Welcome to the April edition of our newsletter.
This month, one theme ran through everything we curated: the gap between sustainability commitments and real-world action, and what it takes to actually close it.
Being a B Corp means not waiting for perfect conditions, and this month’s curation made that clearer than ever. Farms restored, factories reimagined, and boardrooms pushed harder. The work is ongoing, and it’s picking up pace.
That same energy runs through the conversations happening at the global level, too. B Lab is evolving, the standards are strengthening, and the case for purpose-led business has never been more grounded in evidence.
As B Market Builder, we are genuinely excited to see so many of you taking that next step, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome the community together at the B Corp Asia Summit 2026 in Kuala Lumpur this June. It’s going to be a powerful two days, and we can’t wait to meet everyone.
As always, we’re here – rooting for your journey, every step of the way.
B Market Builder SEA Team
The ASEAN B Corp Community Just Got Three Strong Additions
We are excited to welcome three newly certified B Corps to the community, reflecting the B Corp movement’s growing momentum across the ASEAN region. 5 ELK a people-first approach to talent and offshore solutions; Above Creative connects creativity with purpose-driven event design; and ZigZag Global is pushing e-commerce returns toward a more circular future.
Opella’s Narita Plant Slashes Emissions by 80%
Opella Healthcare recently opened the doors of its Narita facility in Japan to brand ambassadors and the public to experience how their innovation and high standards are woven into every step of their manufacturing and quality control processes for Over-The-Counter (OTC) medication. The site produces 40 million boxes and 2.2 billion tablets annually, serving 95% of the Japanese market. Driven by a full switch to renewable energy and an electrified heating system, the facility has achieved an 80% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO₂ emissions compared to 2019.
A Living Lab for Regenerative Coconut Farming
Harmless Harvest has opened a Demo Farm in Thailand, transforming the land that just 18 months ago was marked by declining trees, low yields, and heavy pest pressure into a thriving cultivation using regenerative practices. The farm also serves as a living learning center where coconut farmers across Thailand can take home the regenerative methods and apply them in their homeland to build an industry with a net positive impact on both climate and community.
dMRV Driving Low-Carbon City Solutions
PALO IT Thailand, a B Corp-certified global technology consultancy, hosted a knowledge-sharing event on 8 April 2026, bringing together voices from AltoTech Global, CarbonFlow, and sustainability experts to explore how digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) can drive the development of low-carbon cities. The session transformed sustainability commitments into practical, measurable frameworks, reflecting PALO IT’s broader mission of using technology to drive responsible business impact.
New Global Board to Steer B Lab’s Next Chapter
After almost 20 years of the B Corp impact, B Lab is moving to the next chapter with a new global board, marking a significant step in the organization’s evolution toward a more unified international structure. The new Chair, Francine Lemos, former Executive Director of Sistema B Brasil, and the eight-member board bring together B Corp advocates with diverse backgrounds spanning law, policy, entrepreneurship, and systems change from across five continents. The new board will steer B Lab’s next chapter of global impact.
10,000 B Corps Prove Profit Meets Purpose
Back in 2012, B Lab co-founder Bart Houlahan told CNN Money what most of the business world wasn’t ready to hear: profit and purpose don’t have to compete. His vision was a certification that evaluated the whole company, not just a product or practice, making it easier for consumers and investors to identify and back businesses doing genuine good. Over a decade later, 10,000+ B Corps across 104 countries are the proof.
ChangeNOW 2026 Reveals The Real Reason Sustainability Gets Stuck
At ChangeNOW 2026, B Lab’s Clay Brown, Longchamp’s Adrien Cassegrain, and Kite Insights’ Sophie Lomba examined why sustainability strategies stall inside organizations. The answer lies in the absence of clear mandates, decision-making frameworks, and employee agency that breaks the chain. Longchamp’s B Corp journey offered a concrete example of how certification can anchor purpose across an entire organization, while the panel pointed to role-specific KPIs, leadership transparency, and room to experiment as the levers that make commitment stick.
Silence Is the New Greenwashing
B Lab and Creatives for Climate have launched the Greenshouting Guide, a free resource addressing “greenhushing” — the growing corporate habit of going silent on sustainability to avoid scrutiny. Backed by data from Edelman and Harvard Business Review, and case studies from 15+ companies, the guide offers a three-step framework to help brands communicate real environmental progress with transparency and confidence.
No Planet B for Business
B Lab marks Earth Day with a pointed reminder: environmental accountability isn’t a corporate value add-on; it’s the price of doing business on a finite planet. Standards, certifications, and impact measurement only mean something if the planet can sustain them. And B Corps are the businesses this planet and its inhabitants can actually count on.
Why Companies Shouldn’t Stay Silent on Climate
The Greenshouting Guide, developed by B Lab, Creatives for Climate, and Nice and Serious, earned a feature in Fast Company this Earth Month. In her piece, Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet, argues that transparency, not silence, is what separates credible brands in 2026. Companies willing to speak honestly about their sustainability work are the ones building trust and standing out in the market.
Make ESG Your Business Advantage With PINTAR & Fuller Impact
B Corps PINTAR and Fuller Impact are joining forces in Jakarta this May for a two-day hands-on workshop designed to help decision-makers turn ESG from a concept into a concrete business strategy. Built for those ready to move beyond the buzzwords, the event on 19-20 May promises practical frameworks and implementable strategies, not just another panel discussion. Stay tuned for more details.
Asia’s Purpose-Led Businesses Converge in Kuala Lumpur This June
Business as a Force for Good is Good for Business.
Join us at the B Corp Asia Summit 2026 on 22–23 June in Kuala Lumpur for two days of insight, connection, and action. Engage with purpose-led businesses across Asia and extend your experience with optional site visits on 24–25 June to see impact in action.
Stay tuned for more updates! Got questions? Drop us a message at comms@bcorpsea.org.
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