The Guide to Certified B Corporations & a List of Brands to Shop

If you’re looking to further your impact by supporting socially responsible companies learning about B Corporations is a great place to start.

In this guide we’re talking about what a B Corp is, why the certification is important, and B Corps you can easily support through your shopping habits.

By shopping these retailers you are voting with your wallet and showing your support for holding brands accountable.

This post does contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase The Honest Consumer may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

What is a Certified B Corporation?

According to B Corp Certification, this is the only certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance.

The B Impact Assessment evaluates a company’s based on their supply chain transparency, treatment of workers, community impact, materials used to make the products, environmental impact, give back initiatives , employee benefits, and more.

The B Corp Certification is a way for brands to show they value doing business for good.

How are brands certified?

To receive a B Corp Certifications companies must go through a rigorous assessment, meet virtually with B Corp team members, and pay an annual certification fee.

To receive the certification the applicant must achieve a minimum verified score on the B Impact Assessment proving they are dedicated to the overall impact of their business.

The standards for B Corp Certification are overseen by B Lab's independent Standards Advisory Council. There over 1,800 certified B Corporations.

This number is made up of both service based and product based businesses.

In our list below we’re exploring B Corporations you can support by shopping socially responsible companies.

Why are B Corporations Important?

Holding Companies Accountable Through Transparency

By allowing a third party such as B Corp to evaluate the business as a whole, this holds brands accountable for what goes on behind the scenes.

Sadly due to mass consumption and keeping up with consumer demands a lot of name brands outsource and do not value transparency.

We see this in the fast fashion industry quite a bit. There is a lot of mistreatment of garment workers, forced labor, unfair wages, and harsh environmental impacts coming from the fast fashion industry.

Today it is common for popular brands to have beautiful crafted “social responsibility” statements on their websites, but most name brands do not carry these values through out the crafting of the garments. For example, if we look at the Rana Plaza incident popular “American” brands were using this factory in Bangladesh to make their clothes.

However when the factory collapsed and killed over 1,100 garment workers, these big name brands were not held accountable.

Brands who go through the B Corporation process are held to a level of transparency that evaluates the entire process behind the business including materials used to craft the product, how the people are treated through out the supply chain, employee benefits, etc.

By having a third party verify the behind the scenes process, this helps prevent tragedies like Rana Plaza.

B Corporations Help Fight Against Greenwashing

Today consumerism is highly influenced by marketing and unfortunately there are quite a few unethical brands taking advantage of the growing popularity of sustainability.

For example, H&M has been attempting to brand themselves as sustainable & transparent due to certain lines of clothing made from recycled materials.

However, when we look at H&M’s overall business model it relies on consumers viewing clothes as disposable and mass production which is harmful to the planet.

While H&M is using sustainability as a marketing tool, we can clearly see that their business model does not focus on eco-conscious values. This is greenwashing.

In contrast we can look at a brand like Patagonia who has had ethical and sustainable practices in their business model since first launching.

Since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment.

Overtime we have seen this brand consistently keep up and improve the social impact of their business by continuing to explore more eco-friendly materials, partnering with Fair Trade Certified factories, supporting activism efforts through grants and Patagonia Action Works, & more.

As a pioneer of socially responsible business, Patagonia actually helped B Corporation developed it’s certification.

The B Corporation Certification looks at the business model as a whole, not just a certain part or particular line of clothes. As a consumer it can be hard to tell if a brand truly encompasses sustainable values or if they are simply greenwashing.

By easily being able to identify the B Corporation Certification symbol, this allows customers to feel confident in the brands they support.

How do I know if a brand is a Certified B Corporation?

You can easily look for the B Corporation certification on a brand’s website or the product itself. I typically find the certification symbol on the bottom of a company’s home page.

If a company isn’t a certified B Corporation does that mean they’re not socially responsible?

No, there are plenty of small businesses who are not B Corp Certified and who are socially responsible.

If you don’t see the B Corp Certification this means you just might want to do a little more research on your own to further understand the values through out the business.

It’s important to recognize that third party certifications, like B Corp, often require a fee, time, and resources that a lot of small businesses don’t have.

If there is a brand you’re curious about don’t hesitate to reach out to them and ask questions about ethics and sustainability.

Truly socially responsible brands will be happy to connect and help their customers learn more.

