B Corp or Bust? What Dr. Bronner’s Exit Says About Sustainable Business.

Big news in the world of sustainable business: Dr. Bronner’s, known for their natural castile soap and the highest-scoring B Corp ever, announced that it’s dropping its B Corp Certification.

In a statement, Dr. Bronner’s called out B Lab, the nonprofit behind the B Corp movement, for allowing major multinational corporations like Unilever Australia, Nespresso, and Nestlé Health Sciences to gain certification—despite their histories of serious ecological and labor issues.

“The increasing certification of multinationals including Unilever Australia and Nespresso in 2022 followed by Nestle Health Sciences in 2023 demonstrated that B Lab is not committed to protecting the integrity of the B Corp Certification and movement, nor ensuring that the certification won’t be used to mislead consumers. Sharing the same logo and messaging regarding being of ‘benefit’ to the world with large multinational CPG companies with a history of serious ecological and labor issues, and no comprehensive or credible eco-social certification of supply chains, is unacceptable to us. [...]

Requiring credible third party eco-social certification of all major multinational supply chains would protect against the B Corp Certification being misused by companies to hide these unsustainable and unjust corporate practices.”

Dr. Bronner’s is a gold standard in social and environmental business practices (#goals)—one I often highlight in HMK Impact initiatives. And we also use B Corps as a benchmarking tool to help companies make meaningful change. So this falling out hits hard. It forces an important conversation: What does B Corp Certification really mean today?

B Corps: Progress, Not Perfection

B Corps Certification, at its core, offers businesses a roadmap to responsible practices. They push businesses to do better, which is crucial in a world where corporate accountability is often an afterthought.

That said, seeing names like Unilever and Nestlé on the same certification list as genuinely mission-driven brands can give some major ‘ick’ energy. It’s hard to ignore the valid concerns about greenwashing—where certification becomes more of a PR strategy than a true commitment to change.

But it’s complicated. It makes me question the realities of progress vs. perfection. Getting a company like Nesspresso and Nestlé to acknowledge sustainability and social responsibility—even in a limited way—could be a step in the right direction. It doesn’t excuse decades of harm, but business reform doesn’t happen in one sweeping gesture—it happens incrementally.

The Reality of B Corp Certification: Who Is It Really For?

Criticism of B Corps isn’t new. In conversations with certified businesses, I hear some recurring concerns: Is B Corp just a marketing badge? Would we be doing this anyway—without the certification? Is the process too expensive and time-consuming for small businesses?

And some of it is true, certification is not accessible to many businesses. The administrative burden can be overwhelming, making it more achievable for corporations with big compliance teams than for small, values-driven businesses already doing the work. There are plenty of organizations doing good work without the certification—Levi Strauss & Co. being a prime example. And let’s be real: in this new era of corporate backpedaling, where marketing badges often matter more than meaningful action, it’s worth questioning what truly drives a company’s commitment to sustainability.

Even if the certification itself is losing some credibility, B Corp still holds significant value as an educational resource. Their frameworks, research, and case studies offer businesses a clear roadmap for improving their environmental and social impact. Whether or not a company pursues certification, B Corp’s standards provide a benchmark—helping businesses identify gaps, implement responsible practices, and measure progress.

For companies that genuinely want to do better, the value lies in the structure and guidance B Corp provides, not just in the certification. 

Good Business Goes Beyond Certification

Now is the time to prioritize responsible business practices—B Corp badge or not. In a landscape where corporate commitments shift overnight and policies change at the drop of an executive order, businesses can’t afford to sit back and wait. Real progress can’t rely solely on government intervention. Businesses, communities, and individuals have the power—and the responsibility—to lead the charge toward meaningful change, regardless of what legislation does or doesn’t mandate.

This moment of uncertainty is a call to action. If you’re a growing business, pay attention—because the companies that embrace real, measurable impact now will be the ones that thrive in the future. It’s time to step up and lead.

(Cue shameless business plug—because it matters.) At HMK Impact, we help businesses implement real, measurable sustainability and social impact strategies—and we make it easy(ish). This isn’t just what we do; it’s what we care about as individuals and mothers, what we live and breathe.

If you’re serious about improving your business’s social and environmental impact, let’s talk. B Corps Certification is just one piece of the puzzle, but not where it ends—what truly matters is the commitment behind it. Businesses can easily walk that walk without the badge.

If you’re a business leader, this is your moment to lead—set the trend, go beyond the standards. The choice is yours. Are you in?