B Corp Credibility Questioned After Organisation Reform

The global B Corp movement, long seen as a marker of sustainability leadership, faces fresh scrutiny from within its own network.

Several companies are choosing not to renew their certification, citing doubts about the integrity of the system and how well it addresses supply chain performance and transparency.

As B Lab prepares to introduce new, more prescriptive standards in 2026, criticism is mounting over whether the certification has allowed firms with complex and opaque supply chains to use the label for reputational gain rather than genuine reform.

Accountability concerns

In February 2025, US-based personal care company Dr. Bronner’s opted to end its B Corp certification.

The company directly linked its decision to the inclusion of large multinational firms in the B Corp roster, raising concerns over inconsistent scrutiny of supply chains and operations across regions and subsidiaries.

In a statement, Dr. Bronner’s said: “We have not seen adequate, transparent and timely action from B Lab to update the standards or certification process to address our concerns. Now, our only recourse is to drop our certification. We hope our exit will prompt necessary and overdue action, and that allies who remain B Corp Certified will continue to push to improve the standard from the inside.”

The company added that B Lab's current direction “demonstrated that B Lab is not committed to protecting the integrity of the B Corp Certification and movement, nor ensuring that the certification won’t be used to mislead consumers.”

For brands like Dr. Bronner’s, the issue is not only reputational but operational. B Corp certification is often used to signal sustainability in global supply chains—from sourcing raw materials to employment practices.

When large-scale firms with extended supply networks achieve certification, smaller businesses argue the standards are not applied equally.

UK-based pet food company Scrumbles also exited the certification programme in 2025.

Its CEO Aneisha Soobroyen posted on LinkedIn: “The decision to step away from B Corp is about principles, not convenience. We don’t need a logo to tell us to do the right thing. Instead of paying a £8,500 (US$11,650) recertification fee, we’re donating it directly to Save the Children.”

Aneisha also pointed to “companies with questionable ethics” being certified, implying that the B Corp badge may no longer reflect ethical supply chain practices across the board.

A necessary restructure

Founded in 2006, B Lab awards B Corp status to companies that score a minimum of 80 out of 200 in assessments covering social and environmental performance.

The certification requires a submission fee, annual payments, and recertification at set intervals. As of June 2025, more than 9,900 companies across 105 countries are certified, including 189 with more than 1,000 employees.

However, B Lab does not disclose how many of these operate as multinationals with complex supply chains.

In April 2025, B Lab published a major update to its standards, which will take full effect in 2026.

These changes move away from cumulative point scoring toward mandatory performance in seven defined areas called Impact Topics.

The new framework aims to make all certified companies meet minimum thresholds in each topic, rather than excelling in some while neglecting others—an issue critics say previously allowed companies to offset poor practices in their supply chains by scoring well in governance or community involvement.

Clay Brown, Co-lead Executive at B Lab Global, explains: “This isn’t merely an update; it’s a complete reimagining of business impact to respond to the challenges of our time. B Lab’s new standards can serve as a roadmap for leadership on social and environmental issues when needed most.”

B Lab says the updated model reflects feedback from two public consultations and more than 26,000 inputs, and claims it will raise the bar for certification at a time when consumer trust in green credentials is faltering.

Supply chain transparency

While the changes are intended to create a more rigorous standard, the effectiveness of this shift will depend on how B Lab enforces the new requirements across diverse geographies, sectors and operational scales.

For supply chains in particular, transparency over labour practices, sourcing and environmental impacts will remain a key test of credibility.

Some departing firms suggest that certification under current rules is no longer a reliable signal of responsible sourcing.

As Dr. Bronner’s put it: “We hope our exit will prompt necessary and overdue action, and that allies who remain B Corp Certified will continue to push to improve the standard from the inside.”