In a recent Instagram post, Fat and the Moon shared that it’s decided not to become a certified B Corp. The indie brand explained, “While paying to play is a part of business, we’ve started to deeply question the necessity of certifications for us to communicate our commitment to our values. It’s no small investment, in terms of time and money, for a small business like ours to get a certification. We would much rather take the time and energy certifications that require and put it directly into our business to support the real deal enactment of our values.”
Fat and the Moon’s decision got us thinking about the value of certifications to consumers and brands, particularly smaller brands on tight budgets. With that in mind, for the latest edition of our ongoing series posing questions relevant to indie brands, we asked 20 brand founders and executives the following question: Do you think certifications are worth the time and money they take to get?
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Sydney Dake Founder and CEO, Gntl Gntl is a newly launched company, and while we have pursued some certifications, at this stage we have made the decision to dedicate our resources towards product development, rigorous testing and sourcing the best materials and packaging. Certifications are important, but newly formed companies, even those that comply with clean and sustainable practices, have to make tradeoff decisions.
We understand the importance of third-party validation for customers as they turn a critical eye towards the companies they support, particularly large conglomerates that have been doing things the same way for a long time. I believe being held to a standard, offering with transparency and education to inform purchase decisions is a positive thing and bodes well for independent brands who are "doing the right thing" from the jump.
We have secured Leaping Bunny cruelty-free status and are working towards certification with EWG. And while we have developed our products to be in alignment with Cradle to Cradle, B Corp and Ecocert, we have chosen, for the most part and for the time being, to allocate our resources to creating exceptional products that are well-tested and meticulously formulated.
- Bob Mah Founder, Urth Skin Solutions
Fat and the Moon made the right call, especially for a small indie brand. These certifications are expensive and tedious for a small brand, often requiring time and financial commitments that are hard to justify. The value is simply not there as most consumers do not understand the significance of a B Corp.
A little over two years ago, we made the decision to reformulate our products and remove some ingredients that had become controversial due to the clean beauty movement. The changes were minimal since we were already fairly clean. Various organizations have approached us to certify Urth products as "clean," but we have always declined.
For Urth, we remain committed to using the best and most effective ingredients moving forward, and we do not need certifications to uphold this promise. Additionally, most of our direct-to-consumer and retail partners see very little value in those certifications.
- CECE MEADOWS Founder and CEO, Prados Beauty
Fat and the Moon's recent decision to forego B Corp certification sparks a vital question. Are certifications truly worth the time and financial investment for businesses, particularly smaller ones? As a small, indie-owned beauty brand, I resonated so much with their statement and their reasoning. I wholeheartedly agree 150%.
The value of certifications, whether it's B Corp, fair trade, organic or others, is a complex issue. On the one hand, they can provide a shorthand for consumers. These badges are intended to signal that a business is committed to ethical practices, sustainability and social responsibility. For ethically minded consumers, certifications streamline decision-making and offer peace of mind.
However, as Fat and the Moon argues, certifications create barriers. The process can be time-consuming, expensive and favor larger businesses with dedicated resources. Small businesses might already be embodying sustainability and ethical practices, but lack the capacity to navigate the formalization process.
In this way, certifications can accidentally exclude the very businesses they're intended to champion. At Prados Beauty, for instance, we work closely with our manufacturers and component makers to ensure we are using the highest quality ingredients and that the workers who are employed to make our products are paid a living wage and working in good working conditions. These are things we are able to control without having to pay for certifications that boost and signal the fact that these businesses have investors or are owned by large conglomerates.
Moreover, there's the growing critique of "greenwashing" or "ethics-washing.” Just because a company carries a certification doesn't guarantee unimpeachable practices. Scrutiny of certain certification bodies has revealed a lack of rigor and potential conflicts of interest. It's time to rethink our reliance on certifications as the primary indicator of business ethics.
Here's where my passion lies: Instead of relying exclusively on certifications, we should cultivate a culture of informed consumers. Resources and tools that empower individuals to research companies' sourcing, labor practices, and social impact are essential.
Prioritizing transparency: Businesses, regardless of size, need to embrace radical transparency. Clear, accessible breakdowns of their practices build trust without the need for costly third-party validation.
Supporting regulatory frameworks: Rather than depend on voluntary certifications, a stronger emphasis should be placed on baseline regulatory standards that safeguard the environment and human rights across all industries.
Certifications play a role, but they are not a panacea. Fat and the Moon's decision challenges us to examine the very systems we use to measure corporate responsibility. True accountability comes from a deep commitment to values, transparency of practices, and a consumer base invested in making informed choices that align with their ethics.
I, for one, am a beauty founder who takes the care, expectancy and cultural responsibility to be ethical to a higher standard. I don't have to spend money on a cert to say or do that.
