About the Index

A Public Benefit Corporation is a legal entity incorporated under a state statute (most commonly Delaware, DGCL Subchapter XV). A certified B Corp is a certification from the nonprofit B Lab. They overlap but are distinct: many B Corps are LLCs, and many PBCs never seek certification. A company can be one, both, or neither.

A company belongs in the index if its governance protects its mission through at least one of these structures:

Public Benefit CorporationPBC

Incorporated under a state public benefit corporation statute (e.g. Delaware DGCL Subchapter XV); legally required to pursue a stated public benefit.

Certified B CorporationB Corp

Certified by the nonprofit B Lab against verified social and environmental standards. A certification, distinct from a legal entity type.

Steward-ownedSteward-owned

Ownership structured so control cannot be sold for short-term gain; profits serve the mission and the company governs itself.

Perpetual Purpose TrustPPT

Owned by a trust established for the benefit of a purpose rather than a person, holding the company in mission indefinitely.

Golden ShareGolden share

A special share held by an independent steward with veto rights over mission-critical decisions such as a sale.

Other mission-lockOther

Another credible governance structure that protects mission; see notes.

Scope · U.S. companies, public & private

Every entry carries its provenance: at least one credible source · an SEC filing, charter, press release, the B Lab directory, or reputable news. The search that finds and verifies these sources is powered by Exa. Strong, well-sourced cases are added automatically; weaker ones go for a quick human review before they join the index.

Found an error, a missing mission statement, no logo, or a source worth adding? Every company page has a suggest a correctionlink. Anyone, including a company's own team, can supply the right mission statement, upload a logo, or add a source link. Suggestions are reviewed by a person before they go live, so nothing changes the index automatically.