B Corp as a transition tool towards a greener economy

Details

Supervisors

Denis, Sabine

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en ingénieur de gestion

Abstract

Addressing the company’s role in transitioning the system towards a greener economy is of increasing importance in a context of global environmental and social crisis. For instance, considering industrial, tertiary and agricultural sectors for being accountable for a large portion of greenhouse gas emissions, the room for manoeuvre in the corporate world is highly significant. Therefore, several instruments has been put in place, publicly or privately, in order to assess companies’ impact on the society and bring guidelines as well as areas for improvement in empowering business conduct. This paper analyses these standards at a global level and the way of communicating them, notably by reporting on sustainability, and finally puts its focus on the role of the B Corporation Certification as a transition tool towards a greener economy. Through empirical research, the four following questions were addressed: Does the B Corp Certification make it possible to set in motion a process of improvement, in terms of corporate responsibility, within the certified companies? Is B Corp adapted to all kinds of companies? What are the barriers that could prevent a company to certify? Is there an added value observed once certified ? According to certified and non-certified companies’ testimonies, in order to contribute successfully to a systemic change in the actual context, the B Corp tool must, inter alia, be used as a mechanism for structural improvement within companies and should be publicly managed or be elevated at an international legislation level for it to become a new norm.