B Lab

At the G20 summit in Rio, B Lab showed up to champion the role of business in shaping a sustainable future. Representing our global movement, B Lab’s Head of Policy, Carlota de Paula Coelho, called for a shift in the role of business in global governance—urging businesses to expand fiduciary duties to include accountability for social and environmental impact alongside financial returns. But our work didn’t stop there. Leading up to the summit, Marcel Fukayama, Senior Policy Advisor at B Lab Global, brought the strength of the #BCorp community to the table, authoring a letter of recommendation that laid out bold steps to transform business practices worldwide. The letter outlined actionable steps to expand fiduciary duties, formalize #BenefitCorporations, and adopt the B Impact Assessment as a global standard for managing and measuring social and environmental impact. 📖 Read our letter here: https://bit.ly/3COOjrU 🌍 Ready to join us in shaping a global economy that works for everyone? Learn more at bcorporation.net

The recent U.S. presidential election has sparked widespread concern about the future of impact-driven business. And while the challenges ahead are undeniable, our movement has faced adversity before—and emerged stronger. As Sarah Schwimmer, B Lab’s interim Co-Lead Executive shared in a recent interview for Pioneers Post with Laura Joffre, this moment calls for resilience and collective action. "At a time when polarisation is rampant, we invite those ready to act as leaders to join us to build equity and shared prosperity for all stakeholders.” At B Lab, we believe leadership isn’t limited to elected officials. It’s about businesses and individuals stepping up to drive equity, inclusion, and sustainability. In times of uncertainty, our movement shows that collaboration and purpose can pave the way for a better future. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3CEM3DG What role do you see for businesses in this pivotal moment? Share your thoughts below ✍🏻 The Global Impact Investing Network Amit Bouri The Good Lobby Latimpacto Toby Gazeley Kirsten Dueck NESsT Alberto Alemanno

🌍 "𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆."📚 It was by quoting Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, that Prof. Dr. Reto Knutti, climate scientist and professor at ETH Zürich, closed his keynote speech at the SWISS IMPACT FORUM 2024. And his messages cut straight to the heart of climate action. While the facts are clear – methane and CO₂ levels are at record highs, and warming is unequivocal – they alone aren’t enough to inspire change. 👉 Reto reminded us of the urgency to reframe the narrative around climate change. The numbers might explain snowless slopes in Gstaad and unfulfilled emission goals, but it’s how we tell the stories that will shape how people act. His call to action? 📣 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 📣 One that’s crafted by many voices, built on diverse perspectives, and rooted in shared values. A narrative that cuts through fake news and frames climate action as not just necessary but achievable and inspiring. 💡 As businesses, it’s our responsibility to think carefully about the stories we tell. What narrative will drive your audience to act? Share your thoughts in the comments. Pictures by 📷 Sören Funk 🎥 #SwissImpactForum #RegenerativeBusiness #ClimateAction#RetoKnutti #Sustainability

While global leaders convene to tackle the climate crisis at #COP29, recent developments in the EU raise concerns about the future of #sustainability legislation. Proposed rollbacks on key regulations like the #CSRD and #CSDDD threaten progress toward corporate accountability and sustainable business practices. Across the #BCorp movement, we’ve seen how transparency and accountability can transform businesses into forces for good, balancing the needs of people, planet, and profit. But businesses can’t do it alone. Robust policy frameworks are essential to align economic growth with the needs of society and the planet. Now is the time for courage. We urge the governments of Europe, and all global leaders gathering at #COP29, to seize this moment to create an economy that is truly for the benefit of people, businesses and our common nature and habitat. 🔗 Dive into our latest blog post, where Carlota de Paula Coelho, Head of Policy, Katie (Katharine) Hill, Co-Chair, and Wojciech Baginski, LL.M. MBA, Board Member of B Lab explain why sustainability policy is essential for a thriving future—and what’s at stake if we don’t act: https://lnkd.in/eQ-Cwvp7

