As we enter the second half of B Corp Month, Lauren Diggle, B Lab AANZ’s Community Transition Lead, shares why this year’s campaign is our most notable yet.
Every March, the global B Corp community rallies together to celebrate everything it means to be a B Corp and show the world what responsible business looks like in practice.
With 776 Certified B Corps across Australia and Aotearoa, B Corp Month provides our local region with a powerful reminder that we are part of something much bigger: A global community working to change the economy to benefit people and planet.
“In uncertain times, it’s a movement that stands for something steady: shared standards, responsibility, and humanity. A foundation to anchor businesses through change.”
– Lauren Diggle, Community Transition Lead, B Lab AANZ
This B Corp Month is more unique than others. Companies across the world will begin to certify on the new B Lab Standards, marking a major milestone in the movement’s evolution. These updated standards set clearer, more rigorous standards for businesses worldwide, strengthening what it truly means to be a B Corp.
They arrive at a critical moment for corporate sustainability claims. As scrutiny intensifies, more businesses are being called out for overstating or misrepresenting their impact. This backlash has led to a rise in “greenhushing”, where companies making genuine progress stay quiet for fear of saying the wrong thing. But when credible businesses go silent, momentum stalls, and progress on some of the world’s most pressing issues slows with it.
So as B Corp Month 2026 continues, with the theme of: A Simple Symbol, A Powerful Signal, we want to share how these new standards give that symbol real weight — helping businesses prove their impact while guiding consumers to make informed choices.
Raising the bar, raising our voices
B Corp Certification is about translating values into practice, and practice into progress. This has always been the case but is about to become even more rigorous and comprehensive than before.
Under the new B Lab Standards V2, B Corps are empowered to take a holistic approach to impact. Moving away from flexible scoring, they’ll be expected to meet a set of minimum requirements spanning seven impact areas from climate action to human rights. This levels the playing field for businesses while strengthening accountability and transparency, giving the public full insight into a company’s commitments.
Continuous improvement is also baked into the process, with enhanced requirements after three and five years. B Corps will be reassessed on this cycle through regular audits, ensuring leaders continue driving meaningful progress throughout the journey.
Additionally, independent, third-party auditors now verify every claim and make the decision on who certifies. Not only does this add a layer of independence, but it enables businesses to back up storytelling with verifiable facts — building trust with customers and clients and differentiating brands in a crowded market.
Grounded in this rigorous assurance process, the standards and certification model align with legislation such as the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive in the EU. This directive aims to prohibit misleading practices like greenwashing and non-transparent sustainability labels, ensuring messaging is authentic and substantiated.
“This evolution reinforces that B Corp Certification is more than a symbol. It’s complex work that takes ongoing effort and tangible actions to embed impact into how companies operate for the long-term.”
– Lauren Diggle, Community Transition Lead, B Lab AANZ
Leading with purpose, together
As the movement evolves, so does the momentum behind the B. The shift to these new standards won’t always be easy. But what sets the Australia and Aotearoa B Corp community apart is its collective determination to lead with purpose, collaboration and integrity.
That’s the essence of B Corp Month. The campaign shines a light on the 10,000+ global B Corps, across sectors and regions, that are leading with purpose and showing there’s a better way of doing business. Even during periods of high scrutiny and low trust, there is no room for whispering. In fact, that’s precisely when bold, unapologetic leadership is needed most.
By standing by their commitments publicly, B Corps send a powerful signal that responsible business isn’t just possible, it’s already happening.
So join us this B Corp Month in not only celebrating the Australia and Aotearoa B Corp community, but encouraging businesses to step up, embrace accountability, and transform our economy for the better.
