How do the Belgian B Corps manage bottom line conflicts ?

Details

Supervisors

Swaen, Valérie

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [60] en sciences de gestion

Abstract

Over the last decades, there has been a realization that for-profit business can play a role in the current societal challenges, leading to a new hybrid form of companies that combine social and environmental value creation with commercial activities. Among these companies, B Corps, validated their mission through an external certification. Because combining economic and non-economic creation is challenging and can lead to tensions, the aim of this research is to understand the tensions B Corps face due to their hybrid nature, and how does the B Corp certification intervene in the resolution of this tensions. The interview of six Belgian B Corps allowed us to identify internal disparities as the main source of tensions B Corps face. These tensions seem to be linked to the nature of the B Corps, namely their level of mission integration, mission origin and dominant logic, which can provide an environment either limiting or favoring tensions. The certification also as an impact on tensions as it allows certified companies to attract like-minded employees and is an opportunity to review the entire organization, limiting disparities. However, the certification can also lead to some tensions, which are necessary for companies to improve their mission.