Most businesses that look into B Corp certification come away thinking it is a year-long project that costs tens of thousands of dollars. Some of them are right. Most of them are not. The gap is usually documentation, not practice.
Here is what the process actually looks like for a small business in BC.
What you are being scored on
Until 2026, B Corp used the B Impact Assessment, which scored your business across five areas and required 80 points out of 200. Any certification submitted after 1 January 2026 uses B Lab's new standards: Foundation Requirements plus minimum requirements in each of seven Impact Topics, with no overall score. The topics are Purpose & Stakeholder Governance, Fair Work, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Rights, Climate Action, Environmental Stewardship & Circularity, and Government Affairs & Collective Action. A strong area can no longer offset a weak one.
Requirements are scaled by company size, sector and location, and phased in: some apply at certification (Year 0), others by Year 3 and Year 5. A micro business faces far fewer requirements than a large one.
"Many small businesses are already doing much of what certification requires. They just don't have the documentation to prove it."
The legal requirement in BC
This is the part most guides skip. To certify in Canada, your business needs to be incorporated, and you need to amend your articles of incorporation to include stakeholder-interest language. B Lab provides template wording, but a lawyer should review it. You have one year after certification to complete the amendment.
Sole proprietors cannot certify. If you are operating as a sole proprietor, incorporation is step zero. BC online incorporation is $351.50.
The actual steps
- Create a free account on B Lab's B Impact platform and complete the self-assessment against the new standards.
- Identify your gaps: every Impact Topic where you do not yet meet the Year 0 requirements for your size.
- Build the documentation needed to close the gap: policies, payroll records, supplier contracts, environmental data.
- Submit your assessment and pay the submission fee.
- B Lab reviews your submission. You respond to document requests and clarifications.
- Requirements confirmed. Sign the B Corp Agreement. Pay the annual certification fee.
- Amend your articles of incorporation within one year.
What it costs
There are two B Lab fees to plan for. The submission fee is a one-time, non-refundable payment when you submit. The annual certification fee is ongoing.
For a BC small business with $0–$5M revenue, B Lab U.S. & Canada's annual fee is $2,100 USD per year (2026), rising with revenue. Check B Lab's current fee schedule for the submission fee before you budget. Neither includes legal fees for the articles amendment.
How long it takes
The total timeline depends entirely on where your documentation starts. Organized businesses with clean records typically certify in 4–6 months total end-to-end. Average businesses take 6–9 months. Businesses starting from zero on documentation should plan for 9–15 months. These are total timelines from kickoff to certified status, including B Lab's review.
The audit will tell you which category you're in.
Not sure where your business sits? The free 2-minute assessment gives you a directional read before committing to anything. A full readiness audit is the next step — two weeks, flat fee, you keep the report regardless of what you decide next.
Common questions
How do you get B Corp certified in BC?
Create a free account on B Lab's B Impact platform, complete the self-assessment against the new standards (Foundation Requirements plus seven Impact Topics), identify where you fall short of the requirements for your company size, build the necessary documentation, submit with the submission fee, work through B Lab's verification process, sign the B Corp Agreement, and amend your articles of incorporation within one year.
Do you need to be incorporated to get B Corp certified in BC?
Yes. To certify in Canada, your business must be incorporated — sole proprietors cannot certify. BC online incorporation is $351.50. You also need to amend your articles of incorporation to include stakeholder-interest language, though you have one year after certification to complete that amendment.
What does it cost to get B Corp certified in BC?
For a BC small business with $0–$5M revenue, B Lab U.S. & Canada charges an annual certification fee of US$2,100 (2026), rising with revenue, plus a one-off, non-refundable submission fee. Check B Lab's current fee schedule for the submission fee before you budget, and add legal fees for the articles of incorporation amendment.
What is the minimum score to become B Corp certified?
For any certification submitted after 1 January 2026 there is no minimum score. The old 80-out-of-200 threshold on the B Impact Assessment is gone: under B Lab's new standards you must meet the Foundation Requirements and the minimum requirements in each of seven Impact Topics, scaled to your company's size, sector and location. A strong area can no longer offset a weak one.
How long does B Corp certification take for a BC small business?
Total timelines, including B Lab's review, depend on your documentation: about 4–6 months if your records are already well documented, 6–9 months on average, and 9–15 months if you are starting from zero.