FAQs: More information on certification processes and third party auditing [Updated Nov 2025]

The Full Certification Process

• Q: How long will it take to certify on the New B Lab Standards?
• Q: What kind of evidence does my company need to share to verify on the new standards - can you share some examples? 
• Q: At what point does my business need to submit evidence for certification?

The Auditing Process

• Q: Who are B Lab’s assurance partners who will be carrying out the audits, and why were they chosen?
• Q: What is a Nonconformity? If my company has one, can we certify?
• Q: How often will my company be audited?
• Q: What does the remote audit consist of?
• Q: How long is an audit?
• Q: What are the differences in the auditing process between V1.6 and V2.1 of the B Lab Standards?
• Q: How does third-party verification impact the cost of certification? 
• Q: How often will my company be audited?

The Full Certification Process

We encourage all existing B Corps and companies who are planning to certify for the first time to read the Certification Requirements Guide in full. 

Q: How long will it take to certify on the New B Lab Standards?

A: B Lab estimates that from submission to certification, the full certification process will take 2-6 months, mainly depending on the number of major nonconformities. Once a company submits for certification, an audit will be scheduled. The audit itself will be a time-bound activity, taking between 1 day and 15 days, depending on the size of the company. Following the audit, the biggest impact on length of time to reach certification will be down to the number of major nonconformities that need to be resolved before the company is able to be certified. If a company has no major nonconformities, the process will be relatively quick, and smaller companies could be certified within 2 months from submission. For more information, read the Certification Requirements Guide. 

Q: What kind of evidence does my company need to share to verify on the new standards - can you share some examples? 

A: You can find newly updated evidence examples for each Impact Topic in the Impact Topic Guides. These articles list examples of evidence companies can provide to showcase their impact. The examples of evidence provided are meant to guide companies, and are not exhaustive. Companies may have other types of evidence, or one of the listed examples may be comprehensive enough on its own.

Q: At what point does my business need to submit evidence for certification?

A: A company submits evidence in the Self-Assessment in B Impact. This is where the company performs its deep dive on impact, measuring its performance against the standards and providing evidence for all applicable sub-requirements. This happens before a company moves into the audit phase. See below for a high-level overview of the certification process.

The Auditing Process

Q: Who are B Lab’s assurance partners who will be carrying out the audits, and why were they chosen?

A: We're excited to announce our audit partners for launch, To-Cert and SCS Global Services, who are ready to begin certifying existing B Corps on the new B Lab Standards from 1 February 2026.  

Over the last four years, To-Cert has been working with B Lab to verify more than 11,000 companies in more than 90 countries - becoming an official partner for our new model is a natural evolution of our partnership. 

SCS Global Services are a globally renowned expert in this space with a significant Fortune 500 portfolio. 

Q: What is a Nonconformity? If my company has one, can we certify?

A: Sometimes, a company fails to meet an applicable requirement of the B Lab Standards. This is known as a "nonconformity", and can be categorized as either minor or major.

• A minor nonconformity is a single, observed lapse. For an initial audit, the company must provide a root cause analysis and submit a corrective action plan. These must be resolved by the next audit. If a minor non-conformity is not addressed, it is elevated to a major nonconformity.

  • Example of minor nonconformity: Some employees were found to not receive a living wage due to the timing of their hiring, and it was determined to be an oversight.

• A major nonconformity is a more material finding, such as a systemic failure to meet a requirement. 

  • Example of major nonconformity: The company is found to not have a fair wage methodology in place for any staff under the Fair Work Impact Topic. 

A company must submit a corrective action plan, and resolve the major nonconformities within six months from receipt of the Corrective Action Report. If that happens, the assurance provider makes a positive certification decision and officially issues the company with a Certificate.

Q: How often will my company be audited?

A: In order to remain certified, ongoing surveillance audits and a special one-off audit in Year 3 are required, covering both Year 0 and Year 3 requirements. However, not all companies will have the same audit schedule within their five-year cycle: The frequency and type of audits that occur across the five-year period depend on the company’s specific circumstances (for example, their sector and size). Not every company site will be audited. Micro and small companies will only be audited at Year 0, Year 3, and Year 5, whereas larger companies are likely to be audited annually. 

Q: What does the remote audit consist of?
A: The audit is conducted as a single-stage process, including an asynchronous review of the self-assessment and uploaded documentation, interviews, and records, it consists of five main steps:

1. Kick-off: the assurance provider starts with an opening meeting held by email, phone, or video call.

2. Document review: the assurance provider will then review your self-assessment and uploaded documentation remotely.

3. Check-in & evidence gathering: the assurance provider will have a live meeting with the company to discuss early results, look at confidential records (like worker pay slip information if needed), and ask for any other evidence if needed before finalising the audit results.

4. Wrap-up: the audit concludes with a closing meeting held by email, phone, or video call.

5. Reporting: Finally, the assurance provider shares their findings, and issues an audit report, including a corrective action report, to the company within 30 calendar days from the closing meeting.

Q: What does the onsite audit consist of?

A: An initial onsite audit is conducted as a two-stage process: 

Stage 1: Remote preparation

This first stage is done remotely and includes:

• Document Check: Reviewing your self-assessment and noting any missing evidence or documents.

• Readiness Check: Confirming your company is prepared for the main onsite audit.

Stage 2: Onsite visit

This must happen within three months of finishing Stage 1:

• Opening Meeting: the auditor starts with a meeting on the first day.

• Onsite Review: the auditor conducts interviews, reviews documents, and walks through your facility or facilities. (The assurance provider will send you the detailed schedule in advance.)

• Closing Meeting: the auditor concludes with a summary meeting on the final day.

For onsite recertification audits, while this follows the same basic steps (Opening, Review, Walk-through, Closing), it is completed as a single onsite audit. The two-stage process is not required, but your updated self-assessment will still be reviewed as part of this process.

Q: How long is an audit?

A: The duration of an audit will vary depending on the audit type (initial, surveillance, Year 3 or recertification), and a company’s certification track

Generally an audit should be completed:

• No more than 10 business days from the opening meeting for Company without Workers to Medium certification tracks.

• No more than 15 business days from the opening meeting for Large to XX Large certification tracks.

Q: What are the differences in the auditing process between V1.6 and V2.1 of the B Lab Standards?

A: The certification audit will be managed by a third-party assurance provider using a hybrid approach that combines remote and onsite auditing, with the specific type and frequency tailored to your company's certification track. We've streamlined this process into a single or two-stage approach to speed up decision-making. We use a new digital certification platform to track and manage all audit information, though you will continue to use the B Impact platform for your initial certification setup and upfront self-assessment and evidence submission. To ensure both you and the auditor are prepared, every audit begins with a comprehensive audit plan, and the V2.1 structure includes formal opening and closing meetings, dedicated time for interviews, and clear windows for submitting any additional evidence. Finally, you will receive a full report detailing conformity and nonconformity, which provides a defined timeline for closing any major or minor nonconformities.

Q: How does third-party verification impact the cost of certification? 

A: B Lab is reviewing pricing to align with the introduction of the new B Lab Standards and the enhanced third-party assurance model for verifying companies. 

Independent assurance on the new standards will strengthen the process and credibility of B Corp Certification. B Lab is working to minimise the financial impact of price increases, particularly for smaller B Corps.

While the new model will introduce additional costs associated with third party assessments, increased diligence, and an enhanced certification experience, detailed pricing for B Corps is still being developed. 

Certification fees for 2026 will be determined by the B Lab regional or country team where your company is headquartered and confirmed by the end of 2025, if not earlier.