by Aubrie Watson
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What I Learned Watching Behind the B
Over about 90 minutes, Behind the B walks you through what it means to be a B Corp, how the certification process works, and why many businesses are embracing stakeholder-first ethics. Some of the standout insights:
- The B Lab organisation is the driving force: it develops the standards, supports companies, and helps build a movement towards redefining success in business.
- The certification is rigorous. You need to meet high social, environmental, governance, worker, and customer impact standards (through the B Impact Assessment) as well as legal & transparency requirements.
- It’s not just a label. The video emphasises continuous improvement: B Corps recertify (or have to show they’re evolving) every few years, meaning the standards, practices, and expectations are always shifting.
- There are concrete examples (“spotlights”) of real companies—small and mid-size—that illustrate both the challenges and the wins. For example, how legal structure, supply chain, worker welfare, governance have to be aligned with the purpose.
Broader Context & Additional Insights
To round out what the video/course offers, I looked up additional materials about B Corps and their impact:
- B Corps now exist in thousands of companies across dozens of countries. The movement is growing fast, and part of that growth is because people are becoming more aware of the limitations of “profit-only” business models.
- The B Impact Assessment (BIA) is publicly available (or can be, in some cases) so that companies can benchmark themselves even before seeking certification. It helps them see where their strengths and weaknesses are.
- The legal requirement to embed stakeholder consideration (not just shareholders) is a crucial piece. It forces structural change, not just cosmetic or PR‐oriented. See B Lab’s Stakeholder Governance page for examples.
- Some critics or challenges: achieving the required score is non‐trivial; for companies operating globally, standards or legal requirements differ by jurisdiction, which can complicate certification; maintaining compliance over time requires ongoing investment and attention.
What Are Certified B Corps? — Key Features
From the video + supporting sources, here are what certified B Corps generally commit to / embody:
- High Standards of Impact & Performance – covering things like environmental sustainability, fair treatment of workers, contribution to community, and governance.
- Transparency – having public reporting, being accountable about social and environmental metrics, and being open to audit.
- Purpose & Stakeholder Governance – businesses must legally commit (via their governing documents) to consider the interests of all stakeholders (workers, communities, environment, customers), not just shareholders.
- Certification Process – use of the B Impact Assessment, meeting a minimum score, undergoing verification, risk review, legal changes, etc.
- Continuous Improvement & Recertification – the process doesn’t end with certification. B Corps need to recertify, continuously improve.
If you’re curious which companies are already B Corps, browse the global directory of Certified B Corps here.
My Reflections & Questions
- Why this matters now: With climate change, inequality, supply chain risks, and social trust issues rising, businesses that only focus on profit seem increasingly out of step. The B Corp model provides a structured way to align business operations with broader values.
- Is it scalable? It’s inspiring to see small & medium enterprises doing this. But for very large corporations (multinationals), consistency across geographies, legal systems, and operational complexity might pose extra hurdles.
- Potential trade‐offs: Sometimes doing the ‘right thing’ costs more (e.g. sourcing sustainable materials, paying living wages). How to balance that with financial sustainability? How to ensure that smaller firms aren’t excluded because they lack resources to meet certification costs?
- Legal & cultural differences: The movement seems strongest in some countries; in others, legal frameworks may not facilitate stakeholder governance or enforceable environmental/social standards. How adaptable is the B Corp model across very diverse contexts?
Why the Movement is More Than a “Cert Badge”
What struck me is that Behind the B doesn’t treat certification as the end goal. It presents it as part of a larger transformation:
- A community effect: B Corps share best practices, learn from each other, and often collaborate. This communal knowledge accelerates change.
- A norm‐changing effect: When more companies adopt these standards, stakeholder‐governance and social/environmental metrics become less “niche” and more mainstream.
- A systemic change ambition: It’s not only about individual firms but about transforming how we define success in capitalism—moving from shareholder primacy to stakeholder governance, making business a force for good.
Practical Steps If You’re Considering B Corp Certification
If I were advising someone based on what I learned, these would be the steps:
- Self-reflection & baseline: Use the B Impact Assessment to see where you stand. Identify where you already meet good practices and where there are gaps.
- Define purpose & stakeholders: Clarify your mission, your core values, and who your stakeholders are (workers, community, environment, customers).
- Legal & governance preparation: Investigate what needs to change legally in your business structure/law for your region to embed stakeholder governance.
- Operational changes: This might include supply chain audits, environmental impact measurement, worker benefits, diversity & inclusion policies, transparency/reporting.
- Engage & communicate: Because part of the value is in public trust and community—share your journey, involve your teams, learn from other B Corps.
- Plan for recertification & continuous improvement: Set targets, monitor metrics, ensure processes are in place to keep improving, not just “check the box.”
Final Thoughts
Watching Behind the B reaffirms for me that business can be more than profit machines. The B Corp movement provides a rigorous framework, but one that’s accessible (they offer free introductory courses), aspirational (strong standards, transparency), and grounded (real case studies).
