How to Determine Which Sites Are in Scope for Certification

As part of defining your certification scope, you’ll need to determine which sites (locations) are included in your B Corp Certification. This is an important step because only sites that are included in your certification scope are eligible to use the B Corp IP or refer to being part of your certification. Any site that is not included in scope cannot display B Corp signage at the location or claim to be covered by the company’s certification.

This section explains how B Lab determines whether a site must be included in scope, what “operational control” means in practice, and how to document your sites correctly.

For more information about scoping, read What to know about scoping your company for certification.

What Is a Site?

A site is any physical location where your company carries out business activities. This can include offices, factories, warehouses, retail spaces, or other locations where employees work or operations take place.

When Is a Site In Scope?

A site is considered in scope for certification if your company has operational control over it. Operational control means your company has the authority to introduce and enforce operating policies and practices at the site. This includes policies related to people management, health and safety, and other operational standards.

Sites under your operational control may be owned or leased.

In most cases, if your company (or one of its subsidiaries) operates a site with its own employees and business activities, the site must be included in scope—unless there are clear external constraints that limit your ability to control how the site operates.

When a company includes multiple sites in one certification scope, it must apply its policies and practices consistently across all locations through a single, company-level Sustainability Management System (SMS). Learn more about an SMS in What Is a Sustainability Management System and Why it Matters.

Examples of In-Scope Sites

The following are typically considered in scope:

• An owned manufacturing facility where your company sets and enforces its own operating policies for employees and facilities.

• A leased office space where your company controls how employees work and applies its own policies and procedures.

• Real estate properties held as long-term investments where your company manages day-to-day operations and has decision-making authority.

Examples of Out-of-Scope Sites

The following are typically considered out of scope:

• A location where employees are hot-desking without a designated office or floor, and where your company cannot control policies or procedures in shared spaces. The employees in this co-working space will be treated as remote employees.

• A concession or counter in a department store where staff are employed by the store, not your company, and operational decisions are made by the store.

• Real estate properties that are developed solely for sale, where your company does not retain control over operating policies once construction is complete.

Including and Excluding Sites

Your company is expected to include all sites where it can reasonably implement policies and procedures.

If you exclude a site from your certification scope, you must:

• Provide a clear justification to B Lab explaining the reason for the exclusion.

• Ensure the excluded site does not use the B Corp IP for signage or window displays at that location.

Even if a site is out of scope, your company may still sell products at that site that carry the B Corp logo (for example, selling B Corp certified products at a beauty department store).

If you’re unsure whether a site should be included, it’s always best to check with B Lab.

Documenting Your Sites in B Impact

As part of the certification process, companies will be required to complete a site information template and upload it to their Document Hub on B Impact.

The template asks for key details about each site, including:

• Distinct site name or unique ID number

• Type of activities carried out at the site

• Address

• Employee headcount

It is strongly recommended that you complete this template before uploading supporting evidence in your self-assessment. This helps ensure clarity on which sites are in scope and avoids confusion during the audit.

Best Practices for Site Documentation

• Use the same site name or ID consistently across all uploaded evidence.

• Make sure any supporting documents (such as waste trackers or HR policies) clearly indicate which sites are covered.

Your assurance provider will reference these site names or IDs when reviewing evidence to confirm that each in-scope site has been considered. This ensures that the sustainability management system is not just a head-office policy, but a fully operational framework active across the entirety of your geographic footprint.

Summary

Defining which sites are in scope is a key part of setting up your B Corp Certification correctly. Sites should be included when your company has operational control and can reasonably implement its policies and practices. Being clear and consistent about which sites are in scope helps ensure your assessment is accurate, your audit runs smoothly, and the B Corp certification claim is used appropriately. When in doubt, documenting your rationale and checking with B Lab can help avoid issues later in the certification process.