Frequently Asked Questions - Certifying on B Lab's New Standards

Modified on Fri, 18 Apr at 1:01 PM

This article provides an overview on the Certifying on the New Standards.

See our guide on Key Changes to the New Standard or the Recertification Policy for more information.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certifying on the New Standards
Tools, Platforms & Resources
- Products & Tools
- Training & Upskilling
  - Q: What training, guides, or resources will B Lab be providing to support companies to meet the new standards, and when?

Certifying on the New Standards

Q: Will companies continue to recertify on the standards every 3 years?

A: Certification on the new standards is designed in a phased approach across 5 years, recognising the increased rigor and ambition of the new standards while guiding companies on a journey of continuous improvement.

Following the initial certification, companies will need to improve year over year with new requirements after 3 and 5 years. Beyond this point, companies will be expected to continue to meet all requirements and demonstrate further improvement. This new approach will be applicable to both B Corps and companies certifying for the first time. Learn more about how companies will gradually adopt the new standard.

A: While the new standards are ambitious, developed to push company impact and address the world's most pressing issues, we are confident they are achievable for B Corps. The standards were drafted with input from more than 3000 stakeholders across a multi-year consultation process and have been developed to accommodate B Corps of all contexts. The specific requirements that a company must fulfill will depend on its size, sector, industry and geographical location, ranging from 20 to 124 sub-requirements to be certified. B Corps will be given time to meet their requirements across five years (see here for more details).

You can share feedback on which compliance criteria seem unachievable in the B Impact platform while also sharing the specific barriers to implementing these criteria. Further, there will be regular formal standards revision processes managed after launch including public consultations during which you will have the opportunity to share feedback on the standards.

Q: What will happen to all the efforts that my company has invested in the past for the certification?

A: Efforts invested towards having a positive impact on the world and being a leading company are never a waste. The intent of the new performance requirements is not to invalidate your previous efforts, rather to focus future efforts on a set of comprehensive issues ensuring that certification is relevant for the challenges of today and tomorrow and giving organizations clarity to focus on what matters most.

The information that you have shared through your previous certification cycles will remain in the database and will be accessible to you. That said, currently Certified B Corps are likely to be at different stages of achievement within the new structure of the performance requirements. Therefore, some of the efforts that you have taken in the past will align very well with some of the seven topics of the new performance requirements resulting in minimal efforts from your side. However, topics that have not been a priority area for your company will likely require additional effort and investment.

Q: I’m a Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) B Corp, and my recertification date is coming up. Can I still recertify based on the old standards (Version 6), or do I need to comply with the new ones?

A: B Corps with a recertification date in 2025 may proceed with their current recertification process using Version 6 of the B Impact Assessment, provided they submit by 30 June 2025. This is a hard deadline.

B Corps with recertification dates between 1 January and 31 December 2026 will transition to the new standards and receive a 12-month extension to their recertification due date. These companies will complete a self-assessment in B Impact (available from 8 April) and begin preparing for certification on the new standards.

B Lab recommends that all businesses that operate within the EU and engage in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions should start self-assessing against our new standards and start identifying and working towards meeting the standards, to ensure readiness for when such a pathway becomes available.

B Lab is working to facilitate this process and to provide certification routes that support alignment with these regulatory requirements. Details will be communicated in due course. Companies unable to certify before this date are encouraged to consult legal advisors on how to communicate their B Corp status after September 2026.

*In some regions, B Corps with recertification dates from January 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026 may be able to recertify on Version 6 by June 30, 2025. Please consult your Global Partner for further details.

Q: What is the rationale for B Lab to start certifying companies on the new standards in 2026?

A: It's important that the B Corp community continues to demonstrate leadership in addressing global challenges - leveling-up community performance in line with the new standards is a priority for our movement. We want to give our community the opportunity to begin the transition and start working towards our new future-facing standards as soon as possible.

In addition, we want to maintain the rigorous process behind certification which means transitioning the community to the new standard as soon as possible - there are many complexities around delivering certifications and managing certification processes on two different sets of standards at the same time.

Q: My recertification date is not until 2027, how do I prepare for recertification and what timelines should I be aware of?

A: We are anticipating that all recertifications in 2027 and 2028 will be on the new standard and not on Version 6. B Corps with recertification dates in 2027 and 2028 are expected to recertify on their existing recertification date. In the meantime, they are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new standards in B Impact. Further information on the certification process for these companies will be provided from Q3 2025.

