Business with Benefits: The World’s Most Valuable B Corp Companies

“To B or not to B” is the question that ethically minded companies are increasingly asking themselves as organizations across the globe begin to look beyond their bottom line. These businesses are part of the growing B Corp movement, a collection of companies attempting to balance profit with purpose.

B Corps are to business what fair trade is to coffee — and from forestry to finance, thousands of companies from across the globe are joining the movement. It’s not just small companies and startups that are getting in on the action, either. A growing collection of big brands with household names like Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Allbirds are also among the A-List of B Corp companies.

What is a B Corp?

Before this discussion goes any further, it might be helpful to define what a B Corp is. Put simply, B Corps are businesses that put as much emphasis on their company’s impact as they do their bottom line. That includes both their social and environmental footprint; in short, these companies are committed to ethical business practices.

To achieve B Corp certification, companies have to be assessed by B Lab. This not-for-profit verifies that they reach the highest social and environmental responsibility standards, public transparency, and accountability. Becoming a certified B corporation is not easy, which is why it’s so meaningful to the thousands of companies across the globe that have achieved it to date.

These businesses are working toward harnessing their power to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable economy, and their numbers continue to grow and resonate throughout the global economy.

Note: It’s important to distinguish between B Corps and benefit corporations. Benefit corporations are a type of business entity, but a certified B Corp is a company that’s met B Lab’s stringent standards. Sometimes, a business can be both a B Corp and a benefit corporation, but the two aren’t linked.

B Corp Companies Mapped

Whether someone’s shopping for ice cream or exploring investment opportunities, they’ve likely crossed paths with this growing number of ethical enterprises.

So, who are the biggest B Corps? Where in the world are they most prevalent? And what sectors are the most successful?

One of Team ZenBusiness’s data teams used the B Corp directory from the data world, examining all certified companies to determine the world’s top ethical businesses. The overall rankings took into account various factors, including governance, workers, community, environment, and customers.

Note: this graphic was created in 2021 and is intended for illustrative purposes only; the exact figures and rankings may differ from those shown above. Consumers are encouraged to consult B Lab’s directory for the most current scores and rankings.

The B Corp Certification Boom: These countries are home to the most ethical enterprises

The first B Corps achieved certification in the U.S. in 2007. Fast-forward to today, and there are over 9,000 verified organizations worldwide in over 100 different countries. Though they’ve grown into a global movement, the majority of B Corps are still overwhelmingly American. Indeed, lots of the world’s certified companies are based in the United States, with big brands like Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s leading the charge.

Second-placed in the global ranking of ethical enterprises is the UK, where brands like JoJo Maman Bebe, Innocent Drinks, Abel & Cole, and the Guardian Media Group have joined the B Corps that have achieved certification since the initiative first arrived in 2015.

Rounding out the rest of the top five are Canada, Australia, and Brazil, who combined account for more than two-thirds of the world’s total B Corps.

Ranked: The A-List of B Corps

In 2021, the data team analyzed companies to determine the most reliable, successful, and low-impact brands using the B Corp directory. Considering factors such as social and ethical performance, the team created a weighted ranking of the world’s top 20 companies — an A-List of B Corps with a positive impact on society.

An integrated architecture, engineering, building, and renewable energy firm, South Mountain Company, Inc., earns one of the top rankings with a score of 189.4/200. Located on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, the team is a mission-driven, worker-owned cooperative that works to support each other, strengthen their community, and cultivate positive change. First certified in 2008, the company has gone from strength to strength, increasing its overall impact score by more than fifty points (as of April 2026).

Another top contender was Dr Bronner’s (score of 177.8 in 2021). This family-owned-and-run soapmaking company can trace its roots back to 1948. Decades later, it’s become the top-selling brand of organic and fair trade bodycare in the U.S., making responsible products and dedicating its profits to help make the world a better place. However, in September 2025, Dr Bronner’s announced that they would not be renewing their B Corp certification. They’re still a great brand that does a lot of good for the global community, but they didn’t want to go through the certification process again.

The final place on the B Corp podium went to Beneficial State Bank (with a highest score of 176 in 2017), a unique California-based financial organization proving that money can be a force for good. Certified in September 2012, it balances traditional banking practices with a mission to serve the community, not to profit from them. As of April 2026, their score has dropped a bit, but they’re still a reputable brand with a score that’s well above average.

Ethical Industry: The World’s Most Sustainable Sectors

B Corps cover the full spectrum of business from electronics and real estate to entertainment, education, and even a whole host of industries that don’t begin with the letter “E.” But which industries are the most ethical?

The gold medal for good business went to the forest management industry, which held the highest average B Corp score of any sector (111.2). Credit providers (110.4) claimed second place on the rankings, followed by environmental remediation (104.3) in third.

Represented: Which industry has the most B Corps?

In 2021, the food and drink industry boasted the highest number of certified businesses of any sector, with companies like socially conscious ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s accounting for 12.4% of all B Corps. Surprisingly, the industry that accounted for the second-largest share of B Corp businesses was IT software and services (7%). Followed by management and financial consulting (6.2%) and marketing and communications services (5.9%), the results represented a growing trend for professional service providers looking to balance their profits with purpose.