- Jana Blankenship Founder, Captain Blankenship
I firmly believe that small responsible businesses should not have to invest resources in certifications, but only if they want to. Companies that are run with integrity in terms of environmental and social responsibility like the incredible Fat and the Moon are easy to identify since they wear their values loud and proud on their websites, packaging and social media.
As Captain Blankenship is a B Corp, MadeSafe-verified, 1% for the Planet- and Leaping Bunny-certified, I know firsthand what a huge investment of time and resources it is for a small brand to get certifications and to keep them.
For me personally, B Corp was always my North Star for Captain Blankenship, which we achieved in 2017. To me it is more than just a certification you can see on our bottle, but a way to make sure that as we scale we continue to make people and planet top of every decision we make.
It is a rigorous and time intensive process, and you need to recertify every four years, so it means you cannot slide. The certification process is the same no matter what size you are, and B Corp helps you keep improving to be better. We need larger corporations to be joining this movement and committing to new goals for their sustainability and labor practices.
It also means that we are part of a global community of businesses of all sizes that are working to be a force of good. We help support each other, share resources and leverage our power for the planet. Through B Corp, we have joined the B Beauty Coalition, an ever-growing group of B Corp beauty brands nationwide that are working together to transform the beauty industry.
We lobbied with NY Businesses for Climate Justice with B Corps like Seventh Generation and SunCommon. For me, B Corp is not just a certification, it is a global community of businesses that lead with environmental and social responsibility at their core.
With our 1% for the Planet certification, it has held us accountable for donating at least 1% of our annual revenues to environmental nonprofits. Through one of the nonprofits we partner with, GreenWave, a nonprofit that focuses on regenerative ocean farming, we have met many collaborators including a new ingredient supplier that we are partnering with on a new product launch this fall and future products.
- Jamika Martin Founder, Rosen Skincare
As a small brand, our dollars are incredibly important to us, so sometimes certifications just don't make sense. Why would I spend money to become a certified Black- or woman-owned brand when I am the very clear face of my brand?
I think there are other areas like maybe cruelty-free or things like that that could make more sense. But, honestly, if you're a very transparent and founder-forward brand, I think you can tell that story much more directly and impactfully than just having a badge.
- Laura Burget Co-Founder, Three Ships
In my view, certifications are 100% worth the time and money. Three Ships has undergone some of the strictest verifications in the industry and is EWG Verified and B Corp-certified. The lengths that these organizations go through to do their due diligence is extensive, and due to the amount of time that they spend making sure that they get the facts right, it's completely understandable that they need to charge what they do.
In my experience, if a certification is cheap, it means it's generally very easy to get, and therefore doesn't really mean much to have on your pack. The beauty industry is unfortunately so poorly regulated that this is why these external certifications need to exist.
Consumers are more confused than ever about what terms like "sustainable,” "natural" and "clean" mean. Having third-party certifications gives them a sense of confidence that you have the facts to back up your claims.
- JACQUELINE CARRINGTON Founder and CEO, People of Color
I believe this question depends on the brand and the product/service and claims being presented to the public. For some, it does make sense and gives consumers peace of mind knowing that a brand took the extra steps to ensure their product or service meets certain standards and claims. To others, although it is nice to have certifications, it just doesn't make financial sense and/or doesn't reflect increased consumer behavior for the brand.
A certification I was encouraged to get by a major retailer during brand introductions was becoming a certified Black-owned business. I was immediately turned off as I am already Black and my business operates and stands on its own and happens to be Black-owned.
I felt the pressure to "certify" my Blackness was to appease them and just another way for them and others to check a box that they are working with diverse suppliers. When I expressed my disinterest in going that route in order to work with them, the conversation ended shortly after, and I never heard back to move forward in the supplier process.
On the other hand, our nail polishes are vegan and cruelty-free. We are proudly Leaping Bunny-certified. I do feel this was an added value to our brand for consumers who are looking for vegan and/or cruelty-free products or are wanting to shop more ethically to know that we aren't just claiming to be a vegan and cruelty-free product because it's in, but have gone through the process to prove that we actually are.
- Karen Albors Founder, Sauca Botanicals
It's encouraging to see large companies recognizing the importance of improving their social and environmental impact to stay relevant. Certifications like B Corp offer a path for brands to rehabilitate their reputation or affirm their commitment to ethical values. These certifications help consumers align with brands that share their values, reflecting a growing demand for ethical standards.
However, the legitimacy of these shifts in big companies remains questionable, and small businesses often struggle to obtain such certifications. Creating scalable guidelines tailored to the diverse circumstances of small businesses would be ideal.
Nevertheless, advocating for values through brand messaging can be an effective way to demonstrate commitment to social and environmental wellness, potentially even building stronger consumer trust than certifications alone.
