Can B Corp certification anchor sustainability in SMEs?
(2022) In Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management 29(1). p.293-304- Abstract
- B Corp certification is considered a viable instrument to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting sustainable practices. However, there is a lack of evidence to what extent this instrument can anchor sustainability at the core of SMEs. This study investigates the B Corp certification process of a SME, a craft brewery in southern Sweden, regarding the extent to which it helped infusing sustainability into the business’ mission, practices, corporate form, certificates, and capacities. Results show that the B Impact Assessment, as part of the certification process, positively influenced the business’ mission, practices, and capacities. Limited influence on social commitment and adoption of a sustainable corporate form... (More)
- B Corp certification is considered a viable instrument to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting sustainable practices. However, there is a lack of evidence to what extent this instrument can anchor sustainability at the core of SMEs. This study investigates the B Corp certification process of a SME, a craft brewery in southern Sweden, regarding the extent to which it helped infusing sustainability into the business’ mission, practices, corporate form, certificates, and capacities. Results show that the B Impact Assessment, as part of the certification process, positively influenced the business’ mission, practices, and capacities. Limited influence on social commitment and adoption of a sustainable corporate form can be explained through regulatory context and time required for deep organizational change. To enhance the effectiveness of B Corp certification, we recommend making it even more adaptable to different geographical and social contexts and increase focus on impact business models. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/606a88d4-690a-4035-aae3-d7e20c9bcf98
- author
- Carvalho, Bruna ; Wiek, Arnim and Ness, Barry LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- business sustainability, capacity building for sustainability, impact business models, sustainability certification
- in
- Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management
- volume
- 29
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 12 pages
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85112384239
- ISSN
- 1535-3966
- DOI
- 10.1002/csr.2192
- project
- Globally and LOCally-sustainable food-water-energy innovation in Urban Living Labs
- Accelerating Sustainability Entrepreneurship Experiments in Local Spaces
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 606a88d4-690a-4035-aae3-d7e20c9bcf98
- date added to LUP
- 2021-08-16 08:41:51
- date last changed
- 2024-01-20 10:26:32
@article{606a88d4-690a-4035-aae3-d7e20c9bcf98, abstract = {{B Corp certification is considered a viable instrument to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting sustainable practices. However, there is a lack of evidence to what extent this instrument can anchor sustainability at the core of SMEs. This study investigates the B Corp certification process of a SME, a craft brewery in southern Sweden, regarding the extent to which it helped infusing sustainability into the business’ mission, practices, corporate form, certificates, and capacities. Results show that the B Impact Assessment, as part of the certification process, positively influenced the business’ mission, practices, and capacities. Limited influence on social commitment and adoption of a sustainable corporate form can be explained through regulatory context and time required for deep organizational change. To enhance the effectiveness of B Corp certification, we recommend making it even more adaptable to different geographical and social contexts and increase focus on impact business models.}}, author = {{Carvalho, Bruna and Wiek, Arnim and Ness, Barry}}, issn = {{1535-3966}}, keywords = {{business sustainability; capacity building for sustainability; impact business models; sustainability certification}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{1}}, pages = {{293--304}}, publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}}, series = {{Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management}}, title = {{Can B Corp certification anchor sustainability in SMEs?}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csr.2192}}, doi = {{10.1002/csr.2192}}, volume = {{29}}, year = {{2022}}, }