Dozens of companies may be at risk of losing their B Corp ethical status after B Lab, the organisation behind the certification, introduced the biggest overhaul in its 19-year history. The new system, launched earlier this month, requires companies to meet non-negotiable standards in all seven categories, replacing the previous points-based approach where poor performance in one area could be offset by high scores in another.
Analysis of the publicly available B Corp database suggests that over 60 of the more than 2,000 UK B Corps score exactly 80 points, the threshold required under the old system. These include Sleeping Giant Media and VoucherCodes. A further 600 companies have scores of 81 or below, putting them at risk when they recertify every three years.
Larger companies will face more extensive requirements, including declaring tax policies and setting science-based emissions targets. Even high-scoring firms like Coutts, with a score of 107.6, could be affected due to its investments in fossil fuels. A Coutts spokesperson said the bank is committed to sustainability and will review the updated criteria ahead of its 2028 recertification.
The overhaul is partly motivated by changes to EU law requiring ethical claims to be verified by external organisations. B Lab UK stated that the new standards provide greater rigour and aim to future-proof the movement, prioritising long-term relevance over rapid expansion.
