Well prepared for the certification process

Before we get into the best practices for documentation, let’s first take a look at the official, three-part certification process to understand what to expect and when. Once the assessment has been submitted, the first step is the evaluation phase, which looks at how the company is structured. This phase is not yet about checking the assessment questions, but about ensuring that the company is on the right track and is therefore using the right version of the B Impact Assessment for the company. The second step is the verification phase. This is where it finally gets down to business and the information in the assessment is verified through documentation. (Written) documentation includes everything that serves to support and substantiate the information. The assessment team members then receive a so-called “verification report” with a list of selected questions for which the documentation must be uploaded. If, after verification, the company falls below the 80-point mark as a minimum standard, it can then make improvements within three months in the third step in order to reach the minimum mark. Finally, certification takes place.

Anyone working with the B Impact Assessment will sooner or later ask whether and to what extent the information provided in the assessment is verified. The answer is that during the certification process, a representative of the Standards Analyst Team will request and check the underlying documentation or evidence on the basis of a random sample. This means that not all answers are subjected to an in-depth review, which is why it is not necessary to upload all of them to the assessment in advance. The following tips are helpful in the context of preparation:

• It is generally advisable to add a note to the information and answers in the respective question box in the comments column at the beginning of the assessment. This note can, for example, contain a specific reference to the source that contains evidence for the respective information. With 200 questions, it is easy to lose track and a personal note can be very helpful in the course of the process and, above all, save time when the evidence is requested, as this may also be important for the analyst.
• Companies that have specified an Impact Business Model (IBM) can assume that these will be examined in detail in any case. You need to be careful here if you have specified more than three IBMs or receive more than 40 points for two or more IBMs. More than three IBMs and/or more than 40 points are generally not recognized. If this is the case in your assessment, you should check them again and prioritize them for you, e.g. according to the measured impact they generate.
• It is also advisable to prepare your questions for the analysts in advance and, if necessary, to involve colleagues who can provide relevant background information and context.

Documentation is usually written evidence. This can be, for example, a manual or a guideline, a presentation or an e-mail. Here is an overview of the most common forms of evidence:

• Descriptions on the website (e.g. the mission statement)
• Certifications
• Studies carried out or commissioned
• Case studies
• Product presentations
• Annual reports
• Sustainability reports
• Manuals (e.g. occupational safety, employees)
• Surveys (employees, customers)
• Data from certified management systems
• Contracts
• Invoices
• Reports from external audits

In addition, in some cases B Lab can provide a “documentation template” which you then have to fill in. Further documentation tips, especially for the Impact Business Models, can be found here.