Using the B Corp Assessment to Inform CSR and Impact Measurement

Have you considered taking the B Corp assessment? Even if you don’t think B Corp certification is for you, you’ll be amazed by what you know, or didn’t know, about your business’ impact by navigating the assessment tool. 

The coveted “certified” logo is only a small part of the equation. The assessment facilitates a structured exploration of practices in the areas of governance and accountability, workers, supply chain, community, environment, and your unique impact model. As a result, businesses can:

• Identify strengths, as well as areas of potential improvement.
• Discover “best practices”.
• Establish an impact baseline that can be used to track change.

When it comes to the B Corp scale, an average business scores approximately 40 points, while “good” businesses score around 60 points. However, B Corp certification is only awarded to "exceptional" businesses that score 80 points or more out of a possible 200. 

In our experience, most truly amazing, impact based-businesses do not score 80+ on the first try. Do not be discouraged; a significant number of points are tied to solid policies and programs. 

Without policies to ensure continuity and consistency, ambitions to build greater impact, mitigate risk, or become B Corp certified simply fall flat. B Corp has taken this into consideration by heavily weighting policy, including what is actually in the policy. The assessment provides a systematic approach to asking some hard questions, including many you may not have thought of before. Responses to those questions can be used to add structure to practices likely already in place or to create new solutions. Using the B Corp assessment tool early on as part of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) development process creates informed policy that, in turn, leads to success. Yes, it’s still about having a plan (policy) that you actually execute in your day-to-day operations.

The other side of the B Corp assessment is about measurement and targets. B Corp uses set key performance indicators to establish a baseline for energy usage, water usage, volunteer hours and more. Setting goals for next year, the next five years, or next month with a strategy to get there – that’s next level. But again, the B Corp assessment provides a starting point for baseline measurement. Creating systems (some can be really fun) to track those changes, or any other metrics that suit your business, on a go-forward basis helps to ensure you meet or exceed your goals. Then, of course, communicate strategies and policies to your team, and potentially, customers and investors too.

The B Corp assessment is free to use. If you would like to improve your impact, or improve your impact and become B Corp certified, working with a consultant can help. Some consultants can answer your questions about the assessment, develop policies and programs, inform sustainability targets and strategies, and create mechanisms for tracking your progress.

You might be familiar with some of these B Corp certified brands: Hootsuite, Kickstarter, Etsy, BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada), Step Forward Paper, or Patagonia. But most B Corps are smaller businesses like Dadavan Systems, CarShareHFX, Nova Sun Power, Ffunction Data Visualization Studio, Hemmings House,ADDvocacy  Life Skills and Coaching, and, of course, Scout & Burrow. At any size from anywhere in the world, businesses are creating profitable social and environmental impact. Will you be next?