What is a B Corp?
A guide for SMEs in 2026

Global credit insurance, often referred to as global trade credit insurance protects businesses from financial losses when customers do not settle invoices, especially in international markets. It provides coverage against non-payment caused by client insolvency, extended delays, or events that may disrupt cross-border trade.

While both global credit insurance and business credit insurance protect against customer non-payment, the key difference is scope:

• Business credit insurance generally focuses on domestic receivables.
• Global trade credit insurance extends coverage internationally, often including political and economic risks that aren’t found in domestic trading.

Choosing the right product depends on whether your growth strategy involves cross-border sales or primarily domestic transactions.

B Corps are businesses that have been independently certified for meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. This is similar to a Fair Trade certification, but for entire companies rather than individual products.

The movement has grown rapidly. In the UK, there are now more than more than 2,700 B Corps. Globally, over 10,300 companies across 183 countries and 163 industries have achieved B Corp certification.

What sets B Corps apart is their commitment to being responsible businesses. They voluntarily open their practices to independent assessment and make their results publicly available.

B Corps focus on the stakeholder rather than the shareholder. They consider those who are affected by their actions, such as employees and members of the community in which they operate and have an environmental impact, rather than the shareholders who own them.

Crucially, B Corps prioritise stakeholders over shareholders. This means considering the impact of their decisions on employees, communities, customers, and the environment, not just their owners or investors.

In the UK, the certification process is overseen by B Lab UK, the non-profit organisation that evaluates whether businesses meet the standards required to become a B Corp.

To qualify, a company must have been trading for profit in a competitive market for at least 12 months. Early‑stage businesses can opt for Pending B Corp status, which helps them embed B Corp principles while they work toward full certification.

The path to certification involves completing the B Impact Assessment, a comprehensive review of a company’s impact on workers, customers, communities, and the environment. B Lab then verifies the results, and businesses must achieve a minimum score of 80 out of 200 to progress.

For SMEs that are still developing their sustainability practices, the B Corp Impact Assessment serves as a valuable, free framework for strengthening environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, even if they aren’t yet ready to certify. There is no fee for the assessment – though there will be a cost if you choose to become certified.

Every aspiring B Corps must meet the legal requirements of the programme, which involve updating their Articles of Association to include mission-aligned legal language.

The certification process involves these three steps:

1. Complete the B Corp Impact Assessment and achieve a verified total score of at least 80 points.
2. Meet the B Corp legal requirement, which includes amending Articles of Association to commit to considering the impact of decisions on all stakeholders.
3. Sign the B Corp Agreement and the Declaration of Interdependence.

A growing number of well‑known brands, such as Evian, The Body Shop, BrewDog and Danone, have achieved B Corp certification, demonstrating their commitment to responsible and transparent business practices. However, becoming a B Corp is a commitment, and it may not suit every SME at every stage of their growth. Certification must be renewed every three years, and maintaining the required sustainability standards can be challenging, especially during periods of financial pressure.

There are many standout examples of businesses using the B Corp framework to drive meaningful change. For example, Elephant Box Stainless Steel Limited is a UK-based business designing reusable food storage and lifestyle products that help reduce reliance on single-use plastics. They became certified in Feburary 2026 with an overall B impact score of 80.2, above the ypical business median score of 50.9. Founded with the mission to combat plastic pollution, Elephant Box creates long-lasting stainless steel lunchboxes, bottles and everyday essentials designed to support low-waste living.  

Another recent joiner is 11 London, the first UK healthcare comms agency to be awarded B Corp status. Its Managing Direct, Matthew Hunt, emphasised the importance of committing to values for the good of customers and of the business.

‘Sustainability isn’t just about what we buy, it’s about how we work,’ Hunt said. ‘And unless we live by what we stand for, we certainly won’t attract and keep talented people who share those values.

‘This is a work in progress, and it’s challenging all of us here to improve how we do business – individually as well as collectively.’

Even if your business isn’t ready to pursue B Corp certification, you can still support the movement. The B Corp Directory lists the scores of all B Corps globally. This makes it easy to choose your suppliers and partners that have been independently assessed for their sustainability and ESG performance.

Whether certification is the right step for you now, adopting B Corp principles, or choosing to work with certified businesses, can make a meaningful difference to your social and environmental impact. Using the B Corp Directory to select suppliers, partners and service providers who have been independently assessed helps you build a more responsible, transparent and values‑driven supply chain.

Whether you pursue full B Corp certification or simply take inspiration from its principles, integrating sustainable practices with smart risk‑management tools can help your business thrive, responsibly, transparently and with long‑term resilience at its core.