What is a B Corp? Here are some we love + use every day!
affiliate Disclaimer: Whenever I love a brand I check for an affiliate program! some of these links are, gratefully, affiliate links! You pay no more (sometimes less) but I get a small kickback in return for my time writing and researching! I’m always grateful when people choose to shop through the links – but mostly I care that you just use the better brands!
What is a B corp brand?
There are many certifications a brand can get that mean an array of different things. But B corp is one of my favourites. The B in B Corp or B Corporation stands for “Benefit” corporation. This means a company who holds the certification is committed to (and continually assessed on) using business as a force for good, for positive impact on people and planet, not just profits. They are for profit companies, but they have to consider people and planet equally alongside profits.
B Corp Certification and Scoring: An Ongoing Assessment
Each brand is graded every three years after a rigorous assessment and with great transparency. So any consumer (us!) can go in and read how the brand was graded on a number of different things from hiring practices to supply chain care. The terms “people” and “planet” are not vague and ambiguous, you can really see what each brand is excelling at and how they got their score.
It’s not a simple pass or fail grading. The average company rates at around 50. The points are made up of grading on many different topics. To be a B Corp you have to score above 80, and continue scoring above 80.
Within the B corp community there is the understanding that the brand’s score should improve year on year, and that they give back to the B corp community too. They’re signing up not just to print something on packaging but to commit to forward movement and collaborative change. But if you’re looking for it in packaging, it’s a capital B in a circle – see the ice cube at the top!
How Does the B Corp Certification help the Conscious Consumer? (That’s us!)
B Corp brands aren’t perfect, but they are committed to a journey, and subject to strict ongoing assessment and participation in the movement. This is why I love and appreciate them and I look for the B logo. We’re all looking for small achievable ways to do better with our choices and while I’ll always advocate for diving deep into a brand, this is a GREAT quick option. When you see that “B” you know the brand scores above the average business, they’re bound to value people and planet, and get stringent ongoing assessment. The B logo is also helpful in the midst of increasing “greenwashing” or false marketing about so called green values. You know there’s third party transparency and you can dive deeper and know exactly what they’re doing. It might be all you need to see, or it might be a sign that it’s a brand worth looking at and digging into. But either way it’s a useful marking that this is a brand committed more than others to putting their money where their mouth is on being “better.” And that’s a win to me on this journey!
Here are some B Corps around the world we love and use in our home!
Evolve Organic Beauty (worldwide)
A beautiful, female founded, very thoughtfully formulated skincare brand with many certifications to their name. Evolve do the best job of sourcing organic, regenerative, low impact ingredients and packaging them in recycled, compostable materials of any brand I’ve seen. They have products for all skin types and my favourites for maturing tired mum skin are HERE.
Find the full Evolve range HERE with worldwide free shipping options
Nisolo Shoes (US)
Ethically made shoes and leather accessories.
Probably my favourite shoe brand, currently available in the US. They’re one of the brands like Evolve above who so deeply care and are just doing everything right. From ethical manufacture with 100% living wages and publishing their lowest wages, to making boots that last and avoiding landfill, to going beyond being net zero and working on conservation projects. They’re my first stop for shoes always and we both have boots from them we love.
Patagonia (worldwide)
Clothing and outdoor apparel
One of the original sustainable brands, really pushing the industry forward in low impact, regeneratively grown materials and recycled materials. Patagonia’s hats are a go to gift, Jared has the backpack, and their coats for kids are great ones to pass down through multiple children.
Beautycounter (US/Canada)
Well formulated and rigorously screened skincare, makeup and personal care products.
A direct to consumer brand started to change the personal care product market and get safer products into the hands of everyone. Not just its own products, but alongside creating a range of high end products for sustainability and safety, they work on advocacy and law changing to ensure better standards and laws so that everyone benefits not just their own customers. Since 2013 they have been a part of 10 pieces of legislation insuring tighter standards for the beauty industry.
Pukka tea (UK/US and beyond)
The only tea we drink! Aside from loose leaf tea it’s one of the only truly plastic free tea bags with organic and sustainably sourced, fairly traded in ingredients. It’s a bit more pricey so we stock up on sales, and make a big cup with every bag not just small cups. Peppermint and Liquorice, and Matcha are our faves!
We buy them from Abel and Cole HERE in the UK, but you can find them at most major stores or HERE in the US
Dr Bronners Soap (UK/US and beyond)
Our go to for years for soap, shower gel, dish soap, sometimes laundry detergent, sometimes toothpaste, and more recently hand sanitizer. It does so much! The bottle price is high but it’s very concentrated and a little goes a long way. It’s all my kids have ever washed and hair washed with!
We buy them from Ethical Superstore in the UK HERE for the best price but many “healthier” stores carry it.
Form nutrition (UK)
Vegan protein powder with better ingredients, and heavy metal tested. Sold in home compostable pouches. If you like sweet you’ll like them all, I prefer the unsweetened ones. They often have good sales via Planet Organic HERE – I buy them there or direct, whichever is cheapest at the time!
