B Lab Global Appoints Clay Brown and Anand Sankaran to Key Executive Roles

NEW YORK — B Lab Global, the leader of the nonprofit network behind the B Corp movement, announced on February 16, 2023, the appointment of Clay Brown as Head of Standards, Certification & Product Delivery, and Anand Sankaran as Head of Finance & Administration. These are the first positions of their kind at B Lab Global, marking the organization's transition from a founder-led phase to more scaled governance in response to unprecedented attention on the B Corp movement.

"We are thrilled to welcome Clay and Anand to B Lab. I am confident both are excellent additions to our executive team as we enter this impactful new phase," said Eleanor Allen, CEO of B Lab Global. "Our mission to transform the behavior, culture, and structural underpinnings of capitalism is no small feat. As B Lab expands globally, I will rely on Clay's and Anand's leadership to ensure our core organization and network continue to build creative and proven products and services to realize our vision of transforming the economic system."

Clay Brown: Over 18 Years of Deep Experience in Sustainable Certification

Before joining B Lab Global, Brown brings over 18 years of experience creating and implementing social and environmental programs for mature standards organizations, including Fair Trade USA, FLO-CERT, and the Fairtrade Foundation. In his most recent role as Chief Program Officer at Fair Trade USA, he led teams to develop and implement the "Fair Trade Certified" program, covering standards development, certification, research, and support services to meet customer needs and achieve organizational impact goals. In his new role at B Lab Global, Brown will play a key role in developing, expanding, and scaling existing and new programs, products, and tools, including B Corp Certification.

"I have dedicated most of my career to the sustainable certification industry, ensuring businesses have credible standards and that workers around the world are treated with dignity and fairness," said Brown. "I look forward to continuing this journey at B Lab Global as it takes on the exciting challenge of scaling to meet the demand for responsible business."

Anand Sankaran: Senior Finance Leader, Formerly at Walmart

Sankaran is a senior finance executive with global experience in budgeting, financial planning, and contract negotiation. He most recently served as Senior Director II of Financial Planning and Analysis for the global sourcing division at Walmart Inc., and previously held operational roles at METRO/MAKRO and Procter & Gamble. Sankaran will be responsible for the financial strategy and business model of B Lab Global and its network to effectively and sustainably resource the continued growth of the B Corp movement, and will lead and manage operational strategy and infrastructure to support B Lab Global's growth over the next decade.

"B Lab Global has a unique opportunity and position to truly change the way business operates," said Sankaran. "I am excited to join this team of mission-driven professionals and drive operational excellence to ensure we continue to achieve our organizational outcomes and goals."

Reporting Structure and Organizational Context

Both Brown and Sankaran will serve as members of the B Lab Global executive team and will report directly to Eleanor Allen.

B Lab Global leads the nonprofit network behind the B Corp movement. Its mission is to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. The organization develops standards, policies, tools, and programs for businesses and certifies leading companies—known as B Corps. To date, B Lab Global has impacted over 500,000 workers and has certified more than 6,000 B Corps across 80 countries and 150 industries, with over 200,000 additional companies using the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager to manage their impact. The organization has also driven the passage of over 50 corporate regulations globally, enabling any business to embed stakeholder governance, and more than 10,000 companies have adopted its legal framework. For more information, visit www.bcorporation.net。