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Meg Griffin

Dr. Harrison

BA 201

5 December 2022

B-Corporation Research Paper

Every business is created for a reason whether it's money based, beneficial for someone

or a group of people, not for money but solely for the betterment of society, or just made to be

made. If I were to create a company I would want it to be B-corp certified because that leaves the

company with a very good name and holds it to high standards. “Certified B Corporations are

leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Unlike

other certifications for businesses, B Lab is unique in its ability to measure a company’s entire

social and environmental impact” (B Corporation). This shows that the company knows how to

satisfy the needs of society and that they perform well and become the best they can be at all

times while doing their best to please every one of their customers.

I chose to research Patagonia because of the mark they leave on their amazing gear as

well as how pleased customers are with the business. Patagonia is an apparel and gear store that

was started by “a band of climbers and surfers, and the minimalist style they promoted” (B

Corporation). They do the best they can to make sure that their gear is the best it can be, what

they consider “the best product rests on function, repairability, and, foremost, durability” (B

Corporation). Patagonia being a B-Corp shows that they want this business to last and be there

for their customers, money isn't their only goal or strive. Because of how big of a deal this is,

businesses emphasize “stakeholder capitalism”: They identify their most deeply held social and

environmental values, then abide by them, honoring their responsibilities to their employees,
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customers, suppliers, and communities—as well as to the financial health of their investors”

(Patagonia). They have been B-Corp certified since 2011 and each business that is certified has

to get reevaluated every 3 years. This shows that Patagonia has held its standards high and

continues to grow, you can see the company's growth, especially through its scores every year

they have been tested. In 2011 they got a score of 107.3, in 2014 they got a score of 113.9 and

lastly, in 2022 they got a score of 151.5 (B Corporation). To have this certification is very special

which is why every year they get evaluated, the numbers go up.

The way that B-Corporations work is they get scores on governance, workers,

community, environment, and customers, and all of those scores are combined to get the overall

score. What Patagonia noticed is that being a B-Corp business “turns out to be a smart financial

move, according to major consultancies, who find that B Corp startups have a higher survival

rate than new businesses as a whole” (Patagonia) The highest score reflects the way they operate

which is through community following that, environment. This shows that they value their

customers and strive to make clients their number one priority along with the world around them.

Something extremely unique that Patagonia has decided to do is “dedicating all profits from the

company to projects and organizations that will protect wild land and biodiversity and fight the

climate crisis” (Robertson). This example shows that their values reflect upon their business as a

whole which explains why they are B-Corp certified.

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Works Cited

B Corporation. “B Corp Certification Demonstrates a Company’s Entire Social and

Environmental Impact.” B Corporation, 2022, www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification.

Patagonia. “B-Lab & Patagonia - the First California Certified B Corporation.”

Www.patagonia.com, 2011, www.patagonia.com/b-lab.html.

Robertson, Graham. “Patagonia Case Study: Going against the Norms of Business.”

Beloved Brands, 22 Apr. 2019, beloved-brands.com/patagonia/.