As B Corp Month 2026 draws to a close, it’s a moment to reflect not just on progress, but on what’s next for the movement…

By Heidi Florence, sustainability advisor, B Corp consultant, and POC’s Ambassador for B Corp.

Products of Change is proud to have a number of B Corp Members in its community, including: Justgood, Talking Table, Pure Table Top, Gibson Games, Creature & Co, Nobody’s Child, and Yellow Octopus.

What is B Corp Month?

B Corp Month is an annual, global campaign. Every year during March, B Lab and the global B Corp community come together to celebrate everything it means to be a B Corp. It’s a moment for B Corps to collaborate with, champion and be championed by others in the B Corp movement whilst raising awareness of what it means to be a B Corp.

This year, to celebrate B Corp Month, I joined POC member, Creature & Co., for an apprentice style scavenger hunt around Marylebone completing challenges and searching for B Corp treasure. We collaborated with fellow B Corp Little Moons, hosting a creative sprint in return for sampling their delicious Little Moons.

The New Standards V2

B Corp Month is a celebration, and it comes at a pivotal time; the new B Lab Standards (V2) have just been rolled out. The new standards move away from individual point scoring to minimum requirements across seven impact topics:

• Purpose and stakeholder governance
• Climate action
• Justice, equity, diversity & inclusion
• Government affairs & collective action
• Fair work
• Human rights
• Environmental stewardship & circulatory

The need for systemic change is clear; the climate crisis is intensifying and societal inequality is growing. The new standards have been developed to lead companies to manage their impact and drive meaningful, sustainable change.

In short, the new standards are raising the bar with more rigour and accountability.

Government affairs & collective action deep dive

One of the impact topics I’ve been most drawn to is Government affairs & collective action.

This impact topic guides companies to look at the influence they can have beyond their own operations; it requires companies to collaborate with external stakeholders and broader systems to maximise impact. This impact topic requires companies to operate responsible lobbying in the countries where they operate, take part in collective action and XXL companies are required to disclose responsible tax practices.

As businesses influence global policy, their role in advocating for social responsibility and fair practices is crucial. By working together with governments and communities, companies can amplify their impact on social and environmental issues, creating lasting change. 

The requirement for companies to engage in collective action to catalyse broader social and environmental impact encourages large companies to leverage their influence and resources.

Collective action

I’ve recently had first-hand experience of taking part in collective action in my own community and the important role local businesses continue to play in the success of our project. In 2024 we started fundraising to rebuild Swanage Skatepark, we kicked off our campaign with a Crowdfunder and hosted multiple fundraising events supported by local businesses.

The support from local business helped us access larger amounts of grant funding and accelerated our collaborative relationship with the local council. As a small group of skaters, we couldn’t have done this alone, collaborating with influential local business owners helped strengthen our reputation as a reputable organisation.

POC thrives on collaboration

Products of Change is founded on the principal of collaboration, bringing together the depth and breadth of the brand and licensing industry to tackle the hurdles to greater sustainability, together. Everything POC has achieved so far, from the Carbon Methodology to the Maturity Index, have been in close partnership with POC Members and Supporters, as change only happens when companies embrace the pre-competitive spirit and rally together to bring about the change our planet so desperately needs.

What’s next?

B Corp is a commitment to people and the planet and continuous improvement. While every B Corp business is unique, everyone is united during B Corp Month and the new V2 standards cement our shared goal to evolve business for the better. 

Heidi Florence
Sustainability Advisor and B Corp Consultant