What is a B Corp? Your Questions Answered

With the B Corp movement continuing to grow here in the UK as well as around the world, we are noticing more people becoming aware of the certification and what it means for business. So we thought B Corp month this March would be a great time to answer your burning questions about the B Corporation community!

1. What does B Corp actually mean?

Companies with a B Corp certification are organisations which have undergone an extensive and rigorous process to assess their social and environmental impact. This assessment is carried out by B Lab, a non-profit organisation started in the US in 2006 with the goal of changing the world through making business better and transforming the economy to benefit all.

B Lab Europe was launched in 2013 and B Lab UK quickly followed in 2015, making up part of a flourishing global movement and network as more companies committed to improving the way they do business.

2. What are B Corp principles?

When applying for a B Corp certification, businesses are currently assessed in five main areas: community, environment, workers, governance, and customers. 

These areas cover everything from the legal framework behind your company to your supply chains, donation impacts, energy usage, banking, reporting, transparency, and more. A company must supply supporting evidence and answers to prove their commitment and accomplishments which are checked over by the B Lab team who may come back to request further evidence or clarity.

For us at Y.O.U Underwear, we scored well around our Buy One Give One policy, our impact reporting, our recycling programme, and the environmental and social impact of working with Fairtrade and GOTS certified farmers and manufacturers.

3. Are B Corp companies good?

In order to certify as a B Corp, businesses must reach a minimum score of 80 in their B Impact Assessment. The median score for most companies is around 50 meaning B Corporations must demonstrate a certain level of social and environmental responsibility in order to pass the threshold. 

This does of course mean that there are lots of B Corp businesses with scores close to 80 and scores can vary a lot between companies. However, B Corps must also demonstrate how they plan to continue improving within their company framework as well as in their communities. B Lab encourages a system of continual reflection and improvement and over half of the companies who recertify improve their score.

When we first certified in 2021 we were thrilled with our score of 160.5, making us the highest scoring B Corp globally. After going through a lengthy recertification process in 2024/25, we managed to improve our score to 168.8! This was in spite of the fact that our business had expanded, meaning we had more to report on.

This means that becoming a certified B Corp is never a finished project and works as part of a wider and continued movement towards a business economy which sees the environment and the people living in it as equally important as profit.

4. What are the benefits of buying from a B Corp certified company?

When you support B Corp businesses financially or otherwise, you support companies striving to make the world a better place and using their business to have a positive impact locally and globally.

For example, at Y.O.U Underwear, we have built social and environmental impact into everything we do from the very beginning and report on these areas at the same level as financial reporting.

We have been able to grow and grow in the past few years thanks to the wonderful support of our incredible customers, meaning we have expanded our team, developed new products in response to requests, and built out our shop into a space for the local community and an eco-friendly hub for small businesses.

When you buy organic cotton underwear from us, you not only support regenerative farming practices and Fairtrade working principles, you also have a huge impact in tackling period poverty and gender equality. We work with our charity partners, including Smalls for All, to donate one pair of underwear for every pair sold, supporting communities in Africa and the UK with access to their own underwear.

Shop organic cotton women's underwear 

5. What is B Corp Month?

B Corp Month is held annually every March and aims to celebrate and bring together B Corp businesses from around the world. It’s a great opportunity for the general public to learn more about what it means to be a B Corp and their B Local community. B Corp Month also brings together B Corps of all sizes to share their knowledge, generate ideas, and strengthen relationships. 

During the month, you will likely see more content and information about B Corps on the high street and social media. There are often a range of events running throughout the month and ways to get to know brands doing business better!

Make sure to get involved and keep an eye out for B Corps in your local area!

Keep reading to find out more:

Discover how we managed to improve our B Corp score 

The story behind our original certification and our reasons for applying

Come with us to visit some of Oxford's best B Corp businesses