Why We Chose B Corp Certification

More Than a Logo

In the fall of 2024, Commonware officially became a Certified B Corporation. You might have noticed the logo on our website, our packaging, and our care labels. But a certification only means something if you understand what stands behind it.

B Corp certification is not a marketing badge. It is a rigorous, third-party evaluation of a company’s entire impact - on its workers, its community, its customers, and the environment. Earning it was one of the hardest things we have done as a company. It was also one of the most important.

What B Corp Actually Means

B Corp certification is administered by B Lab, a nonprofit organization that evaluates companies across five key areas:

• Governance: How transparent and accountable is the company’s leadership?
• Workers: How does the company treat its employees, from wages and benefits to professional development?
• Community: What is the company’s impact on the communities where it operates and sources?
• Environment: What are the company’s environmental practices and footprint?
• Customers: Does the company create genuine value for its customers?

To become certified, a company must score at least 80 out of 200 on the B Impact Assessment. The median score for ordinary businesses is 50.9. Commonware scored 94.3.

Why We Did It

We did not pursue B Corp certification because we thought it would help us sell more t-shirts. We pursued it because we wanted to be held accountable.

It is easy for any brand to say the right things. Sustainability language has become so ubiquitous in fashion that the words have almost lost their meaning. Consumers are rightfully skeptical when a brand claims to be “eco-friendly” or “ethically made” without any verification.

B Corp certification is verification. It is an independent organization looking under the hood, examining our financial records, interviewing our employees, auditing our supply chain, and assigning a score based on evidence rather than marketing copy.

We wanted that scrutiny. We welcomed it. And the process made us better.

What the Process Taught Us

The B Impact Assessment took us nearly nine months to complete. It asked questions we had not thought to ask ourselves, and it revealed gaps we did not know existed.

What We Were Already Doing Well

• Our supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing practices scored in the top percentile
• Employee satisfaction and retention metrics were strong
• Our environmental commitments, including organic materials and certified manufacturing partners, were well-documented
• Our governance structure included explicit social and environmental purpose in our corporate charter

Where We Had Work to Do

• Benefits equity: Our benefits package was strong for full-time employees but did not extend adequately to part-time and contract workers. We expanded coverage as part of the certification process.
• Carbon accounting: We had good practices around materials and manufacturing but lacked comprehensive data on our total carbon footprint, including logistics and office operations. We invested in a full carbon audit.
• Community impact measurement: We were contributing to our local community but were not measuring or tracking that impact systematically. We now have a formal community investment framework.
• Supplier diversity: Our supply chain was ethically strong but lacked intentional diversity goals. We have since established partnerships with minority-owned suppliers for non-core materials.

Each of these gaps became an improvement project. The certification did not just evaluate us. It gave us a roadmap for becoming the company we wanted to be.

The Legal Commitment

One aspect of B Corp certification that many people do not know about is the legal requirement. Certified B Corps must amend their corporate governance documents to consider the impact of decisions on all stakeholders, not just shareholders.

This means that Commonware is legally bound to weigh the interests of our workers, our communities, and the environment alongside our financial performance. It is a structural safeguard against the kind of mission drift that happens when growth pressures mount.

We take this seriously. Every major business decision at Commonware is evaluated through a stakeholder impact lens before it is approved.

What It Does Not Mean

B Corp certification is meaningful, but we want to be clear about what it is not:

• It is not a guarantee of perfection. We have areas where we need to improve, and the recertification process every three years ensures we continue to make progress.
• It is not a substitute for transparency. Certification does not replace the need to communicate openly with our customers about our practices and our shortcomings.
• It is not the finish line. It is a framework for continuous improvement, and we intend to raise our score at every recertification.

The Bigger Picture

There are now over 8,000 Certified B Corporations across 96 countries. In the fashion industry specifically, the number is growing as more brands recognize that profitability and responsibility are not mutually exclusive.

We are proud to be part of this community. We learn from other B Corps, we collaborate on shared challenges, and we hold each other accountable.

If you are a consumer who cares about the impact of your purchases, look for the B Corp logo. It is one of the most reliable indicators that a company is doing the work, not just talking about it.

And if you are a business considering certification, we encourage you to start the process. It will challenge you, and you will be better for it.