Well, the cat’s out of the bag. The days of having to explain what a B Corp is are long gone. The circular B logo is admired on shelves and sought after in service providers. For brands trying to differentiate themselves and their commitments to transparency, to their workers, to their communities, and to the environment, achieving B Corp certification has become an important stepping stone. 

But certifying isn’t easy. And that has many companies looking for a consultant. The search is usually the same. They google B Corp consultants, find a list on B Lab’s website, and send some emails. Calls are set up, and there are questions about the process, and about how much it will cost. But that’s a myopic view of the B Corp certification. 

If you’re going to invest the time, energy, and money into going through this process, you need a trusted partner. This isn’t about checking the boxes to get to 80 (it’s not that easy, and if that’s why you’re here, you can call another consultant). This is about getting to 80 while getting better as a business, actually implementing all of the improvements you’ll end up making, and incorporating all of this into your brand & storytelling strategies. You can, and should, do well by doing good. 

Picking your consulting partner is important. It isn’t just about how long and how much. It’s about so much more. So here are four questions that we love getting, and we think you should ask your potential consulting partners. 

How did you get into the B Corp ecosystem? 

What’s their story? What’s their connection to the B Corp movement? It’s important to understand if their passion aligns with yours, and if they are someone you want to spend the next 6-12 months becoming friends with. 

The more passion you hear from their story, the more their “why” aligns with yours, the more likely you are to have found the right partner to navigate this journey with. 

Where would my ROI be in getting this certification? How will we be planning for that as we work through the assessment? 

Ok, so we’re pretty outspoken about the whole subject of ROI. Yes, we only want to work with CEOs whose heart is in this certification. But we also understand that every investment requires capital that could be allocated to anything from employee events to annual raises & bonuses. Time spent on this process could be time spent on any other to-do on an all-important list of company goals. 

So yes, it’s OK to talk about the ROI of B Corp certification. There isn’t a specific number, so don’t expect to hear “Our clients have realized an average of 8% YOY return on investment after certification.” But, there should be anecdotal evidence of new clients or customers, increased employer brand awareness, talent retention success stories, etc. 

• “What kind of ROI should we expect?”
• “How will the certification process help us realize it?”
• “How will you, as our consulting partner, help us get there?”
• “Do you have success stories from past clients you can tell me about?” 

What do I do after my certification? How will you help plug us into the community? 

This one is pretty straightforward. You need to know who they know. Where are you headquartered and who do they know there? What networks are they a part of? 

The B Corp community is far and away the best business community we’ve ever been a part of. Meeting another B Corp business owner or passionate team member is an open door to anyone and everyone that they know. It’s an endless network of great people, many of whom will become good friends (and some of them now best friends), and some of whom will become great business partners. Those connections are valuable, so make sure your next partner has connections that matter. 

Can I talk to any of your previous clients? 

Again, we go back to what we said earlier. Is this someone you want to spend a good bit of time with over the next 6-12 months? There’s no better way to find this out than to ask clients they’ve worked with. “Did you certify?” “How was your experience working with them?” “Did they plug you into the community?” 

Remember, this whole process isn’t just about getting to 80. It’s about getting better, truly implementing improvements, and scaling your business so you can scale your impact. And finding the right consulting partner is the first step to getting you there. 

We love to answer these questions. If you’re interested in hearing our answers, ask Nathan. He’s always more than happy to jump on a call and make a new friend.