The B Corp movement has come a long way. For instance, in 2007, when the first B Corps were certified, all of the companies were either small or medium-sized, with bold, purpose-driven agendas, as exemplified by the outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia. Today, 90 of the 6,000-plus B Corps are multinationals, and their staff represent almost a third of the total workforce of all B Corps.
One of their number is Nestlé-owned coffee brand Nespresso. The brand’s certification as a B Corp last year was the straw that broke the camel’s back for many in the movement, prompting an open letter signed by 30 existing members urging B Lab to make the certification process more stringent or else risk undermining the whole endeavour.
“The movement has reached a point where it needs to step back and critically reassess its purpose and how far it is living up to its potential,” says Dr Malu Villela, a senior research associate at the University of Bristol’s School of Management.