Who can become a Pending B Corp?
The Pending B Corp status is designed for early-stage companies who are not yet eligible for certification, as a way to signal to stakeholders their commitment to become a certified B Corp. The B Corp Certification is based on the verified practices and policies of a company over the 12 months, and as early-stage companies do not have such operational data, they are not yet eligible for the B Corporation Certification. (See how B Lab defines the start of operations for a company.)
Although early-stage companies do not need to become Pending B Corps to pursue the B Corp Certification later on, it provides a valuable framework to identify areas for development before transitioning to a full-fledge B Corp after 12 months.
To become a Pending B Corp, companies are required to:
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Meet the B Corp legal requirement: amend your company Constitution to legally commit to considering your impact on your company’s key stakeholders.
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Complete and submit a prospective B Impact Assessment: ensure that you understand the requirements of the B Corp Certification and identify the right policies and practices to put in place as your company grows. The prospective B Impact Assessment does not need to be verified by B Lab, so you will not receive a verified score.
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Sign the Pending B Corp agreement and pay a one-time fee of US$500: this covers a 12-month period which allows you to engage in community events, connect with other B Corps and use the Pending B Corp logo to publicly communicate your commitment.