What Does It Mean to Lead a Movement? Jorge Fontanez on the Future of B Lab and Stakeholder Capitalism

Jorge Fontanez kicks off B Lab U.S. & Canada’s new podcast, Get Down to Business: A B Corp Podcast, with a clear message: values-aligned business demands more than good intentions. It requires standards, systems change, and collective action—exactly what B Lab U.S. & Canada is working to support.

The B Corp Movement Is Growing (and Evolving)

On the inaugural episode of Get Down to Business, B Lab U.S. & Canada CEO Jorge Fontanez joined host Lauren Everett, B Lab U.S. & Canada’s Content and Storytelling Manager, to talk about where the B Corp movement has been, and where it’s going next. His message: “It’s time to go deeper.”

B Corps are already known for leading with values. But values without infrastructure, accountability, and action can only take us so far. In a wide-ranging conversation, Jorge lays out the structural changes needed to support real progress across equity, environment, and governance—and the role marketing, policy, and public benefit models must play.

“We now have generations of workers that look to reassure themselves that their company’s values align with theirs,” Jorge says. “And the B Corp certification is one way to do that.”

It’s a perspective shaped not only by Jorge’s role at B Lab, but also by his path to it. Before joining the organization, he spent years working at the intersection of marketing, entrepreneurship, and education—as an executive at global agencies and a faculty member at NYU and The New School. His lived experience—growing up in a Puerto Rican family in New Jersey, navigating corporate spaces as a queer Latinx leader—continues to inform how he approaches leadership today: not as title or tenure, but as presence, humility, and collective vision.

What Is a B Corp, Really?

What does it mean to be a B Corp? Jorge says it comes down to three commitments:

1. Meeting rigorous performance standards. Every Certified B Corp must demonstrate how its operations impact a growing range of stakeholder areas, including workers, community, governance, customers, and the environment. These aren’t self-reported claims: they’re verified, documented, and revisited every three years to ensure continued progress.
2. Adopting a legal structure that locks in mission. B Corps commit to stakeholder governance by changing their corporate structure—often becoming public benefit corporations. This legal shift ensures that decision-making reflects the interests of all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
3. Participating in systems change. Certification is only part of the story. B Corps also commit to shaping the broader economic system—through advocacy, policy influence, and collective action with other values-aligned businesses.
   

“B Corps are better for the world,” Jorge says, meeting Lauren’s opening challenge to define the movement in five words or fewer. But, he adds, “the nuance matters.” The real work begins in how companies operationalize those commitments—and in how the B Corp community continues to raise the bar.

Marketing Got Us Here. Can It Help Get Us Out?

Jorge doesn’t shy away from marketing’s role in today’s systemic challenges. As a former marketer and business school instructor, he knows firsthand how the field has shaped consumer behavior—and, in some cases, driven the overconsumption and short-termism at the heart of extractive capitalism.

“Some would say that marketing is what got us into this mess,” he says. But rather than rejecting the discipline altogether, he calls for its evolution.

“We as responsible business leaders should be taking more time to understand what kind of behavior we’re creating,” he explains. “In an economy that is dependent on consumption, the question is: what does good growth look like?”

It’s not about selling more products to more people. It’s about shifting the entire value chain—from what companies offer to how they market, price, and position that offering. For Jorge, the future of marketing lies in aligning growth with purpose, and in holding a mirror up to the business behaviors we incentivize.

To move forward, he says, we need to redefine the role of marketing itself: not as a tool to drive endless demand, but as a lever for cultural change. One that supports a regenerative economy, centers transparency, and restores integrity to how companies show up in the world.

How the B Impact Assessment Holds Companies Accountable

At the heart of the B Corp certification process is the B Impact Assessment (BIA)—a free, open-source tool that helps businesses evaluate their impact across key stakeholder areas. “Something close to 300,000 companies have accessed the BIA over the course of the last 20 years,” Jorge notes. (Beginning in 2026, current and prospective B Corps will certify against Version 7 of the standards, which introduces new topic-based requirements.)

