B Corp V2 Recertification
What every B Corp certified company needs to know
This is a recap of our webinar with our Director of Sustainability Reporting, Andrew Rizkallah, and Culture Amp’s ESG Advisor, Aubrey Blanche. Watch the full recording here.
B Lab officially transitioned to its new Version 2 (V2) standards framework in March 2026, and for the 9,500+ companies that carry the B Corp certification, the recertification landscape looks meaningfully different than it did three years ago.
From Points to Standards
What changed with V2
The original B Impact Assessment operated on a points-based model: score 80 out of 200 across multiple categories, and you’re certified. The new V2 framework replaces that model entirely with a standards-based approach, meaning there are specific, non-negotiable requirements across seven defined impact areas that must be met, not simply scored.
This isn’t just a structural change. It signals a broader shift toward rigor, transparency, and international alignment. V2 now integrates with globally accepted frameworks like GRI and the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, making B Corp certification increasingly relevant to companies operating across multiple regulatory environments.
Assessment methods
The 7 impact areas under B Lab V2
The TCFD framework didn’t stay in its own lane for long, quickly becoming the blueprint for the next generation of reporting standards.
1. Purpose & Stakeholder Governance (PSG)
Companies must embed purpose, accountability, and transparency into their core governance structures, defining a meaningful public purpose, integrating stakeholder considerations into decision-making, and communicating social and environmental performance responsibly.
2. Fair Work (FW)
B Corp requires that companies create high-quality jobs and cultivate workplaces where every worker is treated fairly and with dignity. This includes fair wage practices, clear employee expectations, active worker listening, and regular measurement of workplace culture.
3. Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)
Companies must identify and address inequities within their workplaces and value chains. Requirements focus on measuring differences between groups, gathering stakeholder feedback, and taking intentional action to build inclusive, equitable environments, regardless of what language you use to describe that work.
4. Human Rights (HR)
B Corp requires ongoing due diligence to prevent harm connected to operations, products, and services, including working with suppliers to mitigate risks across the value chain. Companies already subject to modern slavery legislation or similar regulatory requirements will find meaningful overlap here.
5. Climate Action (CA)
Climate action is now a standalone impact area, and it carries significant weight. Companies must measure Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions annually, set science-based targets aligned with limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and implement a credible climate transition plan demonstrating measurable progress toward net zero by 2050.
6. Environmental Stewardship & Circularity (ESC)
Companies must identify their actual and potential negative environmental impacts, develop formal strategies to address them, implement circularity principles, and actively reduce waste and resource use across operations and their supply chain.
7. Government Affairs & Collective Action (GACA)
B Corp requires companies to look beyond their own operations and contribute to broader progress. This includes responsible and transparent approaches to lobbying and tax practices, and collaborative engagement on systemic social and environmental challenges.
New mandates
Third-Party Verification: A significant process change
One of the most consequential changes under V2 is the introduction of mandatory independent third-party verification. Previously, companies worked directly with a B Lab analyst who reviewed documentation and guided the self-assessment. Under V2, B Lab steps out of that verification role entirely, and an independent assurance provider steps in.
For companies familiar with financial audits, the process will feel familiar. For those who’ve treated B Corp certification as an internally managed initiative, it’s a meaningful shift.
What this means in practice: expect longer certification timelines, greater documentation requirements, and increased scrutiny of ESG data and ongoing actions. The bar for what counts as evidence has risen significantly.
As Aubrey put it: “This new world is really going to force all of us to professionalize the operations of the certification process, which ultimately improves the quality of our operations, but it changes the way we’re planning.”
A Practical Case Study
Climate action for a 2028 recertification
The Climate Action impact area illustrates why early planning isn’t just recommended, it’s structurally required. Consider a company targeting 2028 recertification. Here’s what a realistic roadmap looks like:
2026, Assess
Complete a Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG inventory using the GHG Protocol. This baseline is a prerequisite for everything that follows. Begin engaging third-party verification and register with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
2027, Initiate
Submit the GHG inventory to SBTi for target verification. Engage a third-party auditor. Conduct a climate risk assessment to understand value chain exposure and adaptation opportunities.
2028, Demonstrate
Submit the B Corp self-assessment with attached evidence: a verified SBTi target, third-party emissions review, and a written climate transition plan.
These activities aren’t sequential options, they’re interdependent. You can’t set a credible SBTi target without a verified base year inventory. You can’t demonstrate progress without multi-year data. Start early.
Get ahead
Where to begin
Whether you’re preparing for first-time certification or navigating recertification under the new standard, the path forward starts with understanding where you stand.
Assess your certification track. Company size and sector determine which requirements apply, and the threshold shifts as you grow. A company approaching 250 employees or $75M in revenue should be planning for a new tier of requirements.
