Going sustainable with B Corp or EcoVadis: Which one is better?

In the world of sustainability certifications, B Corp and EcoVadis stand out as the best regarded. But which one is better? Or more suitable for your business? To find out more, we spoke with Marc Roodhuyzen de Vries and Yeşim Tırpan from Nexio Projects.

As pressure mounts for organizations to take demonstrable action on sustainability, more and more are looking to certifications with widely-recognized standards. The scrutiny is coming from regulators, stakeholders, and customers, who are increasingly concerned about ESG-related issues.

“When deciding which sustainability rating or certification standard is right for your company, the most important factor is how it will contribute to your strategic goals,” notes Tırpan. “Given the financial and time investment of certifications, it’s important to choose your certification pathway carefully.”

B Corp or EcoVadis?

These two certifications have significant differences in scope and eligibility, and there is a big disparity in the number of organizations certified. B Corp certification is more restricted because of the standard’s specific risk considerations. “EcoVadis is one of the most widely used corporate sustainability ratings, with more than 130,000 companies assessed worldwide. However, there are only around 9,000 B Corps globally,” explains De Vries.

The focus of the assessment is the main difference between B Corp and EcoVadis, with B Corp assessing the sustainability impact of a company’s operation and business model and EcoVadis more focused on assessing companies’ sustainability management system.

“EcoVadis primarily assesses a company’s existing policies, measures and reporting practices. In contrast, B Corp offers a more comprehensive assessment of a company’s overall social and environmental impact through its Impact Business Model (IBM) approach,” says Tırpan.

What is needed to get certified?

These two sustainability standards are considered among the leading in the world. That means, of course, that they are not easy to obtain, with both requiring extensive assessments and loads of accurate documentation.

“Both assessment methodologies require companies to provide comprehensive documentation of their sustainability practices. Both also use tailored questionnaires based on factors such as industry, company size and number of full-time employees,” says de Vries.

But once an organization becomes certified, it does not mean the documentation process stops there. Both certifications require continuous improvement, wherein companies need to keep up the progress on their sustainability goals in order to retain their certifications.

“Continuous improvement and an ongoing commitment to sustainability are essential to both methodologies. For example, certified B Corps must be re-certified every three years to maintain their status,” adds Tırpan.

Obtaining the B Corp certification usually takes from 9 to 24 months, while getting an EcoVadis rating takes around four to six months.

Obtaining both

For companies that already have an EcoVadis rating, it could be very beneficial to obtain a B Corp certification. That is because while the two certifications are different – they can at the same time also be complimentary.

“EcoVadis primarily evaluates the quality of a sustainability management system, while the B Impact Assessment puts more emphasis on a company’s sustainability performance and impact,” explains Tırpan.

The scope of the assessment for a B Corp certification also goes quite a bit deeper. It involved a broader and more holistic view at an organization’s social impact through things like community engagement and customer stewardship.

“The B Corp standard has a high level of consumer credibility compared to other major certifications such as Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance. This can lead to increased market traction,” notes de Vries. “In fact, 69% of Europeans who are familiar with B Corp say that B Corp certification has a positive impact on whether they would choose a particular product or service.”

B Corp companies form a sort of community, with thousands across 93 countries. They collaborate and share knowledge through B Lab, which facilitates frequent networking events, like conferences, discussions, and trainings.