Understanding the 2025 B Corp Certification Change
- Rodica
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
Well, the rumours are true.
The B Corp standard has had the kind of glow up that makes your pre pandemic self look like an ancient artefact.
On 8 April 2025, B Lab dropped a whopping 683-page revision to its certification standards.
Yes, 683. (That’s not a typo.)
So what’s changed, and what does it mean for purpose-led businesses?
Let’s break it down without breaking your brain.
Why the Overhaul?
Because impact washing is so 2022.
B Lab has been listening (over 25,000 pieces of feedback, to be exact) and it’s clear they’re serious about moving from “nice badge” to “real backbone”.
This isn’t just about looking good on a sustainability report anymore. It’s about being good, across the board.
Before, companies could ace a few impact areas and let others be work in progress.
Now?
You’ve got to show up for all seven of the newly sharpened focus areas. No coasting allowed.
The Seven Areas of Goodness (No Skipping!)
To stay in the B Corp club, you’ll need to hit minimum performance levels across all of these:
Purpose and Stakeholder Governance
Think clear mission, and not just serving shareholders. You need a structure that gives your people, planet and partners a seat at the table.
Climate Action
No vague pledges here. You’ll need a plan to slash emissions in line with that golden 1.5°C target. Big players? Get those science based targets validated.
Human Rights
Time to go fully investigate your supply chain. Spot the red flags and do something about them.
Fair Work
This one’s about wages, feedback loops and making sure work there's work life balance.
Environmental Stewardship
Circularity is the name of the game. If you’re not minimising harm, you're not doing it right.
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
This didn’t get quietly dropped like some big corporates tried to do last year. B Lab kept it front and centre. Respect.
Government Affairs and Advocacy
Don’t just talk the talk in your office. Get behind policies that improve society. If you're a big business, you'll even need to report taxes country by country.
But Wait, There’s More (Especially if You’re a Big Corporate)
If you’ve got more than 1,000 employees or rake in over $350 million in revenue, the bar just went higher:
You’ll need a time-bound plan to trace the environmental and human rights impacts of your raw materials
Disclose your gender wage gap
Link your execs’ bonuses to ESG targets
Continuous Improvement Is Now a Thing
This is not a “set it and forget it” badge. I've always said B Corp is a life long commitment. This is forever.
Under the new rules, B Corps need to keep improving.
You’ll need to report on how you're performing against your baseline, and those updates will need third-party assurance.
So it’s less “box-ticking” and more “ongoing accountability”.
The transition isn’t happening overnight.
If you're already certified, you can renew under the old standard until June 2025, but you'll need to switch to the new version by 2028.
Newbies? You’ve got until the end of 2025 to get in under the old system. So if you're thinking of applying now is the time to do it.
So, What Does This Mean for Fashion and Textile SMEs?
For my lovely fashion founders and sustainability heroes: this is your moment.
If you’ve been wondering whether the B Corp badge still means something—it does.
And it’s about to mean even more.
Yes, the new standards are tougher. But they’re also clearer.
They reward businesses that walk the talk and don’t just shine up their surface.
And for brands who genuinely care about people and planet? That’s your competitive edge.
The textile industry still has work to do, from emissions to waste to labour rights, but many of you are already aligned with these new expectations.
If anything, the revised B Corp framework can help you structure and communicate your impact better.
TL;DR? Here’s the Cheat Sheet:
B Corp now requires minimum performance in 7 areas (no more cherry picking)
Big businesses have extra homework
Continuous improvement is mandatory
Third party checks are coming
You’ve got some wiggle room on timelines but not forever
If you're feeling overwhelmed or not sure where your business stands, don’t stress.
This is literally my bread and butter (organic, obviously).
Whether you’re B Curious or B Ready, I can help you figure out how to take your next steps with confidence.
Get in touch if you want to talk B Corp, climate, circularity or how to make sustainability make sense for your brand.
Let’s make good business better.
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Written by Rodica Murphy
Helping purpose led brands go from “meh” to meaningful
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