Knowledge Bank

This research investigates the role of B Corp certification in shaping and supporting sustainability signaling. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks are becoming increasingly central to market self-regulation. Systems like B Corp, covering more than 9,000 firms, offer structured, voluntary methods for evaluating business impact. However, concerns remain about the reliability of scoring systems and the extent to which the information they generate meaningfully reaches consumers and other stakeholders. This research draws from public policy, business ethics, and data analysis to conduct a dual inquiry into the internal consistency of B Corp’s metrics and the external flow of its sustainability messaging by focusing on the cohort of certified firms. Methodologically, the inquiry combines quantitative analysis and exploration of B Lab’s self-published B Impact score data with qualitative content analysis of firm-level communications. The latter employs a micro-meso-macro framework to examine how B Corp information is presented by twenty leading firms across distinct communication levels: product packaging, firm websites and CSR reports, and B Lab’s member directory. These efforts offer insights for policymakers evaluating the strengths and limitations of private sustainability certifications as tools for public-private governance and future ESG policy development.