Elsewhere, consumer industries like apparel, footwear, and accessories were well represented, contributing 144 of the world’s B Corps, alongside home and personal care (199) and housewares, home furnishings, and accessories (63). While at the other end of the spectrum, the product rating industry was the least represented sector.

Exposed: The Top B Corp in Every Sector

It’s one thing to know the most ethical industries, but which B Corps are leading the pack in the world’s most sustainable sectors? In 2021, the ranking was led by organizations like Portland-based EFM (136.2/200), standing out as the top dog in the forest management sector. The UK’s carbon reduction leader, ClimateCare (143.8/200), led the pack in the environmental industry.

However, perhaps most interesting are the industry averages, which show those sectors that have the top-performing B Corps. It’s no surprise to see more traditional ethical industries like forest management (111.2), environmental remediation (104.3), and waste management (102.4) scoring well.

Land of the B: America’s Top-Performing B Corps

From Alabama to Wyoming, all 50 states are home to certified organizations. From coast to coast, the country is filled with top-performing B Corps ranging from Arctic Solar Ventures Corporation, a renewable energy outfit based in Alaska, to Do Good Well Consulting LLC, a coaching company from Florida.

However, at the time of this study (2021), the country’s MVP of B Corps was South Mountain Company, Inc. (183), a Massachusetts architectural firm that was certified in 2008. However, the West Coast claimed the second-placed B Corp, thanks to Dr. Bronner’s (177.8), a California-based soap-making company that can trace its ethical roots back more than 150 years. Colorado landed third place in the B Corp countdown, with Denver-based real estate developers Urban Green Development, LLC scoring 158.3 on the weighted ranking.

Overall, Eastern B Corps performed slightly better than their Western counterparts, with seven of America’s top 10 organizations hailing from the Atlantic Coast.

Trailblazers: The World’s Oldest B Corps

There’s a definite buzz around B Corps now, but today’s certified companies owe a lot to those businesses that blazed a trail for the movement more than a decade ago.

In the U.S., the sector’s founding father is Mal Warwick Donordigital, a fundraising and advocacy agency that became the first-ever B Corp back in May 2007. Two years later, Canada joined the world’s B Corp club with Toronto-based fundraising platform FlipGive (February 2009). Then came Chile’s TriCiclos (January 2012), Mexico’s ECHALE (February 2012), and Argentina’s Emprendia (June 2012).

To B or not to B; that is the question

Just as it did following the 2007 economic crisis, the world looks set to embrace ethical enterprise. Now, as then, there’s a growing sense that it’s time for businesses to look beyond the bottom line and balance profits with purpose.

The prestigious B Corp certification is the gold standard for this new wave of conscientious companies. But B Corp status can be challenging to achieve, and businesses must meet rigorous social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency standards. They also have to pay fees and be periodically audited to ensure that they live up to B Lab’s standards.

While B Corp certification is admirable, it’s not always the best approach for every business.

Ready to get started?

While ZenBusiness doesn’t currently assist with forming B Corps, they can help anyone form their own limited liability company (LLC) or C corporation. ZenBusiness makes it easy for entrepreneurs to create, run, and grow their dream business with tools and guidance to help every step of the way.

Methodology

At the time of this study (2021), the methodology was as follows: taking the B Corp directory from data.world, Inc., all certified companies were used to determine the top ethical businesses.

B Corps are declared as meeting the highest standard of social and environmental performance. The overall score takes into account a variety of things including governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. This score allowed the team to determine the most ethical companies in the B corp community.

Taking the directory of businesses found on data.world, the team added together every country’s B Corp to find each country’s share of B corps.

United States – Most B corps, with 37.2% of businesses
United Kingdom – Second top country, with 10.3% of businesses

Using every B Corps overall score, the team found the top ethical company in the world.

South Mountain Company, Inc. – Top-scoring company with 183/200
Fifty Eight – Second top-scoring company with 156.6/200
Assiniboine Credit Union – Third top-scoring company with 166.4/200

Using the 1,336 U.S.-based B Corps, the companies were divided into their home states, and then each overall score was used to find the top company in each state.

Taking every B Corp, the team divided them into their home country to find which country has the most B Corps.

United States – 1336 B Corps
United Kingdom – 370 B Corps
Canada – 289 B Corps

Using every B Corp, the team segmented them into their designated industries and ranked each company from each vertical.

Forest management top company – EFM
Credit Provider top company – Beneficial State Bank
Environmental remediation top company – ClimateCare

Using every industry from the B Corp Directory, the team found the average score for each industry to find the most ethical industry.

Forest management – 111.2/200
Credit provider – 110.4/200
Environmental remediation – 104.3/200

Taking all B Corps, the team found the first B Corp certified in each country that was still certified at the time of the study, based on their certification date.

United States – Mal Warwick Donordigital (2007-05-15)
Canada – FlipGive (2009-02-19)
Chile – TriCiclos (2012-01-13)

Taking each B Corps certification date, the team found the best year for B Corps.

2020 – 613 businesses certified
2019 – 607 businesses certified
2018 – 501 businesses certified

Source: https://data.world/blab/b-corp-impact-data

Data correct as of March 16, 2021

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.

Business with Benefits: The World’s Most Valuable B Corp Companies, Mapped