B Corp is tightening its standards.
And—shock—some companies aren’t happy.
Too hard. Too complex. Too much to maintain.
Funny that.
Because for a while, it was starting to feel like B Corp had drifted into the same territory as every other well-meaning badge:
Nice logo.
Good on a slide.
Light touch when it mattered.
Here’s the uncomfortable bit
If your “values-led business” can’t meet tougher standards…
…were they ever really embedded?
Or were they:
• a comms strategy
• a recruitment hook
• a slightly shinier ESG paragraph in the annual report
This is what progress actually looks like
Standards should move.
Otherwise we’re just freezing “good” at a point in time and calling it leadership.
The planet’s not static.
Expectations aren’t static.
So why should certification be?
Yes, some will drop off
Good.
That’s not failure—that’s credibility.
Because a badge that everyone keeps, no matter what,
isn’t a standard.
It’s a participation trophy.
The Third Half view
This isn’t B Corp losing its way.
It’s B Corp growing up.
Less comfort.
More accountability.
Closer to what People–Planet–Progress actually demands.
Final thought
If the badge gets harder to earn—and harder to keep—
…it might finally mean what people always hoped it did.
And if that makes a few companies uncomfortable?
Even better.