Q: Can you provide more details on how the recertification process for existing B Corps will work for businesses selling products in the European Union (EU)?

A: B Lab’s new certification model will comply with applicable regulations, including Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT - Directive 825/2024/EU), effective September 2026. We are closely following the development of the implementation process for ECGT into national laws by EU Member States. This new certification model will be the only way we will be able to verify companies under our new standard.

B Corp certification under the new standard and certification model will meet the legal requirements for being a valid sustainability label in the EU.
B Corps will be able to use the Certified B Corp logo on product packaging and marketing materials under our new standards and certification model.
The current certification model (Version 6) does not comply with ECGT.
B Lab is working to create certification pathways to enable companies to be certified on the new standards and certification model by September 2026. Details will be communicated in due course.
B Lab recommends that all businesses that operate within the EU and engage in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions should start self-assessing against our new standards and start identifying and working towards meeting the standards, to ensure readiness for when such a pathway becomes available.
The way we describe what certification means (our “claim” under EU law) will change, reflecting new standards and regulations. B Lab will release an updated brand book in January 2026 with more guidance on the display of the Certified B Corp mark, tagline lock-ups, and certification-related claims under the new certification model.
We recommend that businesses that operate within the EU and engage in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions should consult their own legal advisors regarding how they communicate their B Corp status after September 2026.

Q: If I have already completed the B Impact Assessment on Version 6, will the changes to the standards require me to resubmit or update my responses?

A: You may need to update your responses and any corresponding activities to reflect the new requirements. It’s recommended that you review the updated standards in B Impact and check for any areas where you may need to make adjustments or where there are gaps that need to be closed.

Q: I am a Small / Medium Enterprise (SME) working on my B Corp certification for the first time. I haven’t yet submitted my B Impact Assessment. What should I do?

A: We would encourage SME companies that want to certify as a B Corp for the first time on the existing Version 6 B Impact Assessment to submit prior to December 31, 2025. In 2026, we are planning to begin accepting submissions on the new standard.

If you are a company that operates within the EU and engages in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, you should consult your own legal advisors regarding how you communicate your B Corp status after September 2026. We strongly recommend you make plans to be certified on the new standards by September 2026. B Lab is working to create certification routes to facilitate this process. In the meantime, your company should start self-assessing against our new standards and start identifying and working towards meeting the standards, to ensure readiness for when such a pathway becomes available.

Q: I am a large or multinational company, can I get started with pre-verification services?

A: We are not currently accepting new Large Enterprise and Multinational Corporation (LE/MNC) applications for B Corp Certification on Version 6. While we are preparing services for Large and Multinational companies that are aligned with the new standards and new certification model, we encourage interested companies to engage with the new standards and get in contact with your local B Lab partner office. For contact information, the Global Partner websites can be found at: https://bcorporation.net/about-b-lab/global-partners.

Q: I am a large or multinational company certifying for the first time. I have completed all the pre-verification services. What should I do?

A: Large Enterprise and Multinational Corporations (LE/MNCs) certifying on the Large Enterprise Approach to certification whose certification application has already been processed can progress with the steps to prepare for certification and must submit for verification by December 1, 2025 to certify using Version 6 of the B Impact Assessment.

Q: What is the difference between B Lab’s existing certification system and third-party certification?

A: We currently use a second-party assessment process, whereby verification of company B Impact Assessments is carried out by our analysts and analysts from our partner To-Cert, with final certification decisions made by B Lab’s Certification and Verification team. This model was purposefully designed to draw upon the expertise of our staff.

The EU Empowering Consumers Directive regulates the use of sustainability labels in the EU Market, it defines a certification scheme as a third-party verification scheme, whereby all certification assessments, and the subsequent award of certification, needs to be conducted by a third-party certification body in full.

Under B Lab’s new approach, 100% of certification decisions will be made by a third party. This system builds on our existing approach, maintaining the key aspects that worked well, including the same suite of standards, but updating how we carry out certification.

As we make this transition, we will partner with one or more assurance providers to provide certification services to companies seeking B Corp certification. We will also carry out ongoing monitoring to ensure the certification is conducted with rigor and consistency to prescribed international standards.

Q: Why is B Lab becoming a third-party certification scheme?

A: The shift to all certification decisions being issued by third parties will increase impartiality and bring an additional layer of independence. Contracting competent and independent third-party assurance providers will be fundamental to ensure that our B Corp certification program meets credible best practice as well as welcome changes in the sustainability claims legislative landscape.

