Celebrating B Corp Month 2026
Alice Dee - Sustainability and ESG Manager
As we begin B Corp Month, it feels like a good opportunity to clearly explain what being a B Corp means to us at Secret Linen Store, how the standards are evolving and what recertification actually involves.
For us, B Corp has never been about surface level statements or one-off campaigns. It is about how the business is run every day. Responsibility sits across the whole company, supported by leadership and shared by our team. It means considering the impact of our decisions on our colleagues, our supply chain, our community and the environment, and being accountable for those outcomes.
We are now approaching our first recertification under the updated 2025 B Lab standards. These standards represent a significant shift. Instead of primarily earning points across a wide assessment, businesses must now meet clearer minimum requirements across specific impact topics. The focus is on consistent performance, governance and measurable outcomes.
So, what does recertification mean?
B Corp certification is not a one-off badge. Every three years, businesses must go through the full assessment process again. This means reviewing policies, updating data, submitting evidence and demonstrating how practices have improved since the last certification. It is not enough to maintain standards. Companies are expected to show progress. Recertification is effectively a full health check of the business through an impact lens. It ensures that commitments made previously are being delivered and that standards continue to strengthen over time.
A key development within the new framework is the introduction of the dedicated Climate Action standard. This requires companies to measure greenhouse gas emissions across Scope 1, 2 and relevant Scope 3 categories, publicly disclose their footprint and develop credible reduction plans aligned with climate science. Climate responsibility must be integrated into business strategy, not treated as a separate project.
The updated standards also strengthen expectations around human rights due diligence, supply chain accountability, fair pay and worker engagement. There is greater emphasis on evidencing implementation, meaning businesses must demonstrate how policies are embedded in practice and monitored over time.
Another important change is the increased use of third-party verification within the certification process. An independent body will review assessments and supporting evidence. This approach aligns with other standards we work to, such as Global Organic Textile Standard certification. Independent verification supports robust environmental claims policies across different markets and ensures that what we communicate is substantiated. If a sustainability claim is made, it must be supported by clear evidence. This helps to prevent greenwashing and reinforces that actions carry more weight than words.
So, what’s next on the agenda for us?
Alongside preparing for recertification, we are working on a carbon emissions project in partnership with Ecologi. We are mapping emissions across our operations and supply chain to establish a comprehensive baseline. We will publish the findings of our Carbon Emissions project and share the results with the wider business and our stakeholders. These insights will give us a clearer understanding of our footprint and guide more focused decisions and actions to reduce it over time. We will be sharing this report during B Corp Month.
For those who would like to explore our broader progress, we publish annual Impact Reports outlining our commitments, what we have achieved and our next priorities. They form an important part of our approach to transparency and accountability. Our next one will be published in July.
B Corp Month is a celebration of businesses choosing to operate as a force for good. For us, it is also a reminder that certification is not a finish line. It is an ongoing commitment to improve, to strengthen our standards and to operate with integrity.
I am excited to dive into the new standards. As expectations continue to evolve, we will continue to evolve with them. We remain committed to building a business that balances purpose and profit in a responsible and credible way.
