Small Roastery, Big Standards: How Bear Lake Is Approaching B Corp Recertification

As we prepare to recertify as a B Corp in 2027, I wanted to share how Bear Lake is approaching B Lab's new V2.2 Standards — and why it matters that a small roastery in the north woods is doing this work.

We live in an era where short-term profit too often gets put ahead of long-term value creation.  B Corp certification pushes back on that, proving a business can chase quality and growth while taking real responsibility for its impact. That mission doesn't only belong to billion-dollar companies; it belongs to a roastery with a handful of employees.  If anything, it matters more coming from us: it proves this isn't just PR for big companies, but something any business can build in.

 One thing I appreciate about the new standards is that they scale with company size — more extensive for larger companies and lighter for Bear Lake as a Micro business. That doesn't mean less accountability. It means proportionate accountability.

They cover seven impact topics:

• Purpose and Stakeholder Governance — acting on a defined purpose, with stakeholders in the decisions
• Climate Action — taking action against the climate crisis
• Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion — inclusive workplaces, equitable communities
• Government Affairs and Collective Action — helping build a fairer, regenerative economy
• Fair Work — good jobs and a positive workplace culture
• Human Rights — treating people with dignity
• Environmental Stewardship and Circularity — stewardship across operations and value chain

Here's where we stand on each: some done, some mid-flight, and some queued up for the months ahead. Rather than wait until everything is polished, I'd rather share the real picture — gaps included, because that is the point. 😊

Purpose and Stakeholder Governance

Companies act in accordance with a defined purpose and embed stakeholder governance in decision making.

Our purpose statement is written, and our engagement mechanisms are largely in place — customer reviews, community events, supplier commitments, employee conversations. What's left is tightening it up: folding our five sourcing principles into the purpose statement, getting it signed, and posting it publicly. We're also writing a grievance procedure, our Speak Up & Fair Treatment Procedure, with a tracker and annual summary, plus a responsible marketing template so our claims stay grounded. And we're scheduling an advisory board meeting before year-end to review our progress.

Climate Action

Companies take action to combat the climate crisis and its impacts.

Large companies must inventory and publicly disclose Scope 1-3 emissions and set science-based net-zero targets. Micro businesses skip all of that. We're only required to publish a climate action plan committing to the 1.5°C goal, with SMART targets, a resource plan, stakeholder engagement, and leadership sign-off, updated every three years, with progress publicly reported starting in year three. We've committed to 1.5°C and are building targets around rooftop solar and plans to add EVs to the fleet. Left to do: resourcing the plan, approval, and publishing it.

Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Companies have inclusive and diverse workplaces and contribute to just and equitable communities.

The standard asks small companies to implement a few concrete JEDI actions rather than build a whole program. We're choosing three, one each from the foundation, workplace, and beyond-the-workplace categories, which puts us ahead of the year-three bar. Our inclusive language guide is written; next is sharing it team-wide and publishing a JEDI statement.

Government Affairs and Collective Action

Companies play a leadership role in fostering shared understanding and implementing solutions toward an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative economy.

We don't lobby, so we meet that piece with a public declaration. Collective action is where we're strongest: we're members of the B Corp Coffee Coalition and B Local Wisconsin, contributing to a From Poverty to Prosperity working group publishing a white paper this fall/winter, we donated to Coffee Watch, and we're building LotLink, a digital traceability tool, now in beta, developed with Emory University to help farmers capture more of the value of their coffee.

Fair Work

Companies provide good quality jobs and have positive workplace cultures.

Most of this is done. What remains is administrative but real: proper offer letters for every worker including our baristas, migrating payroll to a system that puts salary, hourly, contractor, health benefits and 401(k) in one place, a one-page benefits summary so people know what they have, and training our managers on performance reviews.

Human Rights

Companies treat people with dignity and respect their human rights.

We've committed to the UN Guiding Principles, the International Bill of Rights, and the ILO's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work — that commitment now needs to live publicly on our website. On the supply chain side, our Coffee with a Purpose supplier policy has been signed by all of our green coffee suppliers, and every lot we buy is traceable. Next is a documented annual review of our top suppliers against those principles.

Environmental Stewardship and Circularity

Companies demonstrate environmental stewardship and contribute to the circular economy in their operations and value chain.

Formal impact assessments and written strategies required of Medium and Large companies, don't apply to us. We simply monitor waste, energy, and water from day one and weigh environmental impact in our biggest purchases each year. We're already composting coffee grounds, recycling dumpsters, repurposing burlap sacks into totes, and routing landfill waste to a local waste-to-energy plant. We track solar generation — 13 megawatt hours YTD in 2026 — and use liquid propane for roasting. A smart flow meter is installed for our well to measure water extraction.  Next: one consistent way reporting & dashboard measure it all. 

How we're getting there.

We've worked through a detailed punch list with Impact Growth Partners, our B Corp consultants, I wouldn't recommend a small business take this on alone. Their help sorting and aligning our goals against the standards has been invaluable.

None of this makes us a finished product, it makes us a work-in-progress, which is exactly what this should look like for a business our size. We only get to keep roasting great coffee if there's a planet that can keep growing it. Taking care of that isn't separate from our business; it is our business — for the farmers who grow our coffee and the community that shares a cup.

Onward together,

Gabe Damiani
Founder & Head Roaster
Licensed Q Grader | CVA Certified | SCA Roasting Professional

References

B Lab — New B Lab Standards / Performance Requirements
The primary source for the seven impact topics and requirements discussed in this article.

B Lab — About the B Lab Standards
Background on the standards and their role in B Corp Certification.

B Lab — Download the New Standards
Official downloads for Purpose & Stakeholder Governance, Climate Action, Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Government Affairs & Collective Action, Fair Work, Human Rights, and Environmental Stewardship & Circularity.

B Lab U.S. & Canada — Government Affairs & Collective Action
Additional background on responsible lobbying, collective action, and responsible tax practices under the GACA standard.

United Nations — Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
The UN framework referenced in Bear Lake Coffee's Human Rights commitments.

International Labour Organization — Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
Covers freedom of association, forced labor, child labor, discrimination, and safe and healthy working conditions.

B Corp Coffee Coalition
The global coalition of Certified B Corps working collectively on social, environmental, and economic challenges across the coffee value chain.

Coffee Watch
A nonprofit watchdog organization focused on human rights, farmer livelihoods, environmental responsibility, and reform within the global coffee industry.

B Local Wisconsin
Wisconsin's local B Corp community supporting collaboration and collective impact among purpose-driven businesses.

Bear Lake Coffee Co. — Coffee with a Purpose® / Five Sourcing Principles
Bear Lake Coffee's sourcing framework covering traceability, living-income pricing, deforestation, human rights, and long-term producer relationships.