But interest alone isn’t enough. B Lab raises the bar by requiring documentation, verification, and continual progress. “We’re going farther than just disclosure,” Jorge says. “We’re working in a way that requires companies to demonstrate that they’re doing what they say they’re doing.”

To become a Certified B Corp, businesses must complete a thorough review and submit evidence for their claims. Every three years, they must recertify—not just to maintain status, but to show they’re improving.

That’s what sets B Corp certification apart: it’s not a static badge. It’s an ongoing commitment to accountability and transparency.

Why the Standards Are Evolving

Since B Lab’s founding in 2006, its standards have been among the most respected in the world. But as Jorge explains, rigor alone isn’t enough. The world has changed, so the standards must, too. “We’re redefining what it means to be a B Corp,” he says.

Historically, companies could chart their own path to certification by scoring a minimum of 80 points across the BIA. The updated standards shift that model: rather than a flexible mix of activities, companies must now meet mandatory minimum requirements across eight core impact areas—including climate action, equitable workplaces, and collective advocacy.

This shift from flexibility to consistency raises the bar while also making expectations more transparent.

Jorge is clear: this evolution isn’t about perfection. “We will have failed if we create a set of standards that is unattainable,” he says. The goal is to ensure that every B Corp, regardless of size or sector, meets a shared baseline of impact—one that builds public trust and reinforces the credibility of the movement.

Supporting Companies on the Journey

B Lab U.S. & Canada doesn’t see itself solely as a gatekeeper of standards; it’s also a partner in the journey. As Jorge emphasizes, certification is demanding by design, but the goal is never to leave companies behind. “We’re not trying to create a new elite set of companies,” he says. “This is about making progress, not perfection.”

To ensure that progress is accessible to more businesses—especially those from historically excluded communities—B Lab U. S. & Canada has launched programs like Level, a cohort-based initiative that provides education, resources, and funding to help companies achieve certification. Now entering its fifth cohort, Level is expanding to regional hubs across the U.S. and Canada, helping local businesses find their footing in the B Corp movement.

With a team of just 40 people, B Lab U.S. & Canada can’t scale its mission alone, which is why it relies on an ecosystem of consultants, peer networks, and community leaders to support every step of the certification process, from assessment to improvement to recertification. “Consultants keep us honest,” Jorge says. “They give us more capacity to support the growing community.”

Making the Case to Small and Medium Businesses

For smaller companies considering certification, Jorge is direct about both the challenges and the rewards. Certification requires time, documentation, and sustained effort—but it also delivers long-term value. Two key motivators consistently rise to the top: employee engagement and investor confidence.

“Employees want to know their company’s values align with theirs,” Jorge explains. “And investors see sustainability through the lens of risk. If you’re an insurance company today, you know that climate change is a thing.”

In a market increasingly shaped by transparency and accountability, B Corp certification signals credibility—to your team, your customers, and your capital partners. Jorge emphasizes that impact shouldn’t depend on company size. Smaller businesses play a critical role in the movement, and deserve the tools and support to succeed on their own terms.

Can Multinationals Be B Corps?

One of the most debated topics within the B Corp community is whether multinational corporations (MNCs) should be allowed to certify. Jorge doesn’t shy away from the controversy. In fact, he leans into it.

“To create the level and scale of change that we imagine, we must include the largest companies amongst us,” he says. “Because those companies hold and have decisions over a great number of resources.”

He’s quick to clarify that rigor doesn’t disappear at scale. While the standards are global, they aren’t one-size-fits-all. “They adapt to size, complexity, region, and sector,” Jorge explains. 

“Every company must meet the bar—just in ways that reflect the scope of their operations.”

Multinationals may face added scrutiny—and that’s a good thing, he notes. The goal isn’t to create exceptions; it’s to apply accountability across the board, while remaining focused on systemic change.

