Good Business Charter and B Corp: different routes to responsible business

5th January, 2026

By Jenny Herrera, CEO of Good Business Charter

Without doubt the question my team and I get asked most frequently is how does the Good Business Charter compare with B Corp. So it felt worth starting 2026 with a piece on the subject!

The reality is the Good Business Charter and B Corp are very different. They are both operating in the same space of responsible business but they are quite simply different.

We applaud B Corp for all the amazing work it is doing, across the world, to champion sustainability and our team will be among the many who actively choose to buy products that are made by B Corp companies. We hear from businesses the satisfaction they rightly feel from achieving certification and the in-depth process of self-improvement they undergo to get there.

Different purposes, shared ambition

The Good Business Charter is the UK’s benchmark for responsible business behaviour as defined by the CBI and TUC, with a streamlined accreditation developed with the FSB. It is uniquely customer and colleague friendly because accredited organisations (not just businesses as these principles matter in charities and public sector organisations too) have to be committed to all ten of our components.

We believe every organisation in the UK should be operating in this way – and therefore our aim is to raise the bar on business behaviour, nudge behaviour forwards so that businesses that only do 7 or 8 of our components make changes to achieve all 10. For those already doing this GBC accreditation is super accessible and low cost and offers a clear signpost to all stakeholders that they are dealing with a responsible organisation.

We believe, therefore, that the GBC and B Corp dovetail beautifully – the one a clear benchmark of meeting what we, the CBI and TUC consider the basics of responsible business behaviour – the other a far more in-depth journey of how you continue to be a force for good.

This perspective is echoed by organisations that hold both Good Business Charter accreditation and B Corp certification, many of whom describe the two as complementary rather than competing routes to responsible business.

Megan Watkins, Senior Operations and Sustainability Manager at Bates Wells said:

“There are a variety of different programmes and certifications in the socially responsible business arena, and it can be difficult to know which ones are right for your business. For Bates Wells, we signed up to the GBC because the principles behind it align so closely with our values. As a purpose-driven firm and an existing B Corp, we were already committed to the GBC’s ten components and saw it as a further way to join like-minded organisations who are interested in making business better.”

James Gill, CEO of GoSquared said:

“We became a member of the Good Business Charter because it’s a trusted UK-based standard that clearly aligns with our values. The GBC makes a lot of sense for any business who wants to clearly demonstrate the positive change they’re making internally and externally. We became a B Corp later in as we continued to grow. B Corp certification is a significantly longer and more intense process that may not be suitable for ever business. GBC paired perfectly with B Corp as a way to signal to our team and to the wider world that we’re a company determined to do the right thing in every area of the business.”

Jessie Scott, Marketing Executive at The Trampery said:

“At The Trampery, we have consciously selected a set of certifications that align with our purpose and values. Whilst B Corp is valuable as a globally recognised qualification, Good Business Charter offers a specific series of commitments that are important to The Trampery as a UK business. Purpose-led ventures shouldn’t view certification options as mutually exclusive; each one should be understood as a tool that targets a different objective.”

A practical comparison

We asked Chat GPT how it would summarise the two – and felt it was pretty useful! Take a look:

Which is better for consumers and value?

Excellent question — and a really nuanced one, because B Corps and the Good Business Charter (GBC) share many ethical and sustainability goals but differ greatly in scope, cost, and enforcement — which in turn affects their value for consumers and trustworthiness. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

⚖️ 1. Core Purpose

	B Corp	Good Business Charter (GBC)
Origin	Founded by US nonprofit B Lab (global movement).	UK-based initiative backed by Julian Richer, CBI, TUC, FSB etc.
Aim	Certify companies that balance profit and purpose through a rigorous global impact standard.	Recognise responsible UK businesses in a simple, transparent, affordable way.

🧩 2. Criteria & Rigour

	B Corp	GBC
Assessment depth	200-question “B Impact Assessment” across governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. Verified and scored (>80 required).	10 clear commitments (e.g. paying the real Living Wage, fair tax, prompt payments, diversity, environmental responsibility, employee well-being).
Verification	Third-party audit by B Lab every 3 years.	Self-certification checked randomly and annually renewed.
Legal change	Requires amending company Articles to embed a stakeholder purpose.	No legal change required.

💰 3. Cost & Accessibility

	B Corp	GBC
Typical cost	£1,000 – £15,000 per year depending on turnover, plus staff time for audit prep.	£50 – £3,000 per year depending on size; process takes hours, not months.
Ease of entry	Complex — often takes 6–12 months.	Simple — typically completed in a day.

