Press Release: Champions Retreat 2026

From Ripples to Waves: B Lab Convenes B Corps and Business Leaders in Milwaukee for Champions Retreat 2026

This year’s flagship event highlights leaders and local policymakers and focuses on how companies can mobilize around collective action, policy, and the launch of B Lab’s new standards.

MILWAUKEE, WI — April 9, 2026 —  B Lab U.S. & Canada is proud to announce that its flagship event for B Corps, Champions Retreat, will be held this month in Milwaukee at the Baird Convention Center from April 21-23, 2026

“We chose Milwaukee because of the region’s bipartisanship, bellwether status during elections, and the power of the local B Corp movement here in Wisconsin.” Holly Ensign-Barstow OR Dr. Ellonda Williams, Co-Executive Directors, B Lab U.S. & Canada. “The city embodies B Corp values through its urban revitalization efforts. Wisconsin passed benefit corporation legislation in 2017, and it was signed into law by a Republican Governor.” 

Champions Retreat draws business leaders from across the United States and Canada for three days of best-practice sharing, engagement around the new B Lab Standards, and building connections with fellow business leaders. The event brings together companies, both small and multinational, as well as business-to-business and large consumer product goods.  

This year’s speakers include keynote addresses from Wawa Gatheru, Founder of Black Girl Environmentalist and Michael McAfee, CEO of PolicyLink to set the stage for how B Corps can inspire each other and come together around collective action. Dr. Kimberly McGlonn, author and CEO of Build it Boldly will emcee the event. 

Wisconsin’s elected officials are also taking notice of this impactful gathering of business leaders. Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Senator Tammy Baldwin, State Representative Ryan Clancy, and State Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin are all confirmed as speakers in the program.

Highlights of the event will include:

• A launch announcement for B Lab’s new policy agenda, which is focused on building support for bipartisan policies to be advanced in state legislatures across the country, such as raising the minimum wage, supporting employee ownership structures, and implementing paid leave.
• Tours and service opportunities for attendees co-hosted with local nonprofit organizations like Urban Ecology Center, Hunger Task Force, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Alliance for the Great Lakes, U.S. Green Building Council, and the Sustainable Business Council. Regional B Corps like Stone Creek Coffee, Lakefront Brewery, Flowers for Dreams, and Radio Flyer will also host tours and workshops at their locations.
• A Black History of Milwaukee tour in the Bronzeville neighborhood, led by Raynetta “Ray” Hill of the Historic King Drive BID and LaShawndra Vernon of Pryme Solutions. Tour stops include America’s Black Holocaust Museum, ThriveOn King, Gallery 507 and HoneyBee Sage.
• Engagement around B Lab’s new standards, in which all Certified B Corporations must meet minimum requirements across seven key impact topics. From climate action and environmental conservation to employee well-being and stakeholder-inclusive decision-making, B Lab’s standards offer a blueprint for businesses seeking to drive positive change and accountability.
• A Ballroom Showcase at Lakefront Brewery on Wednesday, April 22 called “An Afterparty of Pride, Power, and Presence,” featuring Milwaukee’s House and Ballroom cultural community where chosen families (“houses”) compete in expressive performance events (“balls”), a performance rooted in LGBTQ+ Black and Latinx history. This event is open to the public and will raise funds throughout the night for the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center. RSVP here.

“B Lab is in its 20th year of existence, and in that time, we’ve built a framework and community of B Corps that are willing to measure their impact, improve, and implement meaningful change to benefit people and the planet,” said Holly Ensign-Barstow.  “That’s clearer than ever as we gather together as business leaders in Milwaukee to strengthen our ecosystem impact and galvanize around collective action to drive meaningful change, with our new standards to guide us into this next chapter.” 

This year, the theme “Ripples to Waves” captures the idea that individuals and collective action—no matter how small—can generate powerful, lasting impact. 

For more information, please contact: press@usca.bcorporation.net

About Champions Retreat

Hosted by B Lab U.S. & Canada, Champions Retreat is the key catalytic and inspirational event for the B Corp movement in North America, where we’ll connect and mobilize values-aligned people and organizations to advance our shared vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system. Champions Retreat 2026 is a space where movement builders gather to deepen connections, align on purpose, and move from ideas to action. 

About B Lab

B Lab is a nonprofit transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies, known as B Corps, that are leading the way. To date, our community includes 1,000,000 workers in over 10,000 B Corps across 103 countries and 160 industries. To learn more, visit bcorporation.net.