Jojo maman bebe (UK/Europe)
Classical and vintage feel kids clothing
We buy 99% of kids clothes used, but when we need something new, or for when family members want to shop new, Jojo Maman is a great option!
Secret Linen Store
Beautiful low impact and ethical curtains and bedding
I found Secret Linen (another female founded business) searching for curtains that were ethically made with safer fabrics and no plastics or anything that might off gas harmful VOCs. I wanted simple and therefore fairly priced but affordable. They come through on everything and achieved B Corp status with an incredible 110 points and 10 mission lock points for a business model that is committed to stakeholder governance. The textiles are well sourced, ethically and traceably made, and OEKO TEX certified along with using organic cotton and hemp. We have their organic cotton curtains and some bedding and it gets my highly recommend.
Find them HERE from the UK with *new* international shipping
Spruce Cleaning Products (UK)
I didn’t think I’d ever quit water and vinegar cleaning in favour of a brand, until I found Spruce. It’s a brilliant, easy, simple, female founded all purpose cleaner brand. You get a simple aluminium ‘forever’ bottle that’s very light to ship. Then small (compostable) sachets come with it that can be dissolved in water in the bottle. This reduces the fuel use and packaging of transporting water. They’re made with sustainable and safe ingredients that clean really well in the lowest impact way! It’s been a really easy option for me.
Find their range HERE
Organic basics (US/UK/Europe)
Simple organic cotton apparel basics, with the lowest footprint possible and regenerative growing.
Their leggings are a favorite, and we both have T shirts, underwear and socks which are well made and comfy!
Any brand invested in regeneratively grown cotton catches my attention. They’re doing really well on size inclusivity expanding their ranges and asking great questions. Read their Body Friendly Manifesto here.
Find them HERE
Allbirds (US,UK, international)
Machine washable merino wool runners
A great example of the importance of knowing a brand, there were some articles written about how Allbirds were “unethical”. I was disappointed and dug deeper to find the articles were citing the use of wool as the unethical practice. We all have different values we live by and for a vegan these might not be an option but while harvesting merino wool can be a nasty practice, Allbirds are very careful to use humanely harvested merino wool only, and the lowest impact materials. I’ve worn the same pair of runners for 6 years and LOVE them. They’re constantly extending their range and now have many different styles from running shoes to slides. They don’t need socks and can be machine washed!
Find them HERE and also search second hand sites for used pairs.
Finesterre (UK, US, EU)
A great UK brand for clothing, Jared has a hat and I have socks! Great products, and an option for trade in too for a voucher. In their own words: “Born over a decade ago from the needs of hardy British surfers, Finisterre designs functional and sustainable product for those that share a love of the sea.”
Find them HERE
Cotopaxi (US+UK)
An outdoor activewear brand with great ethics and vision, and a lifetime guarantee.
We found Cotopaxi through a PR gift and on reading the story and trying the items, we are lifelong fans. Their Del Dia Backpack is what I take any time we travel and 5 years later it’s like new. I’m eying up their bum bags and might invest in one for summer!
Find them HERE in the UK and HERE in the US
Vivobarefoot (worldwide)
Barefoot Shoes
These are Clayton’s school shoes for his second year of school. We try to buy one more pricey but new pair each year for school as he wears them every day. I love the wide space for feet to grow and the science behind them. Made from naturally scarred leather from free-roaming cattle sourced from small scale farmers and recycled post-consumer plastic waste.
Find the Range HERE
Parker clay (international)
My go to daily leather backpack is from Parker Clay – my diaper bag alternative, not too big, not too mumsy. I LOVE it and what the company does from leather to giving back.
Find them HERE
Stasher (international)
Silicon sandwich bags for food storage, freezing, cooking and travel. Silicon lasts a lot longer than single use plastic, and doesn’t break down to micro plastic in the same way at the end of life.
Find them HERE
Abel + Cole (UK)
Organic Veg boxes + Grocery Delivery
We’ve had an Abel and Cole box every week for 4 years now and it’s part of our food shopping I really appreciate. We also often add a few things from their zero waste pantry refill service: “Club Zero” store. The thing I love it for is knowing I’m sourcing organic produce both for our family and the environment, but also that so many other things are taken care of for me, like fair and ethical trading with growers, no airplane freight, and very careful packaging. It’s impossible to find that in food shopping unless you get everything direct from a farm and on some of the more questionable items like avocados, that’s impossible. You can read a full post about their veg box service and who it could be valuable for HERE.
Find their range and veg boxes HERE (UK shipping)
Boody (US/UK/Australia)
Simple comfy, bamboo adult and baby basics
Most days I’m wearing a Boody product! Usually their bamboo scoop neck and always their underwear (tip – I’d say size up.) I’ve worn it pregnant, not pregnant, breastfeeding, summer, winter.. It’s my single most worn wardrobe staple! They create neutral basics, ethically from lower impact materials.
