re ready and have uploaded your evidence, head to the ‘Submission’ page in B Impact to review your application and complete the essential steps to prepare for the audit. Make sure you’ve reviewed and signed the certification agreements. 

Step 3: Audit and verification

3.1 Audit: B Lab will assign an Assurance Provider–an independent third-party auditor–to review your assessment and schedule your audit. See how to prepare for audit here.

3.2 Audit Report: Reports will be issued following the audit, detailing any nonconformities, along with timelines and instructions for addressing them.

3.3 Corrective Actions: If the audit identifies gaps, you will take steps to address the nonconformities. Major nonconformities must be addressed before the company can be certified, while minor nonconformities can be addressed before the next audit (see Ongoing accountability below).

Step 4: Licensing and recertification

4.1 Official certification: Once the requirements are met, your company will be certified as a B Corporation and receive a certificate valid for 5 years.

4.2 Ongoing accountability: To maintain certification, all companies will undergo a Year 3 audit, and a recertification audit in Year 5. Depending on their size and sector, companies may also be required to undergo partial audits known as Surveillance Audits either annually or every second year.

Being part of the community

Once certified, you will officially join the community of like-minded B Corps. From the B Hive, our global community platform, to B Locals events across the UK, there is a wealth of initiatives to help you connect with your peers and drive the movement forward together.

Need help certifying?

You don't have to navigate your B Impact account alone. We provide a range of resources to help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. For personalised support, you can also connect with B Leaders, who are sustainability professionals trained by B Lab to support you through the certification process.

Initial steps of becoming a B Corp

B Corp Certification is unique because it measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance. From supply chain and input materials to charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification verifies that a business is meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

How much does B Corp Certification cost?

Using the B Impact Assessment is free. Eligible companies must submit their B Impact Assessment, paying a submission and verification fee during the certification process, and then paying an annual fee as a member of the B Corp community.

We have subsidised the verification fee for the smallest companies wanting to join our community. In this way, and alongside our new equity pricing, we are continuing to ensure the B Corp movement remains a home for diverse businesses of all shapes and sizes.