Climate Finance, Scope 3, and Moving the Money

For many B Corps, climate action has traditionally focused on operational sustainability—cutting emissions, reducing waste, improving supply chains. But Jorge says the next frontier is financial: where the money sits, and what it supports.

“More than a trillion dollars of investments fund fossil fuels,” he notes. “If we want systems change, we have to move the money.”

That means looking beyond Scope 1 and 2 emissions to tackle Scope 3—the indirect emissions buried in everything from investment portfolios to vendor relationships. And it means building new muscle around climate disclosure, risk analysis, and capital allocation.

Companies like Seventh Generation are leading the charge, auditing their financial relationships and shifting capital toward regenerative, low-carbon alternatives. They’re not just changing how they operate; they’re changing how they invest.

To accelerate this shift, B Lab is convening peer cohorts focused on climate finance and accountability. Through shared learning, collective tools, and bold commitments, B Corps are beginning to move markets—not just within their own walls, but across the financial system.

The goal, Jorge says, is to make climate accountability not just a reporting task—but a strategy. One that channels money, influence, and attention toward the future we need.

Why Policy Engagement Matters

B Lab doesn’t just certify companies—it organizes them. And increasingly, it calls on them to use their voice.

From supporting green jobs legislation in New York to advocating for the Polluters Pay Act in California, B Corps have become a growing force in the policy arena. Jorge sees this as not just a possibility, but a responsibility.

“Collective action is part of what makes this community different,” he says. “We have a community of companies that are willing to mobilize together in response to current action and to shape policy in the future. That kind of community doesn’t really exist anywhere else.”

This isn’t performative allyship or passive endorsement. It’s coordinated advocacy: thousands of businesses aligned around systemic goals, speaking the language of legislation, regulation, and rights.

As backlash against ESG, climate disclosure, and DEI (diversity, equity, & inclusion) efforts continues to grow, Jorge sees policy engagement as an essential counterbalance. That means showing up—not just in the marketplace but at the policymaking table.

Standing Firm on Equity

At a time when DEI efforts are being politicized, Jorge is unequivocal: equity and inclusion aren’t optional add-ons to the B Corp movement. They’re central to its purpose and now formally embedded in the new standards.

“What is being politicized isn’t necessarily political,” he says. “These are human rights issues. And our role in this moment is to protect what has been created.”

As backlash intensifies across public and private sectors, B Lab U.S. & Canada is holding the line. Equity is embedded in the certification requirements and plays a central role in how the B Corp community defines business performance and accountability.

Advice for Business Leaders

For values-led companies exploring certification, Jorge offers both encouragement and clarity. The journey isn’t easy—but it’s worth it.

Here’s where to begin:

• Start with the B Impact Assessment. It’s free, open to anyone, and a powerful way to understand your company’s baseline across key stakeholder areas.
• Join your local B Corp chapter. With more than 30 regional networks across the U.S. and Canada, there are plenty of opportunities to connect, learn, and share resources.
• Talk to other B Corps. Certification is rigorous, but it’s not meant to be done alone. The B Hive is a private online platform where B Corps can find peers, collaborate, and tap into community support that’s built into the movement itself.
  

“Every business leader wakes up concerned not just about the wellbeing of their business, but also of their workers,” Jorge says. “If we’re not doing more to protect our workers’ safety and civil rights, we’re failing them.”

The B Corp movement, he adds, is still writing its story. But if the community keeps showing up—for each other, for higher standards, and for systems change—the next chapter leads to an economy that works for everyone.

Listen and Subscribe. This conversation is just the beginning. Season one of Get Down to Business: A B Corp Podcast is now available on all major streaming platforms. Hear more stories from across the B Corp community here.

This article was developed in collaboration with B Lab U.S. & Canada. B The Change gathers and shares the voices from within the movement of people using business as a force for good and the community of Certified B Corporations. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the nonprofit B Lab.