In today's era of heightened consumer awareness, honesty and transparency in communication are paramount. While certifications are valuable, they are not the only means to convey a brand's dedication to ethical practices.
- Camille Bell Co-Founder and CEO, Pound Cake
Some certifications can be helpful in certain circumstances, and in other cases, I do not think they’re worth the hassle. From my own understanding, the National Eczema Certification is extremely expensive. However, when brands have that badge/certification, another level of validity is unlocked. For that, I feel it’s worth it.
I feel like the average consumer doesn’t really know what it means when a brand is a certified B Corp. There are a lot of brands that do not have that certification, but their messaging, who they partner with and how they show up in the industry are more beneficial than going through the hassle of a certification.
- J.P. Mastey Founder, Corpus
My general thoughts on B Corp, climate neutral and plastic neutral is that it’s better to actually make the efforts to reduce your footprint in a more foundational way versus paying to offset. We use 100% PCR in our new bottles versus virgin and then are paying to offset what we did. Same goes for climate neutral. We use solar and hydroelectric factories for climate benefits.
Badges or icons aside, we do the work regardless of acknowledging it via a paid partner. I am not against these initiatives and some help to shed light on what can and should be done. The rabbit hole of climate neutral we went down helped us to better understand the impact of virgin aluminum shipped from the EU versus the lower impact of PCR locally made.
But, as of now, paying companies to sort of give us a pass is not money well spent for us. It reminds of the controversy of all the private jets flying to the climate conference.
I do want to reinforce that for some companies, B Corp, climate neutral, etc., can help the overall situation/education, but should really be seen as a stop gap until they can hopefully operate with better environmental impact from the get-go.
- NACHÉ THOMPSON Founder, NaChé Cosmetics
As someone constantly searching for early-stage capital, I know that many funding opportunities are tied to certifications. If the goal is to raise money, I see the value in getting these certifications. Certifications are worth the time and money if a company needs them in order to acquire funding.
If not needed for those reasons, I think the time to go get certs is when a company has a surplus of money and someone on the team with a lot of time to dedicate to the process. In the meantime, founders can communicate their values and identities to the communities they serve simply by keeping in touch with them.
- Sara Happ Founder, Sara Happ
Communicating your company's values, standards, partnerships and priorities matters most to me. Transparency is key to earn consumer trust, and to maintain integrity. It may come formally like a certification, or informally like a corporate commitment to a cause or standard. We just need to let our customers know who we are and why we make the decisions we make.
- DAVID JENKINS Founder and CEO, Marie Ernst
In theory, B Corp certifications aim to foster comprehensive stakeholder governance, requiring companies to consider the impact of their decisions on workers, customers, local communities, society and the environment. However, based on my experience working at a B Corp-certified corporation, I believe these certifications may not always justify the time and financial investment required to obtain them.
For example, while employed as a cashier, I had extensive customer interaction and witnessed firsthand the company’s promotion of its B Corp certification. Despite this, internal practices seemed at odds with the ideals touted by the certification. Efforts to prevent unionization contradicted the principle of considering worker input in decision-making.
This discrepancy between their public image and their internal practices showed a misalignment that customers are often unaware of and may not deeply care about. Most customers were more concerned with product prices and company ownership changes than with our B Corp certification status.
The acquisition of our company by a Korean brand shifted customer focus entirely towards potential price increases, which did materialize and prices went up. This reaction underscores a disconnect between the perceived value of B Corp certification and the factors that truly influence customer loyalty and satisfaction.
From my experience working for the company for over five years, it appears to me that B Corp certification can sometimes serve more as a self-congratulatory badge for companies than a marker of genuine, impactful organizational behavior. When the founders come through the store and don’t engage and greet the employees, you get an up-close understanding of what’s actually going on, their intentions and why they decided to get certified.
Unless companies commit to the substantive change that B Corp certification is designed to promote, the effort and expense of obtaining such credentials might not be worthwhile, especially if the certification does not translate into meaningful operational improvements.
- EBRU KARPUZOGLU Founder and CSO, AveSeena
Certifications like B Corp are meant to show that a company is serious about its social and environmental responsibilities, which can help build trust with customers. However, getting these certifications isn't easy or cheap, and it can take away valuable resources from a small company.
Fat and The Moon decided not to pursue B Corp certification, choosing instead to use their resources to directly support their own values rather than spending them on the certification process. As an entrepreneur, I fully understand and agree with their approach. The meaningful certifications should truly add value to the products and benefit the customers. Investing in certifications that actually improve product quality and promote responsible innovation is much more beneficial than just getting certifications for the sake of having them.
Depending on your product, National Eczema Association (NEA) Seal of Acceptance, MyMicrobiome or S.A.F.E. Seal, NSF/ANSI305 or COSMOS certifications are great examples of seals/certificates rooted in the idea of scientific knowledge above other parameters that may not be as easily validated and help provide a superior product.