This landscape has been evolving rapidly in recent years. Legislation driving the shift towards certification is also setting many of the requirements for sustainability labels that require them to be based on third-party certification. We’re taking this opportunity to ensure that the certification process on the new standards, not only complies with these regulations but also reflects a more strengthened and efficient process.

Q: What does this change mean for companies wanting to certify on the new standards?

A: The new process will be communicated to all. However, a fundamental change for companies seeking B Corp certification will be to engage a B Lab approved Assurance Provider to carry out an assessment of their compliance with the new standards and certify.

Q: What does this change mean for the B Corp IP and claim?

B Corp certification under the new standard and certification model will meet the legal requirements for being a valid sustainability label in the EU.
B Corps will be able to use the Certified B Corp logo on product packaging and marketing materials under our new standards and certification model.
The current certification model (Version 6) does not comply with ECGT.
B Lab is working to create certification pathways to enable companies to be certified on the new standards and certification model by September 2026. Details will be communicated in due course.
B Lab recommends that all businesses that operate within the EU and engage in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions should start self-assessing against our new standards and start identifying and working towards meeting the standards, to ensure readiness for when such a pathway becomes available.
The way we describe what certification means (our “claim” under EU law) will change, reflecting new standards and regulations. B Lab will release an updated brand book in January 2026 with more guidance on the display of the Certified B Corp mark, tagline lock-ups, and certification-related claims under the new certification model.
We recommend that businesses that operate within the EU and engage in business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions should consult their own legal advisors regarding how they communicate their B Corp status after September 2026.

In the new standards, B Lab is also prioritizing ‘interoperability' with relevant standards setters and mandatory disclosure reporting, starting with EU directives and other certification schemes.

Tools, Platforms & Resources

Products & Tools

Q: Will B Lab provide updated tools to support businesses in understanding and meeting the new standards?

A: As we launch the new standards, we are also introducing new products and tools to support companies. The new B Impact platform is an all-in-one digital tool, designed to help businesses measure, manage, and improve their impact. Whether you're pursuing B Corp Certification through the B Impact Assessment or tracking sustainability goals in the SDG Action Manager, B Impact streamlines the process.

If you already have a B Impact Assessment account, simply log in with your existing credentials — or start the free registration process today.

Q: Will B Impact be functional to begin measuring and managing my company’s impact as soon as the standards are published in April so that I can conduct a gap analysis?

A: Yes. Once you’ve had an initial read of the new standards and better understand how they apply to your company, you can start your self-assessment. You will notice an option to indicate the status on each sub-requirement to summarise your company performance in this area - does your company already meet this requirement, or do you need to mark for improvement? This data ladders up to an overview dashboard, so that you can see where your biggest gaps are, how many requirements you are meeting and where you need to improve at a glance. If you already have a B Impact Assessment account, simply log in with your existing credentials — or start the free registration process today.

Q: How do the new standards meet accessibility needs?

A: Regarding more accessible language, efforts have been made to copy edit content in the standards themselves, and throughout the B Impact platform to be more accessible and user friendly while balancing the integrity and technical meaning of the standards. This not only makes the standards easier to understand but also improves translations.

Regarding design, B Lab uses a custom design system which was developed with accessibility in mind. From color contrast to typography, considerations have been made to ensure the building blocks of our designs meet accessibility standards.

Q: Will both versions of the standards be visible on B Impact?

A: If a company has previously certified on Version 6 standards or is in the process of doing so, the company will be able to access current and past assessments in the Assessment History area of the B Impact platform.

Both the B Impact Assessment (housing the Version 6 standards), and the new self-assessment (housing the new standards) will be available in the B Impact Platform. Which version a company uses will depend on the stage of their certification journey and when they are due to recertify on the new standards. You can find more information in the Recertification Policy.

Training & Upskilling

Q: What training, guides, or resources will B Lab be providing to support companies to meet the new standards, and when?

A: B Lab is hosting two global webinars for the B Corp Community and B Consultants / Leaders in April and May. The April event will celebrate the launch of the new standards, dive into the content of the new standards and share high-level information on what’s changing. This will be followed by a second webinar on new certification processes and B Corp journeys for those recertifying on the standards. In addition, regional B Lab teams will host deeper training sessions on the Impact Topics of the new standards - and what this means for your company. Please follow B Lab's communication channels for more details.