Guidance for all B Corps due to recertify in 2025/2026

Purpose

After four years of work, B Lab has published new standards that will raise the bar for B Corp Certification. These evolved standards necessitate new certification processes, giving the B Corp community the opportunity to begin recertification on the new standards while creating space for companies to adapt.

This policy outlines the steps for B Corps with recertification dates in 2025 and 2026, as they start to prepare for recertification on the new standards. 

Definitions of the terms used in this policy can be found in the Glossary below. 

Background and Context 

In December 2020, B Lab announced a review of the performance requirements for B Corp Certification in response to community and stakeholder feedback about evolving leadership in social and environmental performance. Following input from over 1000 stakeholders, the new standards address today’s most urgent social and environmental challenges, providing clear and impactful requirements for companies to demonstrate leadership and drive systemic change.

We want to give the B Corp community the opportunity to begin working towards the new standards as soon as possible. Given the diversity within our community, B Corps will follow different routes to recertify on the new standards based on their recertification date, size and complexity. B Lab is committed to supporting B Corps in their efforts to meet the new standards in a structured way. 

At the heart of B Corp Certification is continuous improvement. We’re not striving for perfection, but progress. The sub-requirements of the new standards are structured in phases, guiding companies on a journey of continuous improvement over a number of years. 

To achieve initial certification, companies must meet a set of sub-requirements, progressing to meet additional sub-requirements in Year 3 and Year 5. To maintain their B Corp certification, companies must continually meet all applicable sub-requirements from the time they become effective. Learn more here. 

Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to the following groups of B Corps: 

• Small, Small-Medium, and Medium Enterprises:

  • With recertification due dates in 2025/2026 

• Large Enterprises and Multinational Companies: 

  • With recertification due dates in 2025/2026 

Please note that companies certifying for the first time are not covered by this policy. For further information for requirements relating to this group, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.

Companies with recertification dates in 2027 should expect to recertify on the new standards on their current recertification date. More information on the certification journey will be provided from Q3 2025.

This policy will take effect from April 8, 2025. Subsequent updates will be communicated to companies with recertification dates beyond December 31, 2026.

Recertification Routes for B Corps - Small, Small Medium and Medium Enterprises 

Small, Small-Medium and Medium Enterprises will follow one of two routes, determined by their recertification dates.
 

Route 1: For B Corps with a recertification date on or before December 31, 2025. 

The B Corp must submit their B Impact Assessment on the current standards (Version 6) by June 30, 2025. They will complete their recertification process on Version 6, and will be required to recertify on the new standards in 2028. 

This is a hard deadline - after this date, B Lab will stop accepting recertification submissions on the current standards. If the B Corp misses this deadline, they will follow Route 2. 

Route 2: For B Corps with recertification dates from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.* 

The B Corp recertifies on the new standards, with a 12-month extension to their current recertification date. These companies should pause any further work on their current B Impact Assessment (Version 6) and focus on preparing for recertification on the new standards. 

B Corps will be able to complete a self assessment in B Impact against the Year 0 sub-requirements. This process will allow companies to identify areas for improvement and consider the actions they need to take to meet the new standards. 

We recommend engaging with the self-assessment as soon as possible, as it will be the first step in the new certification process. Detailed process steps for how to do so will be shared before July 1, 2025. B Corps will be expected to submit their self-assessment for verification by their extended recertification date. B Lab’s six-month early submission policy for recertifying companies does not apply for recertification on the new standards.  

Further information on the new certification process will be shared from Q3 2025. 

Route 1: For B Corps with a recertification date on or before December 31, 2025. Route 1 may be available to companies with recertification dates from January 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026 in some regions. These companies will have received email communications from their Country and Global Partners. For further information, please consult regional representatives.

Companies affected by the European Union (EU) Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT)

If a company sells products in the EU, we strongly recommend that they make plans to be certified on the new standards by September 2026. B Lab is working to create certification routes to facilitate this process. 

We also recommend that companies selling products in the EU that may not be able to certify on B Lab’s new standards before September 2026 consult their own legal advisors regarding how they communicate their B Corp status after that date.

Recertification Routes for B Corps - Large Enterprise Approach

Large and Multinational B Corps with recertification due dates in 2025 must submit their B Impact Assessment(s) on the current standards (Version 6) according to their existing submission deadlines, and no later than 3 months before their recertification cycle due date.  

B Corps with recertification due dates in 2026 will recertify on the new standards (Year 0 sub-requirements). Guidance in relation to how subsidiaries and related entities within a larger organization are grouped and assessed is being developed as part of the work on the new certification process. In the meantime, Large and Multinational B Corps should familiarize themselves with the new standards and begin preparing for their recertification by completing the self-assessment in B Impact.

We are ensuring that the new certification model aligns with the requirements of the ECGT. Additionally we will work with Large and Multinational Enterprises operating in, or selling into the EU, to understand how the ECGT may impact their recertification timelines. 

More information on the above, and related to specific recertification routes for Large and Multinational B Corps will be shared throughout the year. In the meantime, companies may reach out to their key account manager with questions or concerns as they engage with the new standards and start preparing for recertification.

Resources and Related Documents

For further information and resources, please refer to the following: 

• Frequently Asked Questions on B Lab’s New Standards [updated 8 April]

• Achieving the new standards through continuous improvement  

Glossary

• B Corp: A company that has been verified under the current standards (Version 6)  of the B Impact Assessment and scored 80 or above.  

• Certification: Certification is an independent audit of a company’s compliance with a set of standards. 

• Extension: An extension is an additional amount of time past a B Corp’s established recertification date, granted to enable the company to appropriately prepare itself for recertification on the new standards. B Corps will be expected to submit their assessment on the new standards for verification by their extended recertification date. 

• Large Enterprise Approach: one of B Lab’s certification approaches designed for companies that generate more than $100MM USD in annual revenue with 10 or more subsidiaries operating in multiple countries or generate more than $1B in annual revenue. For more information on current certification approaches, see this article. 

• New Standards: This refers to B Lab’s new standards, published on April 8, 2025. The new standards consist of Foundation Requirements and seven Impact Topics. You can learn more about the new standards here.

• Small, Small-Medium and Medium Enterprises: Within B Lab’s certification approaches, Small and Medium Enterprises are companies that generate an annual revenue less than $100MM USD, or generate more than $100M USD in annual revenue with typically fewer than 10 subsidiaries or that operate in a single market. For more information on current certification approaches, see this article.

• Sub-Requirements: This refers to the specific requirements that a company must fulfil to achieve certification. The sub-requirements will depend on a company’s size, sector, industry and geographical location. Learn more here. 

• Recertification Date (Small, Small-Medium and Medium Enterprises only): The date by which B Corps are expected to complete the verification on Version 6 of the standards and B Impact Assessment, in order to maintain their B Corp Certification. If following Route 2, this is the date by which B Corps must submit their updated self-assessment for review. 

• Recertification Route: The steps that companies must take in order to go from being certified on Version 6 of the standards to recertifying on the new standards.

• Version 6: The version of the Standards for B Corp Certification updated in January 2019, spanning five impact areas. These standards are found in the B Impact Assessment and have been used for certification. They will be superseded by the new standards from April 2025.