Chapter 05 · Standards & assuranceStandards, Labels & Certification Schemes
B Impact Assessment
Definition
B Lab's standardised impact measurement and management tool, in which companies answer questions about their practices and performance across stakeholder areas (governance, workers, community, environment, customers). Under the standards in force through 2025 (V1.6), certification required a verified score of at least 80 out of 200 points, alongside a legal commitment to stakeholder governance and transparency through a public profile.
References
80-point verified minimum under V1.6; verification process.
B Lab Standards framework; independent third-party verification based on ISO 17021-1; 2025 standards update (V2.1 for applicants from 2026).
Seven Impact Topics; move away from cumulative point scoring; alignment with GRI, SBTi, Fairtrade.
Overview
What it means
The BIA operationalised "business as a force for good" into auditable practice questions, giving companies a benchmark and improvement roadmap even where they do not certify.
In April 2025 B Lab published its seventh-generation standards, moving away from cumulative point scoring to mandatory performance requirements across seven Impact Topics (including climate action, human rights and fair work), with companies applying from 2026 certifying against the new requirements.
How it is used
Hundreds of thousands of companies have used the BIA as a self-assessment; certified B Corps undergo verification of their assessment by B Lab. The tool's structure has influenced other impact measurement frameworks, and the new standards explicitly draw on GRI, SBTi and Fairtrade methodologies.
Why it matters
The BIA is one of the most widely used corporate impact assessment tools globally; its evolution from points to mandatory topic requirements reflects the broader maturation — and increasing regulatory context — of sustainability standards.