CERTIFYING ON THE B LAB STANDARDS

At B Lab, we are committed to evolving our standards to address the complexities of global challenges and drive meaningful impact. We are in a moment of transition, and we acknowledge this can feel a little uncertain. This page serves as a central resource, providing comprehensive information and support for both existing B Corps and companies pursuing certification for the first time. 

It’s important to be aware of new developments that might impact your certification journey—this hub is designed to keep you informed and on track (don’t miss links to key resources at the end of the page).

In April 2025, we introduced our reimagined standards, designed to be more robust and relevant than ever. Once certification on the new B Lab Standards begins in 2026, they will be B Lab’s main offering. It’s important that we are collectively using cohesive language to describe them and clearly indicate the version of the standards that a company is meeting. To reflect this evolution, and to account for future updates, we’ve introduced a new naming and versioning approach:

*The new B Lab Standards (released April 8th - 11 August 2025) are formally considered V2.0, noting that in the PDF downloadable version of the new standards released at that time was referred to as V1.0.

2025 has marked several pivotal milestones in our collective journey to remodel what good business looks like—for the B Corp community and beyond. 

• Back in April, we launched the new B Lab Standards V2.0 in the B Impact platform, making them stronger, clearer, and better aligned with the kind of impact the world needs.

• In August, we launched the Certification Hub—the go-to destination for everything related to certification on the new standards. At the same time, we released an updated version of the standards (V2.1), incorporating feedback and learnings since their launch earlier in the year. To understand where changes have occurred, see the full Change Log.

• In October, we published Clay’s blog, which outlined the high-level steps and timelines for certification. We also shared important guidance on how the EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive legislation may affect companies pursuing or maintaining certification, including clear instructions on how to let us know if your company is impacted. See below for more information on ECGT legislation. 

And now, we're moving from the big picture to the practical. On 5 November 2025, B Lab launched a comprehensive package of supporting resources. This essential toolkit provides extensive information to help your company understand the new certification, audit, and license process and jump-start your journey to certification on the B Lab Standards V2.1. 

• Certification Process Requirements for B Corps: a comprehensive document outlining all the audit, certification, and license requirements information you need to get ready to certify on the new standards. While we encourage all certifying companies to read this in full, if you don’t have time just now, discover our Summary document.

• Certification Scoping Guide: a comprehensive guide that details the necessary criteria and guidance for defining a company's certification scope when seeking B Corp Certification against B Lab Standards.

• Examples of Evidence for each Impact Topic: will help your company prepare for certification under the new B Lab Standards, providing practical examples of the types of documentation B Corps can use to demonstrate how they meet each applicable subrequirement. These are not checklists and are not exhaustive; the goal is to give B Corps clarity, flexibility, and confidence as they prepare. In many cases, one strong piece of evidence may be enough.

Risk Profile Guidance: As part of your company’s journey to certify on the new B Lab Standards, you must complete the Assessment Setup to ensure your company meets the correct subrequirements. The next step in this journey is the Risk Profile Tool, part of the Foundation Requirements. This questionnaire helps identify any risky practices relevant to your company context. Learn more here.

We’re committed to keeping you informed about upcoming dates and milestones that will help your company prepare for certification on the new B Lab Standards. Here’s what we know: (Updated November 5, 2025): 

• January 2026: Launch of the new B Corp Brand Book, a detailed guide outlining how to use the B Corp logo, intellectual property, and associated taglines.

• January 2026: Global Webinar on the new Certification Process, a deep dive into what the updated certification process means for your business. Be sure to submit your questions when registering: we're dedicating plenty of time to Q&A, where we will aim to answer as many questions as possible. Register here.

• 1 February 2026: B Lab will begin accepting certification submissions for audit on V2.1 of the B Lab Standards for existing B Corps. 

• March 2026: Companies certifying for the first time will be able to submit for certification audit on V2.1 of the B Lab Standards. 

• In March, B Lab will stop accepting new certification submissions on V1.6 of the B Lab Standards from all companies.

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. 