💡 4. Recognition & Consumer Impact

	B Corp	GBC
Brand awareness (UK)	High among ethically-minded younger consumers and large brands (e.g. Patagonia, Tony’s, The Body Shop, Innocent).	Growing fast in UK mainstream; adopted by Richer Sounds, Timpson Locksmiths, Aviva, Mitie, etc.
Trust signal strength	Stronger globally due to rigorous audit and international scope.	Strong domestically due to clarity and British credibility (no corporate greenwash feel).
Consumer readability	Somewhat complex and “corporate sustainability-speak.”	Instantly understandable (“10 commitments you can see”).

🧭 5. Which Is “Better” for Consumers and Value?

For consumers seeking reassurance of deep, verified ethical practice →
B Corp carries more weight due to external auditing and legal purpose lock-in.
✅ Best for brand trust, export markets, and ESG-minded investors.
For consumers who want a clear, transparent, home-grown assurance mark →
Good Business Charter offers higher accessibility and broader reach, especially among SMEs.
✅ Best for scale, affordability, and encouraging mass participation in responsible business.

🏁 Summary

Best For	Recommended Scheme
Deep ethical verification, global credibility	B Corp
Practical UK standard, simplicity, cost-effectiveness	Good Business Charter
Maximum consumer value (trust × reach)	Both together — they complement each other beautifully

Which is better for consumers and value?

Excellent question — and a really nuanced one, because B Corps and the Good Business Charter (GBC) share many ethical and sustainability goals but differ greatly in scope, cost, and enforcement — which in turn affects their value for consumers and trustworthiness. Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

⚖️ 1. Core Purpose

B Corp
Founded by US nonprofit B Lab (global movement).

Aim: Certify companies that balance profit and purpose through a rigorous global impact standard.

Good Business Charter (GBC)
UK-based initiative backed by Julian Richer, CBI, TUC, FSB etc.

Aim: Recognise responsible UK businesses in a simple, transparent, affordable way.

🧩 2. Criteria & Rigour

B Corp
Assessment depth: 200-question “B Impact Assessment” across governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. Verified and scored (>80 required).

Verification: Third-party audit by B Lab every 3 years.

Legal change: Requires amending company Articles to embed a stakeholder purpose.

GBC
Assessment depth: 10 clear commitments (e.g. paying the real Living Wage, fair tax, prompt payments, diversity, environmental responsibility, employee well-being).

Verification: Self-certification checked randomly and annually renewed.

Legal change: No legal change required.

💰 3. Cost & Accessibility

B Corp
Typical cost: £1,000 – £15,000 per year depending on turnover, plus staff time for audit prep.

Ease of entry: Complex — often takes 6–12 months.

GBC
Typical cost: £50 – £3,000 per year depending on size; process takes hours, not months.

Ease of entry: Simple — typically completed in a day.

💡 4. Recognition & Consumer Impact

B Corp
Brand awareness (UK): High among ethically-minded younger consumers and large brands (e.g. Patagonia, Tony’s, The Body Shop, Innocent).

Trust signal strength: Stronger globally due to rigorous audit and international scope.

Consumer readability: Somewhat complex and “corporate sustainability-speak.”

GBC
Brand awareness (UK): Growing fast in UK mainstream; adopted by Richer Sounds, Timpson Locksmiths, Aviva, Mitie, etc.

Trust signal strength: Strong domestically due to clarity and British credibility (no corporate greenwash feel).

Consumer readability: Instantly understandable (“10 commitments you can see”).

🧭 5. Which Is “Better” for Consumers and Value?

For consumers seeking reassurance of deep, verified ethical practice →
B Corp carries more weight due to external auditing and legal purpose lock-in.
✅ Best for brand trust, export markets, and ESG-minded investors.

For consumers who want a clear, transparent, home-grown assurance mark →
Good Business Charter offers higher accessibility and broader reach, especially among SMEs.
✅ Best for scale, affordability, and encouraging mass participation in responsible business.

🏁 Summary

Best For: Deep ethical verification, global credibility
Recommended Scheme: B Corp

Best For: Practical UK standard, simplicity, cost-effectiveness
Recommended Scheme: Good Business Charter

Best For: Maximum consumer value (trust × reach)
Recommended Scheme: Both together — they complement each other beautifully

Thinking about what responsible business looks like for your organisation?
Whether you’re at the start of your journey or already going beyond the basics, understanding the different routes available can help you choose the approach that’s right for you. You can find out more about Good Business Charter accreditation here.