Technical guide · Certification

B Corp Preparation

B Corp has changed: find out whether you meet B Lab's new standards (V2) — assessed across 8 readiness topics, before submitting on the B Impact platform.

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01 · The problemWhat this assessment solves

In April 2025, B Lab released the new standards (V2): the 80-point model that let you offset weakness in one area with strength in another is gone. Now there are universal Foundation Requirements and mandatory topics.

The readiness assessment translates the new standards, shows the real size of the gap by topic, and organizes the evidence B Lab will ask for — before you submit on the B Impact platform.

02 · What it isWhat the model is

B Corp Certification, granted by the nonprofit B Lab, identifies companies that balance profit and purpose with verified standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. In Brazil, the movement is championed by Sistema B Brasil.

In April 2025, B Lab published the biggest overhaul in the seal’s history: the new standards (V2) retired the 80-point B Impact Assessment model. You can no longer offset weakness in one area with strength in another.

Now a company must meet universal Foundation Requirements — including the legal change to its governing documents (articles of association) to adopt stakeholder governance — and mandatory requirements across seven Impact Topics, scaled by size and sector, with obligations that increase in years 3 and 5 of the cycle.

03 · Journey to certificationFrom readiness to certificate

The steps your organization goes through — from measuring readiness to achieving and maintaining certification.

1

Readiness assessment

Assess the company against the new standards' Year 0 requirements and uncover the gaps — starting with the longest-lead ones, like the legal change.
2

Foundation Requirements

Resolve the universal prerequisites: eligibility, industry screening, the Risk Tool, and amending the governing documents to adopt stakeholder governance.
3

Impact Topics Compliance

Close the gaps across the 7 topics — purpose, fair work, JEDI, human rights, climate, environment, and public integrity — with organized evidence.
4

Submission on the B Impact platform

Complete B Lab's official assessment on the B Impact platform, attaching the evidence you already structured during preparation.
5

Verification by B Lab

B Lab reviews, verifies documents, and interviews the company; under the new standards, verification has become more rigorous — weak evidence is sent back.
Certification and continual improvement

The seal is granted and your profile is published in the global directory — and the Year 3 clock starts ticking: the standards require verifiable progress every cycle.

04 · The structureWhat the assessment evaluates

No critical area is left out. Each dimension brings together the themes evaluated by the assessment.

Foundation Requirements

Eligibility, screening of incompatible industries, the Risk Tool, and the legal stakeholder-governance requirement — the longest-lead bottleneck of the certification.

Purpose & Stakeholder Governance

An operating formal purpose, an impact lead at the top of management, approved targets, and closed-loop stakeholder listening.

Fair Work

Formalization, working hours, health and safety, a grievance channel, and the living wage: regional benchmark, gap analysis, and compliance plan.

Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

A communicated and trained anti-discrimination policy, bias-reduced hiring, a demographic census compliant with the LGPD, and accessibility with reasonable accommodations.

Human Rights

A commitment anchored in the UN Principles, risk mapping across operations and suppliers, mitigation actions, and a whistleblowing channel.

Climate Action

A Scope 1 and 2 emissions inventory with 12 months of real data and a climate plan aligned to 1.5 °C, with prioritized actions and an owner.

Environmental Stewardship & Circularity

Monitoring of consumption, proven waste disposal, environmental obligations up to date, and at least one circularity practice in operation.

Government Affairs & Collective Action

A communicated anti-corruption policy, transparency about public positions, tax compliance, and the collective action that defines the B movement.

05 · HighlightsWhy apply this assessment

The new standards, translatedThe 2025 overhaul confused even consultants; the guide turns the V2 requirements into objective questions with examples of evidence from the Brazilian context — CLT, commercial registry, certificates, LGPD.

The right order of executionThe GPS weights highlight the three real bottlenecks — the legal change, the living wage, and the carbon inventory — so you tackle the longest-lead item first.

Evidence ready for B ImpactEach criterion indicates the document to attach; the company reaches submission with the dossier organized and fewer back-and-forths in verification.

Ready for the cycle, not just the sealThe recommended Year 3/5 blocks anticipate the continual improvement the new standards require — recertification starts on the day of certification.

06 · AudienceWho it's for

Founders and CEOsDecide with data whether and when to pursue the seal: the GPS shows the real size of the gap and the plan estimates the path before hiring a consultancy.

People LeadersFair Work and JEDI account for much of the requirements — living wage, formalization, equity — and the assessment becomes the HR backlog.

ESG and impact leadsUse the climate, environment, and human-rights criteria as an objective yardstick and organize the dossier B Lab will ask for.

Impact consultanciesRun standardized assessments for multiple clients, with respondents invited via magic link.

07 · How to applyFrom questionnaire to plan

Answer with evidence: 69 objective yes/no questions, each with examples of what to attach; invite respondents by area via magic link.

Receive your readiness GPS: score by section and overall, with the weights highlighting the bottlenecks — legal requirement 2×, living wage and GHG inventory 1.5×.

Generate the compliance plan with AI: for each gap, an action with target evidence type and deadline, prioritized by weight and lead time.

Organize the dossier and maintain it: centralize evidence in the CertReady manager, export reports by persona, and track the Year 3/5 blocks for recertification.

08 · ReferencesBased on international standards

B Lab Standards V2

In practiceWhat the assessment reveals

Fictional case, for illustrative purposes: a software services company, pressured by two corporate clients that began requiring ESG credentials, ran the assessment before hiring outside help. It revealed 41% readiness, with the legal requirement (amending the governing documents) at zero, the living wage with no benchmark, and the carbon inventory nonexistent. By triggering the corporate amendment in the very first week, building the living-wage benchmark, and putting together the Scope 1 and 2 inventory, it submitted to B Lab with a complete dossier in the ninth month.

The assessment saved us from the classic mistake: we were going to start with the pretty impact report and leave the registry paperwork for last. It was exactly the opposite.