Home / Benefit Corporation (Società Benefit)
Benefit Corporation
Are you born Benefit or do you become one? Both.
Being a Benefit Corporation is not a label, but a tool to help your business model evolve from traditional to regenerative.
I admit it, I’ve seen benefit things you people wouldn’t believe.
That’s why I always start from a question as simple as it is unsettling: “Why did you create your business?”. The answer tells us whether and how we can help it evolve together.
I support businesses in incorporating a new Società Benefit from scratch or in subsequently adopting the Benefit model
I work alongside the business owner to define the common benefit purposes, which I formulate on the basis of the activities actually carried out so that they are credible and verifiable. I take care of employee training, an essential step, because a purpose not nurtured by employees is likely to remain on paper. I measure the impact generated and prepare the annual impact report, which is required by law.
Services in detail
- Feasibility analysis for adopting the benefit model
- Incorporation of a Società Benefit or adoption of the benefit model under Italian Law no. 208 of 28 December 2015 (paragraphs 376-384)
- Definition of common benefit purposes and drafting of the related articles of association clauses
- Appointment as Impact Manager
- Certified impact assessment and annual impact report
- Definition of impact objectives and related indicators
- Support towards obtaining B Corp certification
- Oversight of benefit communication and prevention of greenwashing risk
- Liaison with the Notary for the corporate formalities related to the amendment of the articles of association
Some of my work
FAQ
What is a Società Benefit?
It is a company that, in addition to making a profit, pursues one or more common benefit purposes and operates in a responsible, sustainable and transparent manner. It is governed by Italian Law no. 208 of 28 December 2015, paragraphs 376-384.
To become a Società Benefit, do I have to change my company’s name too?
Absolutely not. The legislation on Società Benefit only provides the option of adding the words “Società Benefit” or the acronym “SB” to the company name. A business can therefore adopt the Società Benefit model without changing its company name.
Can an existing company become a Società Benefit?
Yes, by amending the memorandum or articles of association to introduce the common benefit purposes. I coordinate the formalities with the Notary.
What is the annual impact report?
Every Società Benefit is required by law to prepare an annual Report on the pursuit of the common benefit, to be attached to the annual financial statements and published on the company’s website. The report must also include an assessment of the impact generated, carried out using an assessment standard as required by the legislation.
It is therefore essential to ensure that the document is properly prepared and made public (attached to the annual financial statements and published on the company website). This obligation falls within the duties of the directors and, to the extent of their remit, of the person responsible for pursuing the common benefit. Any omissions may give rise to corporate liability for the directors, in addition to any administrative consequences connected with filing and disclosure obligations.
Are a Società Benefit and a B Corp the same thing?
No. A Società Benefit is a legal form provided for by Italian law. B Corp is a private attestation (not a certification) issued by B Lab, based on an impact assessment. A company can be a Società Benefit without being a B Corp. Conversely, a B Corp must become a Società Benefit, or adopt an equivalent legal form, if the law of the country in which it operates provides for such a model.