Map your gaps. Review each of the seven impact areas against your current practices. Identify which requirements are already met, which are in progress, and which represent genuine gaps, paying close attention to dependencies like the GHG inventory → SBTi target → third-party verification chain within Climate Action.
Mobilize your stakeholders. B Corp recertification under V2 is no longer a side project. It requires resources, executive buy-in, and cross-functional coordination across finance, legal, HR, IT, and sustainability teams.
Start now. The earlier you begin, the more manageable the process becomes.
BOARDROOM DELIVERY
How Greenplaces supports B Corp recertification
Greenplaces provides end-to-end support for B Corp certification and recertification, including:
Greenplaces is a certified B Corp, we don’t just help clients pursue this standard, we hold ourselves to it.
Let’s get started
Contact Greenplaces for a demo and discover how we can support your B Corp recertification journey.
Frequently asked questions
What is B Corp recertification?
B Corp certification doesn’t last forever. Certified companies must recertify every three years to demonstrate continued compliance with B Lab’s standards. Under the new V2 framework, recertification requires demonstrated action across all seven impact areas, Purpose & Stakeholder Governance, Fair Work, JEDI, Human Rights, Climate Action, Environmental Stewardship & Circularity, and Government Affairs & Collective Action, and is now subject to independent third-party verification.
What changed with B Lab V2?
B Lab transitioned to its Version 2 standards framework in March 2026. The most significant change is the shift from a points-based model (scoring 80 out of 200 on the B Impact Assessment) to a standards-based approach, where specific requirements in each impact area must be met. V2 also introduces mandatory third-party verification, replaces the B Lab analyst review process with independent assurance providers, adds surveillance audits between certification cycles, and aligns the standard with internationally accepted frameworks like GRI.
Does my company's size affect what's required?
Yes. B Lab categorizes companies by size, from Micro (1, 9 employees or under $2M revenue) up to XX Large (10,000+ employees or over $1.5B revenue), and your certification track is determined by that classification. Certain requirements only come into force at larger tiers, particularly at the Large category (250+ employees or $75M+ revenue). Importantly, if your company grows between certifications, the requirements that apply to you may increase, so it’s worth planning against where you expect to be at the time you recertify, not where you are today.
What is third-party verification, and why is it new?
Previously, a B Lab analyst reviewed your self-assessment documentation and guided you through the process. Under V2, B Lab has removed itself from that role and requires an independent assurance provider to verify your submission. This change improves the integrity of the certification by removing potential conflicts of interest, but it also means longer timelines, higher documentation standards, and increased scrutiny of your ESG data. Companies with finance teams experienced in external audits will find the process familiar; others may need to build new operational muscle.
How long does B Corp recertification take under V2?
Timelines will vary by company size and the state of your existing data and programs, but companies should expect the process to take longer than previous cycles. For Climate Action alone, one of seven impact areas, a company starting from scratch on its GHG inventory realistically needs a three-year runway: one year to measure and build the base year inventory, a second year to submit for SBTi target verification and engage a third-party auditor, and a third year to submit the full self-assessment with supporting evidence.
What if we scored well under the old B Impact Assessment?
Your previous score won’t automatically translate to V2 compliance. The new standard assesses against specific requirements in each impact area, not an aggregate point total. Companies that performed well in, say, Governance and Workers under the old model may now find gaps in Climate Action or Environmental Stewardship that weren’t previously weighted as heavily. A gap assessment against the V2 requirements is the right starting point.
How does B Corp recertification relate to other frameworks like CSRD or SBTi?
There’s meaningful overlap. The GHG inventory and science-based target that V2 requires for Climate Action are the same foundational work needed for CSRD readiness and SBTi validation. Companies already subject to California’s SB 253 emissions reporting requirements or modern slavery legislation in Australia or the UK will find they’ve already completed much of what V2 requires in those areas. The frameworks aren’t siloed, building the right data infrastructure once can satisfy multiple reporting obligations.
How can I watch the recording?
If you prefer to watch our speakers in action, view the full recording here.
How can I with the speakers?
Reach out to our Director of Sustainability Reporting, Andrew Rizkallah, via email or LinkedIn.
Connect with Culture Amp’s ESG Advisor, Aubrey Blanche on LinkedIn.
Where does Greenplaces fit in the recertification process?
Greenplaces provides end-to-end support for B Corp certification and recertification. That includes gap assessments against V2 standards, GHG inventories, climate action and transition plans, SBTi target-setting support, wage gap and living wage analysis, JEDI and culture surveys, stakeholder mapping, risk assessments, policy drafting, B Impact Assessment completion, and audit support. Greenplaces is itself a certified B Corp, we hold ourselves to the same standard we help clients achieve.
