How long does it take to get certified?

The length of the certification process varies based on a company's size and complexity. The verification process to finalize a company's score typically takes from several weeks to a few months. Large multinationals or companies with many related entities should expect a longer process. Currently the process takes between 6 months to 1 year.

Who is eligible for B Corp Certification?

Any for-profit company with at least a year of operations may pursue B Corp Certification. There is no minimum or maximum size. Certain companies, such as those under a year old, those with related entities, or large multinational and public companies, have additional considerations and requirements.

Will I need to change my company's legal structure to certify?

All Certified B Corps must meet a legal accountability requirement to maintain Certification. Your company's legal requirement will vary based on your location and structure. 
 

Can subsidiaries or franchises pursue B Corp Certification?

Subsidiaries, franchises, and companies with related entities may pursue B Corp Certification, with certain limits. Subsidiaries of publicly-traded companies also must meet additional transparency requirements.

Can start-ups certify as B Corps?
B Corp Certification is based in part on a company's verified performance on the B Impact Assessment, which asks questions about a company's past fiscal year. This means that companies with less than one year of operations are not yet eligible for B Corp Certification. Instead, they may pursue Pending B Corp status, designed to set a start-up on the path to full Certification.

Can sole proprietors get B Corp Certified?
Yes! There's no minimum size for B Corp Certification. Your company size will influence the questions you have to answer on the B Impact Assessment to meet the performance requirement for Certification. 

What information do Certified B Corps have to make transparent?

All Certified B Corps share their B Impact Assessment overall scores and category scores on their public profiles on bcorporation.net. Public companies and their subsidiaries have extra transparency requirements and make their entire B Impact Assessment public, with particularly sensitive information like revenue.

What topics are covered in the B Impact Assessment?
The B Impact Assessment examines a company's impact on their workers, community, environment, and customers. The BIA also asks questions about a company's governance structure and accountability. Questions are split into two categories: Operations, which covers a company's day-to-day activities, and Impact Business Models, which awards additional points for business models designed to create additional positive impact. 

​

How long is the timeline get certified?

Currently these are foreseen timelines

​

Did you reach the time for recertification?

Currently these are foreseen timelines