Navigating the new B Lab standards: what do businesses need to know?
Welcome to the first in our new blog series from transformacy, where we’ll be exploring the latest updates to B Lab’s impact standards and what they mean for purpose-driven businesses.
In April 2025, B Lab - the nonprofit behind the B Corp certification - announced a bold evolution of its standards. Designed to raise the bar on what it truly means to be a force for good, these new standards represent a big change for certified B Corporations and businesses working towards certification.
How is B Corp certification changing?
Until now, B Corps have achieved certification by reaching a minimum verified score of 80 points on the B Impact Assessment - a flexible, points-based system measuring a company’s positive impact across five categories. Under the new framework, this approach is being replaced with a more structured and performance-based model that centres on non-negotiable requirements across seven core topics. These requirements evolve and require proof of impact for recertification at 3 years and 5 years post-certification.
There will also be no longer be Impact Business Models, and instead the approach will encourage businesses to work together to achieve the B Lab goals.
The new Impact Topics are:
Purpose & Stakeholder Governance (PSG)
Fair Work (FW)
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)
Human Rights (HR)
Climate Action (CA)
Environmental Stewardship & Circularity (ESC)
Government Affairs & Collective Action (GACA)
Each of these will now require companies to meet specific minimum standards rather than picking and choosing how to reach their 80-point goal. The result? Greater clarity, consistency, and accountability across the B Corp community.
Why have the B Lab standards changed?
This update responds to a growing demand for higher levels of transparency, impact, and alignment with planetary boundaries and social justice. As the B Corp movement scales globally, there’s a need to ensure that every certified company is held to the same rigorous, values-aligned criteria - especially in the face of accelerating climate change and deepening social inequalities.
When do the new B Lab standards come into effect?
B Lab is currently in the final phase of sharing the changes with the B Corp community, with the new standards expected to be rolled out in the beginning of 2026. Businesses will begin transitioning from late 2025 through 2027, depending on their recertification cycles. That means now is the time to understand what’s coming - and start preparing.
What do the new B Lab standards mean for businesses?
For many, these changes may require a deeper review of internal policies, governance structures, and sustainability practices. But the good news is that this transition is also a major opportunity. It’s a chance to realign around best-in-class impact expectations and embed purpose even more deeply into your operations.
At transformacy, we’re here to guide you through this change. Over the next few weeks, we’ll publish a series of posts breaking down each of the ten core topics, helping you understand not just the “what,” but the “how” of aligning with the new standards.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll dive into the first core topic: Purpose & Stakeholder Governance - and why it’s the foundation of everything else.
Need help getting ready for the new B Lab standards?
Get in touch with our team to explore how transformacy can support your journey toward meaningful, measurable impact.