At a Glance
- The new B Corp standards require organizations to meet foundational requirements plus seven mandatory impact topics.
- Certification involves two phases. Phase 1 focuses on requirements and assessment. Phase 2 focuses on documentation, audit response, and final approval.
- Consultmania supports MENA SMEs with gap assessments, systems design, and verification preparation.
Introduction
Across the MENA region, companies are realizing that stronger governance, transparency, and accountability are essential for long-term competitiveness. As sustainability expectations rise, many SMEs are exploring how to formalize these commitments through recognized frameworks.
One of the strongest ways to demonstrate credible sustainability performance is through B Corp Certification. The certification is undergoing significant updates. B Lab is replacing its old points-based scoring model with a new framework based on foundational requirements and seven mandatory Impact Topics.
This means the process is changing. For MENA SMEs hoping to certify, understanding the steps is essential.
This guide explains the process from start to finish, including what has changed and how to prepare effectively.
1. Understand the New B Corp Standards
A B Corp certification can strengthen your business by showing clear, verifiable credibility, but there are many ways in which it can support your business. The B Lab has now introduced a new standards framework to ensure consistency, transparency, and accountability across all certified companies.
Instead of earning 80 points in a flexible scoring model, every business must meet specific performance requirements across the following seven Impact Topics:
- Purpose and Stakeholder Governance
- Worker Engagement
- Fair Wages and Benefits
- Climate Action
- Circularity and Environmental Stewardship
- Human Rights and Community
- Risk Management
These requirements are mandatory. They include documented policies, metrics, actions, and evidence.
Why this matters for MENA SMEs
Many businesses in the region already operate responsibly, but systems and documentation can be informal.
The new standards require verifiable, structured practices. This means governance, environmental performance, worker well-being, and supply chain management must all be formalized.
Phase 1: Meet the Foundational Requirements
The certification process begins with B Lab’s Foundational Requirements.
This determines whether your organization is eligible to proceed.
The foundational requirements include:
- Legal commitments to stakeholder governance
- Baseline risk screening
- A review of the business model and ownership structure
- Compliance with B Lab’s eligibility criteria
Companies that do not meet these requirements cannot move forward.
Practical advice for MENA SMEs
Review your ownership structure, governance, legal documents, and accountability mechanisms early.
This step prevents delays later in the certification process for your B Corp.
Complete the Impact Topics Assessment
Once foundational requirements are met, companies must complete the B Impact Assessment.
It evaluates your performance across the seven Impact Topics and identifies where improvements are needed.
What is evaluated
- Governance and ethics
- Worker policies and engagement
- Compensation and benefits
- Environmental performance and emissions
- Resource efficiency and waste
- Human rights due diligence
- Risk and compliance controls
What to prepare
- Governance documents
- HR and wage records
- Environmental data
- Health and safety procedures
- Supplier risk assessments
- Customer-impact processes
Timeline
Most SMEs require 6–8 months to complete this assessment, depending on the maturity of their systems.
Conduct a Gap Assessment and Create a Roadmap
A structured gap assessment is essential.
It maps your current performance against B Lab’s updated requirements and clarifies what must be improved before submission.
A gap assessment identifies
- Missing policies
- Weak or incomplete documentation
- Outdated or informal practices
- Gaps in environmental or worker data
- Governance inconsistencies
- Supply chain risks
- Areas where new procedures must be introduced
Why this matters in the Gulf
Many companies in the UAE and Saudi Arabia adopt sustainability commitments but lack formal evidence.
A gap assessment ensures that improvements are targeted and efficient.
Create a roadmap
The roadmap outlines every action required, who is responsible, and the expected timeline.
This often includes policy design, data collection, audits, and system updates.
Phase 2: Build Documents, Systems, and Internal Processes
With your roadmap in place, you move into implementation.
This phase focuses on building the systems needed to demonstrate compliance with the new B Corp standards.
Typical system improvements
- Governance and ethics policies
- Board or leadership accountability structures
- Worker handbooks and benefit frameworks
- Emissions and environmental tracking systems
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies
- Supplier screening processes
- Community or social impact programs
Common documents required
- Code of conduct
- Environmental policy
- HR policies
- Compensation and benefits documentation
- Risk and compliance procedures
- Audit reports
- Customer-impact processes
- Supplier evaluation templates
If your business is already aligned with ISO standards, this phase becomes much easier.
ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and 27001 share similar expectations around governance, documentation, and continuous improvement.
Prepare for Submission and Verification
Once your documents and systems are in place, you prepare for official submission and verification by B Lab.
What to expect
- A B Lab analyst will review your assessment.
- Additional evidence requests are common.
- You may need to revise answers or upload more detailed documentation.
- You will join a review call for clarification and auditing.
Verification is structured and thorough.
B Lab checks not only that policies exist but also that they are implemented.
Fix Audit Questions and Non-Conformities
It is normal for companies to receive questions, comments, or nonconformities during review.
Examples include:
- Missing verification for environmental metrics
- Incomplete wage documentation
- Unclear supply chain risk assessments
- Governance policies have not yet been implemented
- Worker engagement processes need more evidence
Responding to these questions promptly prevents delays.
Make It Official and Join the B Corp Community
Once you meet all requirements, B Lab will approve your certification.
You will then:
- Sign the B Corp Agreement
- Publish your B Corp profile
- Pay the annual certification fee
- Join the global B Corp community
Fees for most SMEs range from USD 1,000 to USD 2,000 per year.
Certification is valid for three years.
You must demonstrate ongoing improvement and prepare for recertification under the updated standards.
Conclusion
The path to B Corp certification has become clearer and more rigorous with the new standards.
For MENA SMEs aiming to build global credibility, the certification offers a strong framework for improving governance, environmental performance, worker well-being, and community impact.
Although the process requires commitment, it creates long-term value for the business and the broader community.
How Consultmania Supports B Corp Certification in the MENA Region
Consultmania supports SMEs through the full certification process, from foundational requirements to final verification.
We help by:
- Conducting B Corp gap assessments aligned with the new standards
- Reviewing foundational requirements and assessing eligibility
- Building documentation and compliance systems
- Supporting audit responses and non-conformity fixes
- Preparing companies for verification and recertification
Our focus is on building durable systems that support long-term sustainability and compliance.
Start your B Corp readiness assessment with Consultmania today and move toward certification with confidence.
Contact us here
FAQs
The new standards require companies to meet mandatory performance expectations across seven Impact Topics instead of scoring 80 points.
Most SMEs complete the process within six to twelve months, depending on their systems and documentation readiness.
Companies typically need governance policies, worker documentation, environmental metrics, safety procedures, supplier assessments, and evidence of community involvement.
Yes. B Lab certifies companies globally. Many businesses in the Gulf region are already preparing under the updated framework.
Begin with a B Corp gap assessment to understand your eligibility and the improvements required before submission.
