Germany_Eligibility Requirements

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B Corp Certification: Eligibility Requirements

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Disclosure:

• This checklist is meant for personal use, the outcome of the questions will not directly impact your submission.
• The completion of this checklist is an informative exercise and does not guarantee eligibility/ineligibility by itself.

Hello there! Are you using B Lab’s tools to measure and manage your company’s social and environmental impact? Are you interested in undertaking the journey towards B Corp Certification? If so, make sure you are aware of:

• The entirety of the eligibility requirements for certification;
• Industry and practice-specific risk standards which could affect eligibility.

Checking these sections are crucial for your company to undertake a smooth certification process. Before moving forward please keep this checklist in mind, and make sure you meet these prerequisites.

Is my company a for-profit entity?

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Yes

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The B Corp Certification was designed to single out companies that are changing the rules of business. For that reason, only for-profit entities are eligible for B Corp Certification. Find more information in a dedicated article on our Knowledgebase here: If you are a non-profit, feel free to use our tools for learning purposes and to measure/improve your impact. Keep an eye on the movement in your region to explore collaborations and connections with certified B Corps!

No

Yes

Has my company been operational for a least 1 full fiscal year?

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If your company has not been operational for at least 1 full fiscal year, you are not eligible to apply for B Corp Certification. Find out why in this dedicated article on our Knowledge Base: However, you can opt for the Pending B Corp status: It is designed to give start-ups and smaller companies time to prepare for the rigorous process of full B Corp Certification.

No

Yes

To learn more about the performance requirement.

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In order to be able to submit the BIA for review, you will need to score at least 80 self-assessed points. In order to certify, you will need a verified score of 80 points after going through the review process.

Am I aware of the performance requirement for B Corp Certification?

No

Yes

*Note: if your company is part of a group and has affiliated (parent, sister, or subsidiary) entities, more than one of these entities might be required to meet the legal requirement.

Every company that certifies as B Corp has amended its articles of association to include all stakeholders in their decision-making process. Review what the legal requirement looks like for your company according to market and corporate structure on this page:

Am I aware, and is my company willing and able to meet the legal requirement for B Corp Certification?

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The Legal Requirement is a cornerstone of B Lab's Theory of Change and the B Corp Movement. All companies that certify as B Corps adopted a specific legal entity (or amended their articles of association) in such a way that protects their mission, and compels them, to benefit stakeholders beyond shareholders. As such, it is a mandatory requirement to successfully certify. Read this article for more information on B Lab's take on Stakeholder Governance as means for systems change, and the vision behind the legal requirement:

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Yes

Find general information about B Lab's risk standards Read more about risk standards for companies with direct involvement in controversial industries

Am I reasonably sure that my company is not active in any of the industries deemed controversial by B Lab?

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A number of industries are deemed controversial by B Lab on account of the potential negative impact they might cause. Companies active in these industries will need to meet additional standards to be eligible for B Corp Certification. Read more about risk standards for companies with direct involvement in controversial industries

No

Yes

Review the list containing these industries on this page:

Am I reasonably sure that my company is not active in any of the industries subject to new risk standards development?

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B Lab has identified a number of industries that present a potential risk for negative impact. These risks warrant the development of new standards, which B Lab doesn't yet have. Until these standards are developed, the certification status of companies active in such industries may remain paused. Review the list containing these industries on this page.

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Yes

Find out more here.

Am I reasonably sure that my company does not have clients in controversial industries?

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B Lab has identified a number of situations that present a potential risk for negative impact. Included are companies with clients in controversial industries. Due to the high level of risk involved with controversial industries, B Lab has implemented maximum scope thresholds for serving clients in a few controversial industries. Find out more here.

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Yes

Am I reasonably sure that my company has no ties with government-related entities/NGOs?

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If your company has ties with government-related entities/NGOs, this might affect your eligibility for certification:

• Since non-profits are not eligible for certification, a for-profit company owned by a non-profit might cause brand confusion.

• Government related entities must demonstrate that they are independent of the government and compete in the marketplace with respect to its core business activities. B Lab recognizes that government organisations are already purpose-driven and designed to be accountable to stakeholders.

These cases are reviewed by the Complex Structures Committee in order to determine eligibility.

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Yes

Please review B Lab's statement on the current Moratorium below:

• Moratorium on Financial Services Companies (>1B in Revenue)

Am I reasonably sure that my company is not concerned by any of B Lab’s current Moratoria?

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On the moratorium on new B Corp Certifications for any entities, including subsidiaries, operating in Russia and/or Belarus: this moratorium was imposed by B Lab in in March 2022 in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine, and extended until 2023. B Lab understands that topics of acts of war, conflict, and invasion are sensitive and highly complex. On account of such complexity, companies concerned by this moratorium are therefore ineligible for certification until new standards are developed in Q1 2024. On the moratorium on Financial Services Companies (>1B in Revenue): The global financial system and the companies that compose it play a unique and essential role in the global economy. Assessing the impacts of financial services companies and holding them accountable is becoming increasingly challenging. B Lab is currently developing a specific set of performance standards, which should be implemented in the beginning of 2024. Companies for which these moratoria apply are ineligible for certification until the new standards are published.

Chiara Neri Certification Coordinator >100M Annaual Revenue clneri@bcorporation.eu

Pauline Staats Certification Coordinator<100M Annual Revenue pstaats@bcorporation.eu

In case you have answered "No" to any of the questions, or if you have any doubts, please reach out to us.