Purpose
The Benefit Corporation form protects the company’s mission over time, committing directors to balance economic goals and common benefit purposes.
Strategic advisory
Becoming a Benefit Corporation and a B Corp
End-to-end support: from drafting the articles of association and the common benefit goals to writing the Impact Report.
Benefit Corporation & B CorpLaw 208/2015 · B Lab StandardsBenefit Corporation
What is a Benefit Corporation?
A legal form that combines the pursuit of profit with a common benefit purpose, operating in a responsible, sustainable and transparent way towards people, communities, territories and the environment.
Companies that create value for business, society and the environment
For profitProfit purpose
Non profitCommon benefit
Benefit Corporation
The intersection of the two purposes, recognised by Italian law since 2016.
In carrying out an economic activity, in addition to the purpose of sharing its profits, they pursue one or more common benefit purposes and operate in a responsible, sustainable and transparent way towards people, communities, territories and the environment, cultural and social assets and activities, bodies and associations and other stakeholders.
Art. 1, paragraph 376 — Law 208/2015
Legal sourceLaw 208/2015 — “2016 Stability Law”ArticleArt. 1, paragraphs 376–383 + annexes 4 and 5
The fundamentals
The four pillars of a Benefit Corporation
Purpose, stakeholders, transparency and management: the four elements that define the Benefit Corporation model and guide the company’s commitment over time.
Who it is for
It applies to almost every type of company: joint-stock companies, limited liability companies, partnerships limited by shares, partnerships and cooperatives. It is compatible with innovative startups, while social enterprises and simplified limited liability companies (Srls) are excluded.
All company typesInnovative startupsCooperatives
Transparency
Annual publication of the Impact Report, which accounts for the results achieved against the common benefit goals using an independent assessment standard, as required by Law 208/2015.
Commitments and compliance
Four main commitments: amend the corporate purpose by notarial deed, balance profit and common benefit, appoint an impact manager and publish the annual Impact Report.
Why do it
The advantages of becoming a Benefit Corporation
From reputation to sustainable finance: eight concrete benefits for companies that complete the journey.
Reputation and trust
Becoming a Benefit Corporation strengthens the company’s reputation, credibility and trust with customers, stakeholders and the market.
Impact measurement
Measure and monitor the company’s social and environmental impact, identifying goals and opportunities for improvement.
Protecting the company’s mission
Embed common benefit purposes, protecting the mission through leadership changes and generational handovers.
Governance and common benefit
Bring the common benefit into governance, balancing economic interests with those of stakeholders, society and the environment.
Efficiency and long-term value
Integrate sustainability into business decisions to improve efficiency and create value over the long term.
Access to sustainable finance
Strengthen your positioning towards sustainable finance instruments and ESG- and impact-oriented capital.
Supply chain competitiveness
Strengthen your positioning as a Benefit Corporation with customers, suppliers, partners and sustainability-minded supply chains.
Tenders, procurement and rewards
Access the rewards granted to Benefit Corporations in specific tenders, public procurement and public initiatives.
The impact report is first and foremost a tool for self-assessment and planning, as well as a safeguard against change.
The journey
The support roadmap
Eight stages that take the company from defining its purpose to writing the Impact Report, with a dedicated contact at every step.
Purpose and stakeholders
Defining the company’s purpose and identifying the relevant stakeholders.
Impact analysis
Analysing impacts and identifying the material topics for the company and its stakeholders.
Common benefit goals
Defining the common benefit purposes, the goals and their targets.
Amending the articles
Drafting the common benefit purposes and amending the corporate purpose and the articles of association by notarial deed.
KPIs and Business Plan
Integrating the common benefit goals and their KPIs into the company’s Business Plan.
Governance and team engagement
Aligning governance and people with the goals and commitments of the Benefit Corporation.
Action plan and monitoring
Defining actions, responsibilities and KPIs to monitor progress towards the goals.
Impact Report
Measuring results and writing the annual Impact Report required for Benefit Corporations.
Impact Report
Writing the Impact Report
The Impact Report is the annual document in which a Benefit Corporation reports on how it has pursued its common benefit purposes, the actions taken and the results achieved, assessing its impact on people, communities, the environment and other stakeholders.
The report accompanies the financial statements and makes it possible to track the Benefit Corporation’s goals over time through indicators and an external assessment standard.
Important
- What it contains Goals, actions, results and impact assessment
- Assessment External standard compliant with the law
- Publication Annual, as required by Law 208/2015
The phenomenon in Italy
Benefit Corporations in Italy: from pioneering choice to widespread model
Benefit Corporations in Italy grew from 442 in 2019 to 5,968 in June 2026: more than a twelvefold increase in just over six years, with 15.6% growth in the last year.
