Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT): EU Requirements and B Corp Certification
Beginning September 27, 2026, the European Union’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive will require that any sustainability certification or label used in consumer marketing within the EU meet new criteria for transparency, inclusivity, and independent third-party verification.
To meet this directive, B Lab is introducing a third-party audit mechanism under the V2.1 B Corp standards.
What this means:
Responsibility lies with each company: Companies that market or sell to EU consumers are legally responsible for ensuring that the certification schemes they use are compliant with ECGT.
Your current certification remains valid with B Lab—but may not meet EU law: If you are certified under V1.6 (formerly known as V6 or the old standards), B Lab will recognize your certification until your next recertification, whenever that is. However, because V1.6 does not include the independent audit step required by the Directive, it will not be fully compliant with the new rules on EU marketing that start to apply from September 27, 2026. Companies continuing to use the B Corp logo or make related claims under V1.6 do so at their own risk, including possible legal or reputational exposure.
Certification/Recertification: When companies certify or recertify under V2.1, their certification will fully comply with these ECGT EU requirements.
Our recommendation:
We recommend that all B Corps directly selling or marketing to consumers in the EU certify or recertify under V2.1 by September 27, 2026 to maintain compliance and confidently use the B Corp logo in the region. B Lab will offer an interim agreement for companies unable to recertify on V2.1 by September 27, 2026, which relieves B Lab of any risk associated with using the B Corp logo that was achieved on V1.6 after Sept 27, 2026.
For more details, see:
B Lab Standard Update: Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive
Source of this update:
This summary is based on consultation with Emma Bichet, Special Counsel at Cooley Brussels, who leads Cooley’s ESG and Sustainability Advisory Practice in Europe. Emma and her team advise global companies on sustainability, labeling, and consumer-protection compliance under evolving EU regulations. We highly recommend Cooley Brussels for companies seeking tailored legal guidance on ESG and EU compliance matters. Bichet, Emma <EBichet@cooley.com>
We’ll continue to share updates and help you prepare for these changes. If you’d like to discuss your transition timeline, please contact us!