How the B Corp movement is driving systemic change—and what it will take to build what comes next.
Summary. Conducted in partnership with B Lab U.S. & Canada, this research explores how mission-driven businesses—particularly Certified B Corporations—are moving beyond traditional corporate social responsibility to drive systemic social and environmental change. Focusing on B Lab’s new Government Affairs & Collective Action (GACA) standards, the study examines how companies are building the capacity, strategies, and partnerships needed to engage effectively in policy advocacy and collective action. Drawing on in-depth interviews with leaders across the B Corp community, the research generates practical, actionable insights to strengthen advocacy and collective action across the movement.
Today, more than 10,000 businesses worldwide are Certified B Corporations, meeting rigorous standards for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. While many B Corps have made meaningful progress through internal practices, the limits of traditional corporate social responsibility are increasingly clear: systemic challenges require systemic solutions. Businesses cannot drive lasting social and environmental change solely by operating responsibly within existing systems—they must also engage in policy advocacy and collective action to help shape the rules that govern those systems.
In April 2025, B Lab introduced updated certification standards that include a new focus on Government Affairs & Collective Action (GACA), reflecting a growing recognition that meaningful impact requires engagement beyond business operations alone and a stronger commitment to corporate political responsibility.
These new standards create an important opportunity for mission-driven businesses to move beyond isolated efforts and build the shared infrastructure needed for collective, systems-level change.
My research, conducted in partnership with B Lab U.S. & Canada, examines how mission-driven businesses are building the capacity, strategies, and partnerships needed to engage effectively in policy advocacy and collective action. Drawing on in-depth interviews with leaders across the B Corp community—including Certified B Corporations, B Locals, Trained B Consultants, and movement partners—the study aims to generate practical, actionable insights to strengthen advocacy across the B Corp movement.
If you are involved in—or work alongside—the B Corp community, I would greatly value your perspective and welcome the opportunity to connect.