As a first critical step, you must complete the updated Assessment Setup and Foundation Requirements, including the newly available Risk Profile before continuing your journey through the Self-Assessment. This ensures you are meeting the relevant sub-requirements in the Self-Assessment for your company’s specific context. Learn how to complete your Risk Profile here.

B Corp Certification and the ECGT Directive

B Lab’s new third-party certification model (V2.1) aligns with the EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive. This model strengthens the credibility of B Corp Certification, ensures compliance with EU sustainability label requirements, and helps companies reduce reputational, financial, and legal risks. Hear from Clay Brown, B Lab’s Co-Lead Executive, on how the new B Lab Standards will safeguard B Corp’s reputation and credibility. 

• Important actions required: 

  • If you’re a B Corp engaging in business-to-consumer (B2C) communications in the European Union, visit our updated article and FAQs to understand your options for logo usage and pathways to certification on the new B Lab Standards.

  • If your company may be impacted by the ECGT Directive, you must self-identify by November 30, 2025. You can do this by logging in to B Impact → Manage Account → Company → Regulatory Information → Indicate your company is impacted by ECGT. 

To begin your certification journey, follow these steps:

Step 1: Initiate Your Journey with B Impact

Register on B Impact, B Lab’s project management tool designed to facilitate the measurement and management of your company’s impact across social, environmental, and governance areas. This platform provides:

• Transition Planning: Support to help plan your transition to the new standards through the Self-Assessment.

• Organizational Support: Features to keep your certification progress organized.

• Progress Tracking: Real-time updates on your B Corp journey.

Your personalized homepage will offer insights into company strengths and areas for improvement, track progress, and provide access to relevant resources. For recertifying companies, existing company details will be automatically transferred, allowing you to access your current assessment or review past assessments. Watch the video to learn more about the new platform.

Certifying in 2026? As a first critical step, you must complete complete the Eligibility, and Scoping requirements within Certification Setup. This stage is all about the company getting prepared and making sure they qualify by meeting all fundamental requirements before moving forward, including  the newly available Risk Profile. This will ensure you are meeting the relevant sub-requirements in the Self-Assessment for your company context. Learn how to complete your Risk Profile here.

Step 2: Review the Requirements

Navigate to 'Self-Assessment > Requirements' within B Impact. Here, you can review how the new B Lab Standards apply to your specific company context, and understand your Year 0 requirements—the initial set of requirements under the new system.

The B Lab Standards emphasize continuous improvement. All businesses will be required to demonstrate year-over-year progress, with initial requirements set for Year 0, followed by additional requirements after 3 and 5 years. This approach encourages progressive adoption of the new standards. Information on this phased adoption is available here. You can also download the complete requirements (Year 0, 3, and 5 as they apply to all companies) here.

Please note: If your company has previously certified or created a B Impact Assessment account for Version 6 of the standards, your Year 0 requirements displayed in B Impact are likely influenced by this historical data. All B Corps will be asked to revisit the Assessment Setup process in B Impact and complete the Risk Profile in the Foundation Requirements to ensure they are meeting the correct sub-requirements based on their scope.

Step 3: Begin Your Self-Assessment

Once you have reviewed the standards, proceed with your Self-Assessment. 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. 

For each sub-requirement, you will indicate your company’s current status and submit evidence. Your responses will populate a dashboard that identifies key gaps, tracks the number of requirements met, and highlights areas for focused improvement.

Completing the Self-Assessment is an essential preparatory step for certification and a valuable tool for ongoing impact management. Additional documentation may be requested during the verification process.

Step 4: Submit for Certification Audit

Beginning on February 1, 2026, existing B Corps can begin submitting for audit on V2.1 of the B Lab Standards. The assurance provider conducts the in-depth audit to independently verify the company's Self-Assessment and determine the certification outcome. The audit process is managed in a separate platform, The B Lab Digital Certification Platform. 

Next steps

To stay informed, follow B Lab’s social media channels (LinkedIn, Instagram) and subscribe to your local team's newsletter.

B Lab is actively exploring how Impact Business Models can continue to be integrated and valued within, and beyond, B Corp Certification. You can sign up here to engage in the development process.