Find them HERE (UK) and beyond
Pela (US/UK+ beyond)
Biodegradable phone cases, and sunglasses
They make my favrouite biodegradable phone cases, and also our sunglasses and blue light glassed we wear every day. They’re a social good, 1% for the planet, carbon neutral company taking items we all use, and making them more eco friendly. I also love their phone grips, and sunglasses!
Find them HERE
Ethique (UK, US, Australia, NZ)
Low impact bar shampoo
Ethique is the one of the original shampoo bar companies! They make shampoo, conditioner and soap bars. I rotate between different shampoos but I used Ethique for years and really do love them. Their green bar is my favourite!
Find them in health stores, supermarkets or online HERE
Divine (US/UK/Europe)
Delicious Organic Fairtrade Chocolate!
One of my top chocolate choices! Fairtrade chocolate is where my journey with sourcing started. Divine is a women empowering cocoa cooperative, where the company is in part owned by the people that work there – giving them more power. It’s also organic which has an impact on those working in production as well as the land. They often have one of the only plastic free and fair trade Easter Eggs widely available.
Find them HERE
Alter Eco (US/Australia/UK)
Chocolate
Another environment and people focused brand I love with plastic free and compostable wrapping around truffles! Their Blackout bar is my favourite!
Apolis (international)
Natural ethically made market bags, with customizable text
I just got an Apolis bag after loving them from a distance for a long time! Simple totes, classic, timeless and customizable for gifts. They come in many sizes and make great gifts. All their artisans in Bangladesh are women and mothers who receive Fair Trade-certified wages, annual profit dividends, and a retirement fund. Apolis exists to change the game and use commerce and a tool for change – and I love the brands doing that!
Find their customizable range HERE
Oxfam (UK, international)
Charity shop (stores and online) and charity
Oxfam is where a lot of our kids clothes and household items come from and they also stock eco cleaning items, fair trade chocolate, and their own line of items funding social good. I love their sponsorship gifts where you can gift a cow, chicken, hive of bees or something similar to a place it’s needed.
Find their really useful online store HERE
Stumptown (US)
This is my go to coffee when we’re in the US for being widely available, organic and in compostable packaging… and also delicious. They’re not all organic but they have a great organic range and that’s what we choose. You can buy direct or from wholefoods.
Find them HERE
Miir (US, UK)
To go coffee cups
Forever our favorite to go cup! Double walled stainless steel keeps coffee hot, it’s a good size and a great drinking experience.
Find them HERE
Keep cup (US, EU, UK, Australia, NZ)
To go coffee cups
Another much loved to go coffee cup, I find glass a less workable option with kids but we still love them.
Find them HERE
Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Chocolonely is a brand that exists for the purpose of bringing change. They didn’t want to be a small batch supplier but to use all the same systems as the “big guys” in chocolate. The idea was to show that there’s no excuse at all to not be fairly trading cocoa, and to be ensuring there is no use of slave or forces labour. Tony’s have come under fire sometimes by people not understanding the mass balance rule that is applied to chocolate and sugar. It’s important to remember the goals of a company – and their goal is showing the major chocolate suppliers that there is NO excuse to not do better and I love that!
Find them HERE and in lots of small local stores
Triodos Bank
Ethical banking in the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany
There are many ways a banks ethics are rated from paying proper taxes, to what they are funding with investments. Triodos comes out top in the countries where it operates for funding areas such as renewable energy, sustainable farming, education, charities, and social housing. We make small choices in daily life to do better, and I don’t want my money then sitting in a bank funding the things I’m fighting with daily life so I love having money with Triodos. That said nn honesty, their user interface is not the best (something every Triodos user I speak to says!) BUT it’s worth pushing through for their ethics and the more sustainable investments they fund.
Find Triodos Bank HERE
Stay Wild Swim
Female Founded UK Based Ethical Swimwear From Reclaimed Ocean Plastic (with international shipping options)
Ethical, sustainable swimwear is hard to find and I was so happy to find female founded Stay Wild Swim in 2021. Personally I have a hard time finding supportive swimwear for a larger bust – and finding a supportive one piece has been pretty impossible from an also ethical brand. I ordered multiple pieces from Stay Wild and this suit pictured was the most supportive I tried and I love it. They create their suits with reclaimed ocean plastic, and offer a size 6-24.
View the Stay Wild Swim Collection HERE
Changing our shopping, for good.
There are many brands doing good that aren’t B Corporations. It takes digging deep and understanding a brand to know what they’re doing. But sometimes even with research it’s hard to know how truthful a brand is. Or what their impact truly is. That’s why I love third party verifications and this is one of my favourites. Within this list there are a range of scores on the B corp scale.
There is also a collaboration within the B corp community that increases their impact, and expects everyone to keep on improving and doing better. There’s no “getting the stamp and moving on.” Some brands are at the start of their journey, and others are changing their industries more widely and setting a new standard. But they’re all subject to rigorous analysis and are all bound to existing for the good of people and planet. And the certification can help us all take steps forward in having a more positive impact.
And that’s what we’re here for!