This strategy is especially smart in today's economic climate because it helps save resources and builds more trust with customers. It showcases a company’s dedication to transparency and quality with active implementation of their values and clear communication, which positively affects customer trust and satisfaction, affirming that each certification investment significantly benefits the overall customer good.
Moreover, Fat and the Moon's skepticism towards multinational corporations with poor track records obtaining certifications underscores a critical viewpoint. It questions the rigor and sincerity of this certification process, thereby reinforcing their decision to prioritize genuine value over formal endorsements.
- RAEDAWN JOHNSON Founder, Balaeyon
For Balaeyon, being certified as a woman-owned and minority-owned business through Amazon's program may or may not have had a noticeable impact on our direct-to-consumer sales. While these certifications can demonstrate a commitment to diversity and may open up opportunities with certain partners or clients who prioritize such criteria, their direct impact on consumer behavior may be limited.
The process of obtaining certifications can be time-consuming and require significant paperwork, which may not always translate into tangible benefits for every business. Additionally, the level of awareness and importance placed on certifications by consumers can vary greatly. Some consumers may actively seek out products from certified businesses, while others may not pay much attention to such designations.
Ultimately, the decision to pursue certifications should be based on a careful assessment of potential benefits for the specific business, including potential partnerships, access to certain markets, and alignment with brand values.
- Ciara Imani May Founder and CEO, Rebundle
Becoming B Corp certified has always been a long-term goal of mine. I'm subscribed to their newsletter to keep tabs on what changes are coming down the pike and use their assessments to keep us on track for our sustainability efforts, for example.
These certifications are extremely costly and usually only benefit companies that can afford them. We evaluate certifications on a case-by-case basis such as the USDA Biopreffered certification and only need these types of industry checkmarks for areas our customers care most about.
- TIFFANY DANIELS-SY Founder and CEO, Lorray & Co
Depending on the product category, certifications can have a positive impact on your company. Having a B Corp certification is extremely important if your company is making conscious, social and environmental claims. Customers rely heavily on brand transparency when it comes to marketing sustainable practices and use of ingredients. IMO, it is worth the cost to be B Corp certified.
- Bonnie Chao Senior Product Development Manager, Luxy Hair
Luxy Hair’s Vegan Action certification was not a small investment, Beyond the monetary investment, it required a significant dedication of time and effort.
At Luxy, we pride ourselves in creating high-quality products that are not only cruelty-free, but also devoid of any animal by-products, which is not an easy development process. With the amount of work we dedicated to creating our haircare products, we wanted to make sure this was captured correctly to really help differentiate our products from all the noise in the market.
There are a lot of marketing claims in the industry regarding products being vegan, but a lot of these claims are unregulated, so it’s easy for a lot of brands to say their products are vegan. A lot of customers, even myself included, can’t decipher an ingredient list, and transparency can be elusive without regulation.
For us, the investment to obtain this certificate made sense to really help highlight how much work and effort went into selecting the ingredients to develop our haircare products. Developing a product with only vegan ingredients is harder than you’d think because it requires a lot of review to ensure every ingredient meets the strict requirements that Vegan Action requires, and we have to ensure efficacy.
It’s not an easy process, and that’s why not a lot of companies have this certification. Luxy’s the only hair extensions brand that offers a 100% vegan-certified hair care brand. This certification helps keep us accountable and guides us to make the best decisions with our animal friends in mind.
- Amy Sveda President, Luxy Hair
My perspective is that the true measure of any individual or organization is how they conduct themselves when no one is looking. The fundamental values of a company should be inherent in the day-to-day actions taken by its individual members and the collective entity. For an organization that is committed to doing right by the environment and operating ethically, it's critical first and foremost that individuals hold themselves accountable.
Certifications are the next layer in providing reassurance to the external customer that they are investing their dollars in a product they can feel good about and aligning with a brand that shares their values. It alleviates the need to do further research as the process of obtaining these certifications does it for them.
- Emily Yeston Co-Founder and CEO, Doré
When we began building Doré, we knew we wanted to find a credible third-party certification to hold us to a high standard of safety when it came to our product formulations because the clean beauty space is so fraught with uncertainty and a lack of defined standards. That is why we chose to formulate to EWG Verified standards and are very proud of our EWG Verification certification on all of our skincare products.
We are not chemists or dermatologists nor are we researchers who know the latest in ingredient safety science. We look to EWG and their team of scientists and toxicologists to hold us to the highest standards of beauty safety so our community can trust that we are providing them with the safest products on the market. It’s an investment, but one that we continue to feel is well worth it.
If you have a question you’d like Beauty Independent to ask beauty brand founders and executives, please send it to editor@beautyindependent.com.
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