North American soap brand Dr. Bronner’s, has announced it will not renew its certification with B Lab, the nonprofit organization overseeing the B Corp program. The decision follows years of advocacy by Dr. Bronner’s for stricter certification requirements, particularly regarding the supply chains of multinational corporations.
“We hope our exit will prompt necessary and overdue action”
The company, which holds the record for the highest-ever B Corp score, has been a vocal critic of what it sees as the dilution of the certification’s integrity. In a joint statement, CEO David Bronner and president Michael Bronner said that the company no longer believes certification aligns with its mission.
“The integrity of the B Corp Certification has become compromised, and remaining certified now contradicts our mission. 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,” they stated.
Concerns over multinational certification
Dr. Bronner’s has criticized B Lab’s certification of multinational corporations, including Unilever Australia, Nespresso (certified in 2022), and Nestlé Health Science (certified in 2023). The company argues that without stricter supply chain oversight, these certifications allow corporations to use the B Corp label for marketing purposes while continuing unsustainable or unethical business practices.
The company has called for mandatory third-party eco-social certification of all major supply chains for B Corps, particularly for food, personal care, and textile companies. “The supply chains of large CPG food, personal care, and textile companies dwarf the impact of their operations in the countries where they are headquartered,” the company stated, expressing the importance of independent certification for agricultural commodities such as palm oil, cocoa, and coffee.
While some companies, including Patagonia, certify their supply chains to rigorous standards, Dr. Bronner’s maintains that such practices are not the norm. “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,” the company continued.
Efforts to reform B Corp standards
Dr. Bronner’s has previously worked with other B Corps to advocate for stronger certification requirements. In June 2022, the company co-signed an open letter raising concerns about B Corp certifications granted to multinationals with documented histories of unethical business practices. A private letter was also sent to B Lab leadership in January 2023, warning that without meaningful changes, Dr. Bronner’s would likely exit the program.
The company stated that it has not seen “adequate, transparent, and timely action” from B Lab and that leaving the certification is now its only remaining course of action. “We hope our exit will prompt necessary and overdue action, and that allies who remain B Corp Certified will continue to push to improve the standard from the inside,” it said.
Despite dropping its certification, Dr. Bronner’s will continue as a legally registered benefit corporation in California, meaning its bylaws allow for social and environmental considerations beyond profit. The company will also continue to phase out the B Corp logo from branding and marketing materials, even though its certification fee is paid through September 2025.
