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As sustainability reporting and impact accountability evolve, the partnership between Ecolytics and ImpactG helps organizations make sense of, and act on, what it means to do business for good. In a recent video conversation, Hazel Horvath, Founder and CEO of Ecolytics, sat down with Jim Black, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at ImpactGC, to discuss the shifting landscape of B Corp standards, including the most common roadblocks companies are facing today, from the legal requirements of becoming a public benefit corporation to the new B Corp standards – and what it actually takes to do this work well. The discussion aimed to be a practical guide for companies at every stage of their impact journey, highlighting what’s changing, what’s required, and how organizations can move forward with confidence.
Ecolytics provides a software platform that enables companies to build data-driven sustainability programs, helping them measure, improve, and communicate their environmental and social impact. The Ecolytics platform supports B Corps in streamlining certification and recertification, making impact tracking an ongoing, actionable part of business operations. ImpactGC is a mission-driven law firm focused on guiding companies through the legal requirements of becoming a public benefit corporation and advising clients on governance structures that strengthen accountability. ImpactGC works with both B Corps and benefit corporations to help them structure their organizations for measurable social and environmental impact. In conjunction, Ecolytics and ImpactGC provide full knowledge coverage on the legal, strategic, and technological support to help businesses not only navigate the process of becoming a B Corp, but also understanding what a benefit corporation is.
One of the most common points of confusion is understanding the difference between benefit corporation status and B Corp certification. Jim Black explained, “B Corps are typically also benefit corporations, but they are very different in how you get there and what they represent.” Benefit corporation status is a legal designation in over 40 states and the District of Columbia, requiring companies to consider social and environmental impact alongside profit. On the other hand, B Corp certification, is a third-party assessment that evaluates a company’s performance across governance, community, environment, and employee standards. Many companies initially assume that becoming a B Corp is primarily a legal step, however, certification and legal status are distinct elements.
For companies starting their sustainability journey, understanding this distinction early is critical, especially when evaluating what B Corp certification means and how it aligns with broader corporate social responsibility goals.
Even companies genuinely committed to doing good can stumble when it comes to compliance. A frequent misstep is failing to produce an annual benefit report or fully disclose progress toward the public benefit outlined in their charter. “The vast majority of benefit corporations don’t even publish their annual benefit report as they’re required to,” Black noted. These reports provide transparency of a company's impact , and hold them accountable. Without them, companies risk appearing to greenwash their operations, even when their intentions are sincere.
The updated B Corp standards mark a significant shift. Moving from a points-based system to a binary, continuous improvement model, the standards require companies to meet all applicable requirements for their size and sector. Hazel Horvath explained, “The new standards…are really changing the model and pushing companies to continuously improve.” The update encourages companies to embed sustainability into daily operations rather than treating certification as a periodic milestone, making impact measurement and management an ongoing priority.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives remain central to building resilient, ethical companies. Black advises leaders to prioritize meaningful implementation while being thoughtful about external communications: “Continue to do the work…just be very thoughtful about what you’re communicating publicly and how you’re characterizing them.” For organizations looking to strengthen inclusion efforts, using diversity metrics to create an inclusive workplace and fostering employee resource groups can provide structured support and measurable progress.
Ecolytics’ platform empowers teams to integrate DEI tracking into their impact reporting. This ensures leadership always has the right data to make informed, equitable decisions, an essential step for companies striving to turn their mission into concrete action.
Horvath and Black’s conversation highlighted the importance of understanding that real impact comes from integrating purpose into everyday operations, not just pursuing certification. As companies prepare for the next phase of B Corp standards, the focus is shifting toward transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement: core principles that define why Ecolytics became a B Corp. Together, Ecolytics and ImpactGC are helping organizations navigate the shift with confidence – ensuring that sustainability isn’t just a goal, but a way of doing business in a new era of corporate accountability.
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