What is the benefit of a benefit corporation?
Christopher Martinez
Published Jan 06, 2026
A benefit company structure can allow corporations to: Align sustainability goals with corporate obligations by allowing directors to act outside of their Duty to the Company if they are working to promote the public benefits specified in the company’s articles.
Who benefits in a corporation?
Limited Liability – Corporations provide limited liability protection to their owners (who are called shareholders). Typically, the owners are not personally responsible for the debts and liabilities of the business; thus, creditors cannot pursue owners’ personal assets, such as a house or car, to pay business debts.
What is a benefit corporation examples?
A few examples of well-known benefit corporations include Kickstarter, King Arthur Flour, Patagonia, and Solberg Manufacturing. Benefit corporation legislation is effective in over half the country and numerous states are working on it.
What is a benefit corporation structure?
Benefit corporation status is a type of legal structure for businesses. Benefit corporations are for-profit companies that want to consider additional stakeholders in addition to making a profit for their shareholders. They are not non-profits, hybrids, or charities.
How do I switch to a benefit corporation?
The change is accomplished by an appropriate filing with the Secretary of State or other appropriate filing officer. If your state authorizes both conversions and benefit corporations, you will be able to accomplish the conversion by making a single filing in your existing state of organization.
What is the difference between a benefit corporation and a B corporation?
The B Corp Certification is a third-party certification administered by the non-profit B Lab, based in part on a company’s verified performance on the B Impact Assessment. The benefit corporation is a legal structure for a business, like an LLC or a corporation.
What do you need to know about a benefit corporation?
In most states, a benefit organization must demonstrate that it is upholding its public benefit purpose by publishing an annual benefit report that assesses social and environmental performance using a third-party standard. The report must be sent to shareholders and published on the company’s website.
Are there any states that allow benefit corporations?
As of March 2018, 35 states and Washington, D.C., have passed legislation allowing for the creation of benefit corporations: Connecticut’s benefit corporation law is the first to allow “preservation clauses,” which allow the corporation’s founders to prevent it from reverting to a ‘For Profit’ entity at the will of their shareholders.
How does a public benefit corporation cost the state?
Benefit corporation laws don’t cost the state. Such an entity is administered like any other company type, it’s merely another company choice, and thus, there is no cost to the state. Nonetheless, some states have evaluated this type as an income generator as a result of the potential for the business development of their state.
Where can I find a benefit corporation online?
Find a Benefit Corp 1 Acorn Sign Graphics 2 Advance Humanity 3 Affect Conf, LLC 4 All Across Africa 5 All Good by Elemental Herbs. Allbirds, Inc. 730 Montgomery St. 6 Alliant International University 7 Alter Eco 8 AltSchool, PBC 9 Amavida Coffee and Trading 10 American Prison Data Systems, PBC. Andean Naturals, Inc.