Shop Responsibly With This List of 25 Brands That are Certified B Corps

If you’re interested in showing your support for certified B Corps that are leading the way in socially responsible business, consider checking out this list. You’ll discover certified B corporations that are fashion brands, cleaning products, sustainable accessories, and more.

what is a certified b corporation — Pin this list to come back and shop certified B corps

Allbirds sneakers are made out of responsibly sourced wool and sustainably harvested eucalyptus pulp. This sustainable sneaker brand also uses eco-friendly materials such as recycled plastic water bottles and castor bean oil in the crafting of their shoes.
The Good Tee creates ethical clothing for babies, women, and men using Fair Trade Certified cotton and Fair Trade Certified factories.
Nisolo is crafting high quality, ethically made leather goods using socially responsible practices. Through their sustainable leather shoes, Nisolo provides steady employment opportunities for shoemakers in Peru & Mexico, allowing artisans to support themselves and their families. Nisolo uses sustainable practices such as eco-friendly waste disposal systems, leather byproducts from the meat industry, & carbon offsetting to craft leather goods that are meant to last a life time.

Ethically wearing boots and tote bag from the Certified B Corp Nisolo

Solios is a certified B corporation creating solar powered watches with modern style & sustainable materials. Solios watches feature slow fashion classic accessories for both men and women. These solar powered watches feature bands made with vegan leather and mesh metal creating a high end timeless look. A single Solios solar powered watch can save more than 20 batteries in its lifetime/life cycle/lifespan. For each Solios watch sold one acre of rainforest restored through their partnership with Rainforest Trust. On top of their sustainable design and partnerships, Solios packaging features recycled paper and is recyclable.

Nimble is shifting the tech industry in a positive direction through their innovative products, one for one tech recycling program, and eco-friendly materials. Nimble’s Tech for Good products include eco-friendly wireless chargers, phone cases made from recycled water bottles, eco-conscious fast charge kits, and more.
KNOWN SUPPLY is humanizing the apparel industry through collaborative partnerships which encourage, educate, and empower businesses to take part in social impact. KNOWN SUPPLY clothing is made in partnership with Fair Trade Certified factories.
Newly is on a mission to repurpose unused materials, increase sustainability, and positively impact the environment by creating long lasting products for the home. Newly’s beautiful home goods are made from 100% recycled materials.
Patagonia focuses on environmental and social responsibility. Patagonia works to reduce their own carbon foot print and make sure their garments are produced under safe, fair, legal and humane working conditions throughout the supply chain. Patagonia also gives back through multiple initiatives.
EarthHero is a one-stop shop for eco-friendly goods! This mindful marketplace carries a wide range of responsible brands and makes sustainable shopping easy with their variety of products.
Agood is picking a fight with everyday stuff that’s harming our planet. This B corp is replacing plastic with plants, localizing their supply chain, and re-using natural materials which would otherwise go to waste. Consider checking out their eco-friendly mobile cases or stone paper notebooks.
Eileen Fisher clothes, shoes, and accessories are loved worldwide due to the clean lines, effortless style and luxurious, high-quality materials, and ethical business practices. Eileen Fisher's incredibly transparent supply chain uses practices such as Fair Trade, American Made, responsible fibers, organic materials, & so much more.
Encircled’s modern basics are consciously crafted in Canada using sustainable materials such as TENCEL modal. This ethical clothing brand focuses on versatile multi-way clothing encouraging consumers to invest in high quality pieces that can be worn for years to come.
Savvy Rest uses natural and organic materials to create furniture and bedding for the home. For each purchase made, Savvy Rest plants trees through their partnership with American Forests. Savvy Rest also donates pillows to domestic violence shelters.
Thrive Market is making healthy grocery shopping easier and more affordable. This online grocery store focuses on high quality, sustainability, and affordability. I've been a paying Thrive Market member for over a year now and thought I would share my experience. Plus enjoy 40% off your first Thrive Market order!
TOMS gives a pair of shoes to someone in need for each pair sold.
Traditional Medicinals is a tried and trusted tea brand. From field to cup, they pride themselves in providing medical-grade green tea to deliver maximum health benefits. Enjoy their vast selection of flavors including ginger, lemongrass, peppermint and dandelion. Traditional Medicinals is a certified B Corp company, which means they put people, planet, and partners first before profits.

Supporting socially responsible brands is as easy as finding a B Corp. If you’re looking for a specific product or service you can easily discover a Certified B Corporation through their directory.

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