I recently announced that B Corp Expert is now a certified B Corp Pending business. You may have seen the logo - similar to the main B Corp Certified logo but with a big red 'Pending' addition. Tighten your belts and read on for an explanation...(disclaimer. It's not very wild. Sorry)
B Corp Pending is for businesss with less than 12 months in operation. A business can apply for Pending certification up until that 12 month cut off. It is designed for new businesses who are committed to running using the B Corp principles from the beginning.
The reason for this is that some parts of the BIA ask for data from the previous 12 months, so it is not possible for brand new businesses to be B Corp Certified.
How to become B Corp Pending:
Create a B Impact Assessment account and set up a profile for your business
Complete the BIA prospectively - what you will do rather than what you do do
Satisfy the legal requirements. For my business this meant I had to become a Limited Company which was far easier than I envisaged, I was able to set up with the B Corp required articles of association so it cost nothing other than my time. It does mean tax is more complicated than it is for a sole trader but I have a nice accountant to help me with that one!
Submit your assessment and pay a one off fee of £500 (+VAT).
That's it. Once B Lab have checked your business dates and your fee is paid they will confirm the status and send you the logo. It is important to know that the Pending logo is for digital purposes only.
Why bother?
In all honesty I wasn't going to bother with B Corp Pending certification. It seemed that I would be paying a fee and completing the BIA when I could just wait and complete the BIA 'properly'.
However I realised the fact that it takes time and money is proof of my commitment. It is all very well having the skills and knowledge to help businesses on their journey to B Corp certification and recertification, but I want to be able to publicly prove my commitment to B Corp. Just like the little orangutan above I want my young business to grow into a powerful beast, and I hope that B Corp Pending shows my commitment to sustainable, ethical growth.
Of course I cannot talk for every business, but I should think that most that go for Pending B Corp do so to ensure that they really are building their business in a way that benefits people and the planet. To ensure that they are committed to the B Corp Principles from the very beginning.
To learn more about the process visit the B Corp UK page here.
Any comments, questions or recommendations for future blogs? I would love to hear what you have to say. Please do get in touch :-)
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