The B Corp movement is grounded in TBL principles. Certified B Corporations are “leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy.”3 Unlike other business certifications, B Corp certification measures a company’s entire social and environmental impact. The certification can help build customer trust, attract and retain employees, and draw investors.
To achieve the certification, companies need to demonstrate high standards of social and environmental performance, stakeholder accountability and transparency. They are then required to undergo the same verification process every three years to recertify.
In the UK, Community Interest Companies (CIC) exist to benefit the community rather than shareholders. They are considered social enterprises by the government, which means they help people or communities.
To become a CIC, businesses must have a community interest statement that explains what the business plans to do; an asset lock, which is a legal promise to use assets only for social objectives and limiting the money it can pay shareholders; a constitution and, finally, approval by the community interest company regulator.4
Financial institutions are also adopting a TBL approach. The triple bottom line is at the core of the Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV). This is an international network of independent banks that are working to deliver sustainable economic, social and environmental development. Some of the primary goals of the GABV are to make banking more transparent and expand the practice of values-based banking.