A certifiable certainty

Organic toiletries brand Dr Bronner’s boasts no fewer than 17 certifications which, in 2024, cost it $200,741 (over £150,000) in fees. Among those are highly recognisable names – the Leaping Bunny as proof that the brand’s products are not tested on animals, complemented by accreditation from Vegan Action and The Vegan Society, plus both Fair for Life and the World Fair Trade Organization to denote fair conditions and wages for the workers producing its ingredients.
Yet one big name will soon be conspicuous by its absence – B Corp, which at $35,000 (more than £26,000) a year, makes up over a fifth of Dr Bronner’s certification expenses. After 10 years of being B Corp certified, the brand has decided not to renew this year, citing a number of key concerns with the organisation’s certification process.
Dr Bronner’s is one of several brands that have voluntarily withdrawn from B Corp, calling into question the credibility of not just that specific certification initiative, but the idea of certification as a whole. CEO of fashion brand LAUDE the Label, Carly Burson, has questioned B Corp members’ lack of accountability, publicly announcing the brand’s withdrawal over a year ago. Following suit was Aneisha Soobroyen, CEO of pet food brand Scrumbles, who criticised the certification as “little more than a marketing badge and greenwashing”, confirming the brand’s exit earlier this year. 
Meanwhile, in 2023, the Corporate Accountability Lab published a blog post, listing how certifications like Fairtrade International and Rainforest Alliance were “failing workers and consumers”, by certifying brands using suppliers relying on child labour, wage reduction and hazardous working conditions. Fairtrade has since introduced a child labour prevention programme, as has Rainforest Alliance.
Brands have even come up with their own initiatives, like Lindt & Sprüngli’s Cocoa Farming Program and Nestlé’s Cocoa Plan, subscribing to a self-regulated set of standards rather than a third-party body’s – substituting the logo on the packet for their own, too. Such a track record begs the question – does it still pay to be certified? Or have we reached peak certification, with brands ready to move on?