Over 1,000,000 people now work at Certified B Corps across about 10,000 companies. That is a lot of awareness and verified impact that it can give you. With it, you can go way beyond just sustainability slogans. If you want that badge and the trust that comes with it, start with this B Corporation requirements checklist.

What this badge means

Your B Corp status is given and verified by B Lab. The certification they give you is proof of your credentials you can share in public, so buyers and partners can see how you act. To get that, you pass a test called the B Impact Assessment. You should aim for 80 points or more on that test. The assessment is one of the core B Corporation requirements. Therefore, you should know it well.

Your score covers five areas

• • Governance
  • Workers
  • Community
  • Environment
  • Customers 

Why leaders care

Consumers and partners lean toward businesses that stand out by showing their commitment to principles. For example, a large global survey found people will pay about 9.7 percent more for goods made in a responsible way. Real proof builds trust and improves sales conversations. 

How to use this guide

We will give you a short checklist, clear tips, and quick wins that link to the B corporation requriements. Think of it as a simple playbook that will help you prepare for the coming assessment. The playbook can be summarised in with these three simple principles:

• Measure what matters. 
• Share it in plain sight. 
• Then keep improving.

The Quick B Corporation Requirements Checklist

More than 150,000 businesses already have used the B Impact Assessment. They start free, learn fast, and see where they stand against the b corporation requirements. That is a crowd worth joining.

Your 10-point path

1. Check eligibility. You are a for-profit company, legally set up, and trading for at least 12 months. This is step one in the b corporation requirements.
2. Open the B Impact Assessment. Create an account. Work through the questions across all impact areas.
3. Aim for 80 points or more. That is the performance bar for certification. Scores are verified by B Lab analysts.
4. Prepare documents. Gather evidence for key answers. Expect a review call and requests for proof.
5. Meet the legal requirement. Update your governing docs to consider all stakeholders. This locks your mission in daily decisions.
6. Submit and pay the submission fee. It is a one-time, non-refundable fee tied to revenue. It moves you into verification.
7. Public transparency. When certified, your score and profile go live in the B Corp Directory. Buyers can check your claims. pardot.bcorporation.net
8. Annual certification fee. Fees are revenue based. Budget for it in your plan.
9. Recertify every three years. Update your assessment. Keep improving.
10. Plan for edge cases. Groups with complex structures follow extra guidance for subsidiaries and multi-country setups.

Quick win tips tied to B Corporation requirements

• Track waste and travel right away. Because small cuts help your environment score later.
• Write short policies for pay, supplier ethics, and data use. Keep them public.
• Use digital sharing for sales and hiring. Profyle Card gives NFC and QR links, team analytics, and all features for £7.95 per user per year. This supports proof of low-waste networking and clean data, which pairs well with b corporation requirements on transparency and impact.

Ready to make networking part of your next audit pack? Create your free Profyle account.

How to implement these steps

Give each impact area an owner. Meet monthly. Keep a running issues list. Use the free B Impact Assessment as your live scorecard, not a one off. It helps you measure, manage, and improve. 

1. If under 12 months, use Pending B to signal your path, meet the legal step early, and build your public story.
2. Plan for three fees, not two. Submission fee, the new verification fee, and the annual fee. Budget them by revenue band.
3. Do the risk work early. Complete the Disclosure Questionnaire, read the risk standards page, and note the complaints route. Keep clean notes for each answer.
4. Lock your mission. Use the legal requirement tool, update governing docs, and record the board date and wording. This sits at the core of b corporation requirements.
5. Track timing rules. Submit recert BIAs six months before the due date, note the June 30, 2025 cut-off for the old standard, and follow the new standards steps.
6. Scope complex groups. If you have many entities or work in many countries, read the multinational guidance and pick the right track.
7. Build proof packs. One-page policies, logs, and samples for workers, suppliers, and environment. This supports b corporation requirements during verification.
8. Go paper light in sales. Cut print runs, switch to digital sharing, and keep audit trails. This helps Environment and Governance stories.
9. Publish with pride. Your directory profile is public, so write clear, plain summaries that match your score. 

Finally, start paper-light habits in sales and hiring. It helps your Environment and Governance stories during review. Want low-waste, trackable sharing for your team while you gather proof for b corporation requirements? Create your free Profyle account.

Cost and timing snapshot

Plan for a year, not a week. B Lab says the path to certification typically takes at least 12 months, then repeats every three years. That is your first real clock. 

Your B-Corp cost map, in plain English

• Submission fee. You pay a one-off fee when you submit your assessment for review. It is tiered by revenue.
• Verification fee, by region. In the UK, a separate one-off verification fee applies for assessments submitted from 1 July 2024. In wider Europe, a similar verification fee applies from April 2024. Budget for it.
• Annual certification fee. After you meet the b corporation requirements and are approved, you pay an annual fee based on revenue.
• Possible extras. Some cases add costs, for example site reviews, brand reviews, or scoping for complex groups.

Your time map, with common slow points

• Pre-work. The legal change takes planning. The exact steps and timing depend on your jurisdiction and company size, so start this early. It is part of the b corporation requirements.
• Evaluation and verification. After submission, an analyst checks operations, then a verification analyst reviews evidence and may meet your team. Scores can move during this stage. Keep documents tidy.
• Recert rhythm. You recertify every three years. B Lab guidance asks many B Corps to submit six months before their recert date, and it flagged a 30 June 2025 cut-off to recert on the current standard in the U.S. and Canada. New standards begin phasing in through 2026.

