The B Corp label is something that environmentally conscious consumers have grown to rely on when shopping since its inception in 2007. Yet, shoppers are wondering if the B Corp certification process highlights responsible companies…
Or if it’s the latest iteration of dishonest greenwashing.
What Does The B Corp Certification Process Do?
Introduced in 2007, the B Corporation maker started appearing on the packaging of several small companies. Created by U.S.-based B Lab Global, the certification requires businesses to pass an assessment.
This test prioritizes environmental and social consciousness within the company’s operations.
This assessment takes up to a year to complete and must be renewed every three years. The test costs between $1,000 and $45,000, depending on the company’s annual revenue.
THE PROCESS ESSENTIALLY FOCUSES ON “THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE COMPANY IN RELATION TO ITS WORKERS, COMMUNITY, CONSUMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT.”
Needless to say, the B Corp certification process is a tedious one.
Many companies received the certification after passing their assessment with flying colors. This includes:
- Ben and Jerry’s
- Patagonia
- Aesop
- Allbirds
- Athleta
These companies have had incredible track records when it comes to sustainability…
But the biggest controversy of the B Corp certification process?
THEIR ASSESSMENT IS ENTIRELY SELF-REPORTED.
This means that the companies themselves are the ones letting B Labs know if they are meeting their values or not…
And this paves the way for the accusations of greenwashing.
What Is Greenwashing?
Greenwashing is a practice in marketing that actively misleads consumers. It tricks buyers into thinking a product is better for the environment than it is in reality. Usually, it involves slapping green labels on products calling them “eco-friendly”.
The practice of greenwashing became more popular as more consumers began looking at the products they buy critically…
Wondering if these products are actively helping or harming the environment and the workers who create them.
BUT WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE B CORP CERTIFICATION PROCESS?
Because of the self-reported assessment, many companies that are not socially responsible or environmentally conscious…
Are able to receive the certification.
For example, in 2022, a group of B Corp coffee companies wrote a letter to B Labs to call out the recent certification of Nespresso.
Nestle, the owner of Nespresso, has been in and out of endless controversies regarding worker’s rights. From factory abuses to utilizing child labor, Nestle and Nespresso are known for their “abysmal track record on human rights.”
The open letter called for stricter standards across the B Corp certification process.
HAD THE B CORP ASSESSMENT NOT BEEN SELF-REPORTED, NESTLE’S WORKER’S RIGHTS ABUSES WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN BY UNDER THE RADAR.
The self-reported assessment allows companies that do not prioritize environmentalism and worker’s equity…
To get away with a B corp certification, regardless of what the process is like.
What’s Next For The B Corp Certification Process
Many consumers are still wondering whether the B Corp certification process is as trustworthy as it once was.
Now that buyers are putting their money where their mouth is, they want to buy from and support brands with the same values that they have.
B Corp certifications used to be the way to do it…
BUT NOW, CONSUMERS ARE DISSUADED.
Now the question remains, will B Labs ever recover from this blow to its reputation…
Or is the greenwashing label stuck on them forever?
Be Great,
GCTV Staff
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