B Corp Purpose Requirements: Your Questions Answered (September 2025
You asked brilliant questions at our September seminar on the new B Corp purpose standards. Whether you attended or not, these answers will help you prepare for what’s coming.
The new B Corp Standards are the biggest change to B Corp certification since it launched – and the purpose requirements could catch many businesses off guard. Some think they have plenty of time. Others are confused about the difference between purpose and mission. Many are wondering what the requirements will actually look like in practice.
In this post, I'm answering seven questions from our September seminar. Together with questions from our July seminar (see this blog), these insights will help you navigate the new requirements strategically rather than scrambling at the last minute.
QUESTION: We don’t recertify until 2027 and I’m juggling other business priorities. Why should I work on this now?
ANSWER:
Any existing B Corp with a recertification date in 2026 has been given a year’s grace to align with the new Standards. Existing B Corps with a recertification date in 2027 will also recertify in 2027. That means that roughly two thirds of existing B Corps are likely to be recertifying in 2027 under the new Standards.
That sounds like lots of time, but it isn’t. This work on purpose can take between 6 and 18 months. So if you're recertifying in 2027, you need to start now, especially if your business is larger or has taken on external investment.
I've seen leadership teams fracture because they couldn't agree on purpose. This becomes more likely when they’re doing it under pressure, trying to rush through work that should have been strategic. Not having the time to make sure everyone is involved and bought into the journey.
In 18 months' time, there will be two types of B Corps: those who saw this coming and prepared strategically, and those who scrambled at the last minute.
The businesses that wait will be playing catch-up. competing for limited consultancy capacity at exactly the moment everyone else is panicking. They will end up settling for purpose statements that tick the box rather than transform their business.
Meanwhile, the businesses starting now are turning this requirement into an opportunity - using purpose work to unlock new revenue streams, strengthen team engagement, and differentiate from competitors.
So now is the time to do something. The cost of delay is always higher than the cost of action.
Discover how our Amplify service helps you meet the requirements.
QUESTION: What is the difference between a mission statement and a purpose statement?
ANSWER:
Your purpose statement is the reason your business exists – I find it helpful to start it with the phrase “we exist to…”. This is what the new B Corp Standards say should include the specific social and/or environmental impact you want to have. For example, “Tony’s Chocolonely exists to end all forms of exploitation in the cocoa industry”.
Your mission statement is what specifically your business does (and for whom) to deliver on that purpose.
The guidance in the new B Corp Standards states, however, that your “mission statement can serve as a purpose statement if it specifically conveys the company's reason for being”.
Book a B Corp Purpose Insight Call to assess your readiness.
We will explore your current purpose (or mission) statement and identify what steps you need to take to meet the purpose requirements of the new B Corp Standards.
QUESTION: How will the new purpose requirements reshape what it means to be a B Corp?
ANSWER:
If you want to make a meaningful positive difference at scale, it’s not enough to just ‘do good’. A set of scattered, disconnected activities won’t add up to make a meaningful difference to any particular problem.
A risk with the current B Corp Standards is that they can lead to what I call a tactical approach to impact. You can become busy doing lots of good things (e.g. giving to charity, employee wellbeing initiatives and volunteering) but without a clear focus the overall impact of these activities is limited.
However, when you are crystal clear on the difference you want to make, you can be intentional. Your activities become more strategic, focused on delivering your purpose. This results in a strategic purpose-led approach to impact, and a far more meaningful difference given your limited resources.
This is exactly why we developed our Amplify approach – to help businesses move from scattered activities to strategic impact at scale.
The shift from tactical to strategic impact: Moving from scattered good activities to focused, purpose-driven change
The purpose requirements of the new B Corp Standards will mean every single B Corp is like the diagram on the right, focused on delivering a specific meaningful impact in the world. The cumulative impact across the whole B Corp community could be huge. I think it’s incredibly exciting.
QUESTION: How will compliance with the purpose requirements be measured and audited during certification and recertification?
ANSWER:
B Lab hasn’t confirmed how certification and audit will be carried out. They are due to share this in November 2025.
In the meantime they have shared a helpful update here.
QUESTION: What practical steps should companies take to align governance structures, policies, and KPIs with the new purpose requirements?
ANSWER:
The first step is articulating your purpose and ensuring this meets the requirements of the new B Corp Standards. In particular, that it articulates a specific social and/or environmental impact that your business exists to address.
The next step is to identify key decision-making points within your business, both strategic decisions (e.g. regarding investment) and day-to-day decisions (e.g. purchases). For each of these, identify either one additional criteria or question you could ask that ensures your decision is aligned with your purpose.
Don’t just change the requirements on paper. To actually change behaviours, you need to engage your team and ensure they understand the reason for the change. One of the best ways of doing this can be by sharing your purpose and encouraging them to identify how they can integrate it into their day-to-day decision making. If they have suggested what needs to change, the change is more likely to stick.
QUESTION: If one part of your business has a clear purpose that meets the business relevance and strategy requirements, and this is the area you are actively trying grow, will this be what is required for recertification?
ANSWER:
No. Your purpose must apply to the whole of the company that is certifying as a B Corp.
Sometimes a business which has not been purpose-led chooses to transition to being purpose-led. When doing this, it’s not usually financially viable to just flick a switch overnight. You might choose to grow the purpose-led area of your business whilst winding down the other areas of your business, recognising that these are needed to generate revenue in the short term.
In this instance, you could argue the business has one purpose and its strategy is to transition all parts of the business to addressing that purpose.
QUESTION: Is aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) a separate process? How far will the SDGs remain relevant as a framework when they're due to end/be withdrawn in less than 5 years’ time?
ANSWER:
When I’m helping a business articulate its purpose, I encourage them to look at the UN SDGs. This can be a helpful way of identifying the specifical social and/or environmental impact they are addressing – one of the requirements of the new B Corp Standards.
The reason I find the SDGs a useful framework is because they cover a broad range of social and environmental areas where progress is needed. The sad reality is that we are unlikely to have met all these goals by 2030, when the goals are due to expire. I believe they remain as relevant today as they were when they were created.
Ready to tackle the B Corp Purpose Requirements?
Don't wait until you're racing against your recertification deadline. Whether you're recertifying in 2027 or earlier, preparing now will give you a better outcome and unlock more opportunities.
There are four ways we can support you:
1. Book a B Corp Purpose Insight Call
A focused 45-minute session where we'll review your current purpose statement and create a clear action plan for meeting the new requirements.
2. Self-Guided Course
A self-paced course where you will be guided through our proven three phase Amplify approach. You get everything you need to help your business get ready for the new B Corp Standards.
3. Supported Course with 1:1 Coaching
The same course as in option 2, complemented by 3x 1 hour coaching calls with me. In these calls, you will receive feedback and support tailored to your business.
4. Bespoke Amplify Consultancy Service
Work with me over 6-18 months to develop and embed a purpose that's strategically integrated with your business model and drives commercial value.
We help businesses embed impact into their purpose, strategy and business model - and so meet the requirements of the new B Corp Standards. Find out how we can help you: