BCorp has become corporate trash

The director of UK’s B Lab, the governing body that certifies BCorp orgs, is responding to bad press with a publicity campaign tied to this essay: https://www.raconteur.net/responsible-business/b-lab-uk-boss-b-corp-tough-questions/ The supposed next step is introspection – no more awarding BCorp status to the likes of Nestle? But that’s not the issue. The issue is that almost all small businesses are priced out of the club. It costs $1,000 to $50,000/year. So what is its point then? BCorp has become just another “.org” business to whitewash big money; that’s ironic for a movement that was supposed to lead the movement away from the profit-motive. The actual experience of participating in it today is distinctly different from 15 years ago. Now it’s impossible to do so unless you have a big company. Both for the financial cost and the manhours needed to assemble an application. It’s a “we’re established” badge. Here’s the thing – if you really want to reform BCorp, make it costs $150 to join it again.

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BCorp has become corporate trash

The director of UK’s B Lab, the governing body that certifies BCorp orgs, is responding to bad press with a publicity campaign tied to this essay: https://www.raconteur.net/responsible-business/b-lab-uk-boss-b-corp-tough-questions/

The supposed next step is introspection – no more awarding BCorp status to the likes of Nestle?

But that’s not the issue. The issue is that almost all small businesses are priced out of the club. It costs $1,000 to $50,000/year.

So what is its point then?

BCorp has become just another “.org” business to whitewash big money; that’s ironic for a movement that was supposed to lead the movement away from the profit-motive. The actual experience of participating in it today is distinctly different from 15 years ago. Now it’s impossible to do so unless you have a big company. Both for the financial cost and the manhours needed to assemble an application.

It’s a “we’re established” badge.

Here’s the thing – if you really want to reform BCorp, make it costs $150 to join it again.