Bookshop.org has been certified as B Corporation, a designation the B Corp movement uses to indicate that a company meets high standards of social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability to stakeholders, rather than just shareholders. As Bookshop said, "The certification demonstrates the platform's commitment to sustainable and ethical shopping." There are just 4,750 B Corp businesses globally. B Corps must undergo recertification every three years.
Andy Hunter, CEO of Bookshop.org, said: "Achieving B Corp certification is something we have been working towards since we first launched. While Amazon gains notoriety for its lack of ethical shopping options, we are delighted to be recognized for our efforts to offer an alternative that is better for our bookstores, the communities they serve and the world around us.
"Our customers shop with us because they want to support independent bookstores, should they not be able to visit their favorite indie in person. Bookshop.org's recognition as a Certified B Corporation business reaffirms our mission to create a more sustainable alternative to buying books online."
Bookshop launched in January 2020, just before the pandemic hit the U.S., and has raised almost $20 million for independent bookstores. Bookshop also launched a U.K. site in November of 2020, which has generated more than £2 million (about $2.6 million) for stores in the U.K.