New B Corp Standards Raise the Bar on Sustainable Business, Particularly Climate Action
Companies that have certified to the B Corp standards, also known as Certified B Corps, are respected business leaders in environmental and social responsibility around the world. B Lab, the organizing body behind the standards, released significantly revised standards in April 2025. This seventh version of the standards was the result of a lengthy stakeholder engagement process and demonstrates B Lab and the B Corp community’s strong commitment yet evolving approach to sustainable business and improving impact.
B Corp version 7 standards raise the bar and move away from points scoring
Instead of receiving points on specific questions that aggregate to section and overall scores, the new standards require companies to demonstrate holistic performance and improvement over time across seven impact areas. In addition to the Foundation Requirements, which cover basic eligibility, legal, and risk requirements, companies are required to meet performance-based requirements in the seven impact areas.
- Purpose and Stakeholder Governance: Companies act in accordance with a defined purpose and embed stakeholder governance in decision-making. By doing so, they contribute to an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.
- Fair Work: Companies provide good quality jobs and have positive workplace cultures.
- Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion: Companies have inclusive and diverse workplaces and contribute to just and equitable communities.
- Human Rights: Companies treat people with dignity and respect their human rights.
- Climate Action: Companies take action to combat the climate crisis and its impacts.
- Environmental Stewardship and Circularity: Companies demonstrate environmental stewardship and contribute to the circular economy in their operations and value chain. They both minimize negative impacts, to help stay within ecological thresholds, and pursue positive impacts.
- Government Affairs and Collective Action: Companies play a leadership role in fostering shared understanding and implementing solutions toward an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative economy. This role includes a fair and responsible contribution to their operating countries’ economies and infrastructure.
Particularly noteworthy is the increased focus on climate action and tailored approach
Under the new Climate Action impact area, companies are required to measure their emissions, set targets to reduce emissions, and implement climate transition plans and contribute to the global goal of net zero emissions by 2050. There is some flexibility built-in for smaller companies and additional requirements for larger companies. Similar to previous versions, the specific sub-requirements are dependent on the company’s size, sector, and region, with the total number of requirements to become a Certified B Corp ranging from 20 to 124.
New and existing B Corps will transition to v7
B Corps with 2025 recertification due dates can use v6 if submitted by June 30, 2025. B Corps with 2026 recertification due dates will report to v7 and receive a 12-month extension to their recertification due date. New B Corps will generally report using the new standard in 2026. For both new and existing B Corps, the standards introduce additional requirements at year 3 and year 5 to support continuous improvement.
The ClimateHound platform enables your business to meet B Corp’s requirements with expert guidance
Through comprehensive data collection, calculation, and planning support, we elevate and streamline everything you need for B Corp’s Climate Action and Environmental Stewardship and Circularity impact areas, and more. For example, Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, intensity metrics, and emission drivers will help you focus efforts. We assist you in not only collecting the right data, but also converting it into best practice metrics to track performance and report.
ClimateHound is passionate about providing our clients with the data to certify or re-certify as a B Corp and easing the path to a credential that matters to a growing number of consumers and retailers around the world.