As we enter the critical second week of #COP29, world leaders have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate climate action. With the stakes higher than ever, bold decisions are needed to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement and the outcomes of the Global Stocktake. We stand alongside Mission 2025—a global coalition of businesses, investors, and civil society leaders—calling on G20 Heads of State to take decisive steps: → Move the money: Agree on a high-ambition finance goal at COP29 that mobilizes the resources developing economies need for a fair and sustainable transition. → Publish the plans: Submit national climate plans by February that align with 1.5°C, are sector-specific, and backed by investment-positive policies to drive sustainable growth. COP29 represents a turning point for climate action. Decisions made here will set the stage for COP30 in Belém and determine how the world moves forward to address the climate crisis. The world is watching, and the moment for ambition is now. It’s not game over—it’s game on. 💪 #Mission2025 www.mission2025.world We Mean Business Coalition United Nations Global Compact María Mendiluce Sarah Schwimmer Irving X Chan Gomez

IN THE PRESS - We all know that AI is transforming how we live and work, with AI technology and tools being weaved increasingly throughout organisations in every industry. B Lab believes that companies like OpenAI have a responsibility and an incredible opportunity to fortify their business structures on a foundation that protects #people and the #planet. Speaking with David Swan from The Sydney Morning Herald, B Lab Global Co-Founder Andrew Kassoy commented on the risks of traditional tech structures and why leaders in this space must embrace governance models with built-in #transparency and #accountability measures. “As a society, we’re increasingly dependent on the judgement of a few influential tech leaders, which is inherently risky. The way many of these companies have been structured, they have raised capital and then gone public with share structures where there’s basically two classes of shares. One is for an entrepreneur or the couple of co-founders, who then have all the votes on everything that actually matter. If those people do the wrong thing, everybody else is along for the ride.” - B Lab Global Co-Founder Andrew Kassoy. Thank you, The Sydney Morning Herald, for highlighting this topic and the work of B Lab. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below ✍🏼 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gcQjteQp

Shared prosperity is at the heart of the #BCorp movement, but what does it really mean? It’s about building economic systems where workers have a real stake in the success they help create. Through specific standards—from equitable workplace practices to financial wellness programs— #BCorpCertification ensures that businesses do more than pursue profits; they prioritize employee well-being, equity, and shared growth. Today, over 800,000 workers are positively impacted by these practices, leading a movement toward a more equitable economy. 📣 How does shared prosperity look like to you? Share with us in the comments! ✍🏼

🚨🎧 New podcast episode alert! As trust in traditional institutions declines, businesses are increasingly under pressure to step up as agents of societal change. In this episode of Mission Forward, B Lab’s own Sarah Schwimmer and Mission Partners’ Bridget Pooley dive into the evolving role of business in addressing the world’s biggest challenges. Highlights include: - The explosive growth of the B Corp movement 🌍 - Real-world examples of B Corps, like Legacy Vacation Resorts, a Certified B Corp, empowering employee voting 🗳️ - The debate on shareholder vs. stakeholder capitalism 💼 👉 Tune in to learn how purpose-driven companies are navigating the complexities of today’s business landscape and making a real impact: https://bit.ly/4fMF4qG

🌍🌱 COP29 has arrived—and it’s putting climate justice front and center. As world leaders, advocates, and businesses gather in Azerbaijan, the spotlight is on climate justice—ensuring that the communities most affected by climate change have the resources and support they need to thrive. From enabling capital flows to strengthening local resilience, #COP29 is an opportunity to address the inequalities amplified by the climate crisis. At B Lab, we’re committed to mobilizing businesses as a force for climate justice. That’s why the draft standards for #BCorpCertification entail companies to advance climate justice in their climate transition plans. This means actively supporting frontline communities in business practices. ➡️ Swipe right to learn more, and download B Lab U.S. & Canada’s Business Guide to Advancing Climate Justice to see how your business can make a difference: https://bit.ly/3QxvcGR

With AI technology reshaping every industry, B Lab believes companies like OpenAI have an added responsibility to structure themselves for societal benefit. Speaking with Chris Stokel-Walker from Fast Company, our co-founder Andrew Kassoy emphasized the opportunity—and urgency—for AI leaders to prioritize transparency, accountability, and governance that benefits society. "This moment is reminiscent of the early days of social media," he noted, stressing that AI's potential impact calls for robust oversight to ensure it serves all stakeholders, not just profit. As OpenAI works toward redefining the ethical landscape of artificial intelligence, adhering to high standards of social and environmental impact, like the ones for #BCorpCertification, would allow them to live up to its mission of ensuring that artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. Should AI companies adopt third-party standards to foster trust and transparency? Let us know in the comments below ✍🏼 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/edk9_hEv #AI #EthicalAI #OpenAI