442Benefit Corporations in 2019
5,968Benefit Corporations in June 2026
+15.6%Year-on-year growth
Sources: Benefit Corporation Observatory, Brindisi-Taranto Chamber of Commerce and InfoCamere (June 2026); Il Sole 24 Ore.
B Corp
What is a B Corp?
B Corp™ is a voluntary certification issued by B Lab, an international non-profit. Under the B Lab Standards V2.2 a company no longer needs to reach a minimum score: it must meet all applicable mandatory requirements across seven impact areas, calibrated to its size, sector and geography.
Verification is carried out by an ISO 17021-1 accredited third party. Unlike the Benefit Corporation, it is not a legal form but a certification of the whole organisation.
B Lab Standards V2.2
What the B Corp certification assesses
Since 2026 the old 200-point score has been replaced by mandatory requirements across seven areas, each to be met independently of the others.
Climate action
Strategy and concrete action against the climate crisis.
Purpose and stakeholder governance
Governance focused on people and planet, not only shareholders.
Circularity and environmental stewardship
Responsible and efficient use of natural resources.
Human rights
Respect for human rights across operations and the value chain.
Fair work
Fair working conditions and quality jobs.
Government affairs and collective action
Engagement with institutions and other actors for systemic change.
JEDI
Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
The B Impact requirements align with the main reporting frameworks, such as ESRS/CSRD and GRI: an advantage for companies that already prepare a sustainability report.
The comparison
The differences between a Benefit Corporation and a B Corp
Benefit Corporations pursue the same goals as B Corps but, unlike them, are required to act in accordance with specific legal provisions.
Benefit Corporation
A corporate model provided for and regulated by Italian law, which writes one or more common benefit purposes into the articles of association, together with the related management and reporting obligations.
B Corp
Certification issued by B Lab following verification by an accredited third party, attesting compliance with mandatory requirements across seven impact areas: climate, governance, circularity, human rights, fair work, collective action and JEDI. Requirements increase in the third and fifth year.
How they combine
The three possible combinations
Legal form and certification can coexist or exist separately: three configurations a company can take.
Being both a B Corp and a Benefit Corporation
The most complete configuration: the certification attests the performance, the legal form binds it into the articles of association.
Being a B Corp, but not a Benefit Corporation
The company obtains the certification without amending its articles of association.
Note In Italy, adopting the Benefit Corporation form is the legal requirement set by B Lab. Certified companies must complete the transformation within two years.
Being a Benefit Corporation, but not a B Corp
The company adopts the legal form and its obligations, without starting the certification process.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The questions companies ask us most often before starting the journey.
The Benefit Corporation is a legal form provided for by Italian law: the common benefit purposes are written into the articles of association and entail management and reporting obligations. B Corp is a voluntary certification issued by B Lab based on an assessment of the company's overall impact. The two paths are compatible and often complementary.
It is a certification issued by B Lab that verifies the social, environmental and governance performance of the whole organisation. Under the V2.2 Standards a company must meet all applicable mandatory requirements in seven Impact Topics: Climate action, Purpose and stakeholder governance, Circularity and environmental stewardship, Human rights, Fair work, Government affairs and collective action, Justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). The assessment takes place on the B Impact platform and verification is carried out by an ISO 17021-1 accredited third party. After the first certification (Year 0), the requirements become more demanding in the third and fifth year.
The path starts from the baseline requirements: being a for-profit company operating for at least 12 months, not operating in sectors excluded by B Lab, defining its risk profile and adopting the legal stakeholder governance requirement, which in Italy means becoming a Benefit Corporation. Then come the self-assessment on B Impact, closing the gaps against the applicable requirements, the submission and the third-party audit, up to signing the Declaration of Interdependence. The Green Future Project Group team supports the company at every stage: gap assessment, improvement plan, evidence collection, audit management and amendment of the articles of association to become a Benefit Corporation.
All company types provided for by art. 2247 of the Italian Civil Code (SpA, Srl, Sapa, partnerships and cooperatives) and innovative start-ups. Social enterprises and SRLS are excluded. There are no size thresholds: the choice is open to SMEs too.
Writing and publishing the report every year are legal obligations: failing to do so exposes the company to claims of unfair commercial practices and misleading advertising. That is why we set up the data collection process so that the report remains sustainable year after year.
Benefit Corporation and B Corp
Request a first exploratory call
Tell us about your company and your goals: together we will assess whether the Benefit Corporation form, B Corp certification or both are the right path.
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- A first concrete direction for your ESG goals
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