Why I'm Questioning the B Corp Certification
As someone who has been in the ethical consumer space for a decade, I’ve written about B Corporations many times.
However, over the past few years I started to question this third party certification.
I started seeing larger companies, who I didn’t think were socially responsible, receive this certification.
We’ve seen unethical companies like Nespresso hold the B Corp certification. Plus, fast fashion focused brands like Adore Me and Good American.
These are NOT companies I’d recommend to my following of conscious consumers who value ethical buying.
But it’s two recent events that REALLY make me question the ethics of a B Corp Certification.
Unethical Actions by B Corp Certified Brands
Nisolo has been a certified B Corporation since 2017. Back in 2024 customers started having issues.
The company foreclosed in January 2025 leaving content creators (including myself) unpaid and customers not receiving their benefits for a prepaid rewards program.
You can read the full story in my deep dive into What Happened to Nisolo.
As of June 2025, Nisolo still hold the B Corp certification.
Nisolos B Corp status as of 6/27/25
This incident wasn’t a secret. There are many angry customer complaints on Reddit and TrustPilot. I have a hard time believing B Corp is unaware of it.
Not to mention brands like Nespresso and Nestle have had a history of unethical labor throughout their supply chain.
This makes me think that B Corp is turning a blind eye to unethical choices made by companies holding the certification in order to continue receiving annual certification fees.
Companies Choosing Not to Renew
Dr Bronners, who I think is an incredibly socially responsible company, came out and said they would not be renewing their B corp certification.
“The integrity of the B Corp Certification has become compromised and remaining certified now contradicts our mission.
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.”
You can read Dr. Bronner’s full statement here. I completley agree with and respect this move.
I don’t think it’s fair that small businesses who are actually doing everything in their power to make the right choices are holding the same certification as large brands that are doing the bare minimum to get the points needed to become certified.
Is B Corp Greenwashing?
Sustainable Fashion Friend did a great video explaining the flaws in the point system certification process.
I’m writing this post to encourage conscious consumers to continue to question labels. While I think the idea behind B Corp originally had good intentions, I think the standards and the process need to be re-evaluated.
Pin this post for later!
I don’t think there is a perfect third party certification, but seeing some of these big brands that aren’t very ethical receive the B Corp certification makes me feel icky.
This is a great resource to read to learn a bit more about the process and how consumers feel the B Corp label can be a greenwashing indicator.
Keep on asking questions and doing your best to shop ethically!
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Meet the Author
Emily Waddell is the founder of The Honest Consumer. She has always been passionate about business for good and has a Bachelor degree in Social Entrepreneurship. She currently lives in Seattle where she practices imperfect sustainability. When she’s not writing, Emily enjoys supporting small businesses, clean eating, & practicing slow living. Learn more about Emily’s journey starting The Honest Consumer.