If more businesses embraced this model, I believe we’d see more equitable, resilient, and sustainable economies—not just greener supply chains, but workplaces with dignity, communities uplifted, customers aligned with values. It’s a hopeful path, though not without challenge.
by Aubrie Watson

What I Learned Watching Behind the B
Over about 90 minutes, Behind the B walks you through what it means to be a B Corp, how the certification process works, and why many businesses are embracing stakeholder-first ethics. Some of the standout insights:
- The B Lab organisation is the driving force: it develops the standards, supports companies, and helps build a movement towards redefining success in business.
- The certification is rigorous. You need to meet high social, environmental, governance, worker, and customer impact standards (through the B Impact Assessment) as well as legal & transparency requirements.
- It’s not just a label. The video emphasises continuous improvement: B Corps recertify (or have to show they’re evolving) every few years, meaning the standards, practices, and expectations are always shifting.
- There are concrete examples (“spotlights”) of real companies—small and mid-size—that illustrate both the challenges and the wins. For example, how legal structure, supply chain, worker welfare, governance have to be aligned with the purpose.
Broader Context & Additional Insights
To round out what the video/course offers, I looked up additional materials about B Corps and their impact:
- B Corps now exist in thousands of companies across dozens of countries. The movement is growing fast, and part of that growth is because people are becoming more aware of the limitations of “profit-only” business models.
- The B Impact Assessment (BIA) is publicly available (or can be, in some cases) so that companies can benchmark themselves even before seeking certification. It helps them see where their strengths and weaknesses are.
- The legal requirement to embed stakeholder consideration (not just shareholders) is a crucial piece. It forces structural change, not just cosmetic or PR‐oriented. See B Lab’s Stakeholder Governance page for examples.
- Some critics or challenges: achieving the required score is non‐trivial; for companies operating globally, standards or legal requirements differ by jurisdiction, which can complicate certification; maintaining compliance over time requires ongoing investment and attention.
What Are Certified B Corps? — Key Features
From the video + supporting sources, here are what certified B Corps generally commit to / embody:
- High Standards of Impact & Performance – covering things like environmental sustainability, fair treatment of workers, contribution to community, and governance.
- Transparency – having public reporting, being accountable about social and environmental metrics, and being open to audit.
- Purpose & Stakeholder Governance – businesses must legally commit (via their governing documents) to consider the interests of all stakeholders (workers, communities, environment, customers), not just shareholders.
- Certification Process – use of the B Impact Assessment, meeting a minimum score, undergoing verification, risk review, legal changes, etc.
- Continuous Improvement & Recertification – the process doesn’t end with certification. B Corps need to recertify, continuously improve.
If you’re curious which companies are already B Corps, browse the global directory of Certified B Corps here.
My Reflections & Questions
- Why this matters now: With climate change, inequality, supply chain risks, and social trust issues rising, businesses that only focus on profit seem increasingly out of step. The B Corp model provides a structured way to align business operations with broader values.
- Is it scalable? It’s inspiring to see small & medium enterprises doing this. But for very large corporations (multinationals), consistency across geographies, legal systems, and operational complexity might pose extra hurdles.
- Potential trade‐offs: Sometimes doing the ‘right thing’ costs more (e.g. sourcing sustainable materials, paying living wages). How to balance that with financial sustainability? How to ensure that smaller firms aren’t excluded because they lack resources to meet certification costs?
- Legal & cultural differences: The movement seems strongest in some countries; in others, legal frameworks may not facilitate stakeholder governance or enforceable environmental/social standards. How adaptable is the B Corp model across very diverse contexts?
Why the Movement is More Than a “Cert Badge”
What struck me is that Behind the B doesn’t treat certification as the end goal. It presents it as part of a larger transformation:
- A community effect: B Corps share best practices, learn from each other, and often collaborate. This communal knowledge accelerates change.
- A norm‐changing effect: When more companies adopt these standards, stakeholder‐governance and social/environmental metrics become less “niche” and more mainstream.
- A systemic change ambition: It’s not only about individual firms but about transforming how we define success in capitalism—moving from shareholder primacy to stakeholder governance, making business a force for good.
Practical Steps If You’re Considering B Corp Certification
If I were advising someone based on what I learned, these would be the steps:
- Self-reflection & baseline: Use the B Impact Assessment to see where you stand. Identify where you already meet good practices and where there are gaps.
- Define purpose & stakeholders: Clarify your mission, your core values, and who your stakeholders are (workers, community, environment, customers).
- Legal & governance preparation: Investigate what needs to change legally in your business structure/law for your region to embed stakeholder governance.
- Operational changes: This might include supply chain audits, environmental impact measurement, worker benefits, diversity & inclusion policies, transparency/reporting.
- Engage & communicate: Because part of the value is in public trust and community—share your journey, involve your teams, learn from other B Corps.
- Plan for recertification & continuous improvement: Set targets, monitor metrics, ensure processes are in place to keep improving, not just “check the box.”
Final Thoughts
Watching Behind the B reaffirms for me that business can be more than profit machines. The B Corp movement provides a rigorous framework, but one that’s accessible (they offer free introductory courses), aspirational (strong standards, transparency), and grounded (real case studies).
If more businesses embraced this model, I believe we’d see more equitable, resilient, and sustainable economies—not just greener supply chains, but workplaces with dignity, communities uplifted, customers aligned with values. It’s a hopeful path, though not without challenge.