Presentation at the Italian Embassy. B-Corp, a global certification for businesses. Italian entrepreneurs have shared their experiences and their dealings with the international market with their Albanian counterparts.

TIRANA – More economic benefits, sustainable development, employee appreciation, transparency, and accountability. These are just some of the advantages that B-Corp certification brings to business enterprises, a topic discussed at the residence of the Italian Embassy in Albania this Wednesday evening, offering Albanian enterprises the opportunity to become part of this certification.

B-Corp, or Benefit Corporation, is a certification awarded to enterprises that adhere to economic, social, and environmental sustainability criteria. These criteria, assessed within the framework of the B Impact Assessment (BIA), refer to five key areas: employees, community, customers, environmental impact, and governance model. Based on international research, B-Corp certification brings greater success to businesses and increased revenue.

Italian entrepreneurs shared their experiences with this initiative with their Albanian colleagues. The speakers presented to the attending entrepreneurs the benefits for their companies, such as enhanced reputation and economic growth resulting from obtaining B-Corp certification.

A detailed presentation on this matter was delivered by Dr. Paolo Rossi, founder and director of “Promos Srl Sb,” the Italian company promoting the event, which is responsible for advancing B-Corp standards and highlighting opportunities in Albania, alongside representatives of “B Lab Europe,” the European subsidiary of the consortium that issues the certification.

“The B-Corp movement is a global initiative, part of tens of thousands of agendas that have been certified in the last decade. Europe is expanding, and we have come to Albania to bring this opportunity to Italian-Albanian or Albanian companies, enabling them to become part of this important network. B-Corp certification is perhaps the most significant global certification today, and major companies seek it to demonstrate their commitment to social, environmental, and economic responsibility, as well as to a fair and balanced economy,” said Dr. Rossi.

He explained that Albanian investors have a substantial opportunity, and in a European context, B-Corp certification prepares companies for the demands of the market.

Meanwhile, the Italian ambassador to Albania, Marco Alberti, emphasized that Italy places great importance on this new perspective in entrepreneurship.

“We decided to organize this first event dedicated to this topic at the Italian residency. We invited entrepreneurs, managers, and business operators because we want to raise awareness about the benefits of B-Corp certification for corporations in terms of the future, but also about the importance of attracting and retaining talent. Young people today seek innovation and prefer to work for companies that are more responsible and conscious of environmental and social impact. We believe that one of the key priorities is to enhance the quality and level of entrepreneurship in Albania. In Italy, we are also working hard on this issue. We already have about 315 companies in Italy that have achieved the status of benefit corporations, and we believe it is a fantastic way to attract new investments, as B-Corp companies tend to secure more investments that are both high-quality and sustainable,” said Ambassador Alberti.

The month of March has been designated as B-Corp Month, launching an annual global campaign that unites nearly 10,000 B-Corp certified corporations across more than 100 countries and 160 industries. B-Corp certification is highly valued in the European market and by international institutions, making its expansion a crucial factor both for improving Albania’s business climate and for attracting foreign investment and facilitating access to credit.

Through this organized event, the goal is to promote the global movement of B-Corp enterprises, encourage activities that support the structural transformation of enterprises to become more inclusive and sustainable, and foster the certification of entrepreneurial entities operating in Albania.