Make the clock kinder to you

• Map owners to each impact area. Meet monthly. Short meetings beat last-minute rush.
• Draft one-page policies now, then link them to BIA questions.
• Track waste, travel, and supplier data from day one. These habits help you meet B Corporation requirements without panic later.

Latest Requirement Standards in 2025, 2026, and above

The bar is rising. B Lab is moving from a points game to mandatory standards that include climate action, with rollout into 2025 and 2026. Firms will need clearer proof, not softer promises.

What this means for you

To meet B Corporation requirements with less stress, start simple data trails now. Focus on things you control weekly. Tie each habit to the Environment topic and to responsible procurement.

Quick wins that map to B Corporation requirements

• Paper and printing. Track print runs each month. Set a small target to cut them. Keep a short policy and a log. This supports Environmental Stewardship and circularity.
• Business travel. Record every trip, mode, and distance in one sheet. This helps future climate actions as new standards emphasise emissions and reduction plans.
• Supplier choices. Add a one page supplier code. Note recycled, certified, or local options when you buy materials and merch. Responsible procurement sits inside the new environment topic.
• Public transparency. When you certify, your profile and score sit in the B Corp Directory. Keep claims short and clear so buyers can check them.

Why go paper light now

Networking eats paper when teams grow. A digital card cuts print re-runs and gives clean audit trails for outreach. Profyle Card shared by NFC or QR, adds team analytics, and costs £7.95 per user per year. That pairs well with b corporation requirements on environmental action and open data. 

How to log proof starting from this week

• Make a single folder called “Environment logs.”
• Add three docs: Print log, Travel log, Supplier log.
• Add a one page policy for each. Keep the text plain.
• Review once a month. Update targets twice a year. These habits support b corporation requirements when verification starts.

Ready to cut waste and show clear data without slowing sales down? Create your free Profyle account.

Sales, hiring, and stakeholder trust

Job seekers look hard at values now. A Deloitte-tracked stat shows about 70 percent of Gen Z and Millennials say an employer’s environmental record matters when they pick a job, and many have switched roles over climate worries. Buyers scan for trust signals too. That is a clear nudge to show real proof that you meet B Corporation requirements. 

Turn your B-Corp Certification into sales fuel

• Put your public B Corp profile front and centre, link it on every Profyle Card, along with your policies and reports. This matches the transparency part of b corporation requirements and speeds trust in first meetings.
• Add case studies, third party badges, and your score page. People link the B mark with high rigour and high trust, so bring it into the conversation in one tap.
• Track what earns clicks. Profyle gives NFC and QR sharing, plus team analytics, so you can see what content wins deals and keep tidy evidence for future reviews against b corporation requirements.

Hire with clarity, keep the right people

• Candidates check climate and ethics before they say yes. Share a Profyle link in job posts, in recruiter email footers, and at events. Show your policies, pay ranges, and benefits in plain sight. That speaks to the Workers and Governance parts of b corporation requirements.
• Use one short “proof pack” on your Profyle Card, with your code of conduct, DEI notes, and supply chain promises. It is simple to keep current, which helps when standards tighten in 2025 to 2026.

Why this builds trust faster

• Your B Corp details are public in the Directory, which lets buyers and partners verify claims in seconds. Profyle makes the path from tap to proof very short.
• Brand research from B Lab shows people link the B logo with rigour and positive worker outcomes. Put that signal where eyes land first, your card, your email, your booth. This aligns with b corporation requirements and cuts friction.

FAQ

Even small teams can get certified. There is no minimum size, but you need 12 months of operations to be eligible. That simple rule clears up half the questions about b corporation requirements. 

Do we really need 80 points?
Yes. You submit at 80 or more, then B Lab reviews your answers and evidence. Scores can shift during verification. This sits at the heart of b corporation requirements. 

How long does certification take?
Plan for months, not weeks. B Lab’s own guide says small to mid-size firms should expect 6 to 8 months for review once they submit. Big or complex groups take longer. This pacing affects how you plan for b corporation requirements. 

What if we are younger than 12 months?
Use Pending B. You make the legal change early, complete a prospective assessment, and prepare for full certification later. Pending B applications focus on the legal step, not full verification. It aligns new firms with B Corporation requirements from day one. 

Do we have to publish our profile and score?
Yes, certified companies appear in the public B Corp Directory. Your score and key facts are visible, which supports buyer trust and matches the transparency aim inside B Corporation requirements. 

Are new rules coming that change the game?
Yes. B Lab launched new standards in April 2025. A first cohort starts transitioning in 2026, with guidance that many recertifying in 2026 move to the new framework and get a 12-month extension. Media coverage also notes firm go-live windows into 2026. Keep this in view as you plan B Corporation requirements. 

What is the legal step exactly?
Adopt stakeholder governance in your governing documents. Some firms use benefit corporation status where available, but the key is to embed accountability to all stakeholders. This legal change anchors b corporation requirements. 

What counts fast for the Environment topic?
Start simple logs for printing and travel, and show progress. Climate Action is a dedicated impact topic under the new standards, so regular data beats big claims. That is a smart way to meet b corporation requirements.

Can digital business cards help with proof?
Yes. Moving networking to digital reduces print runs and gives clean links to your policies, score page, and reports. Profyle Card shares by NFC or QR, offers team-level analytics, and costs £7.95 per user per year, which supports low-waste habits tied to b corporation requirements. 

Want a quick win for low-waste, trackable outreach while you work through b corporation requirements? Create your free Profyle account.