B Corp certification in the age of fast fashion: Using hierarchical clustering and correspondence factor analysis to highlight social entrepreneurial advancement in the fashion industry

Abstract

To highlight the potential mechanisms heterodox actors use to create meaningful change within established sectors, we examine how B Corps in the fashion industry overcome institutionalized standards of social and environmental mistreatment. Using hierarchical clustering and correspondence factor analysis we provide a content analysis on the self-descriptions of 102 fashion B Corps. We discover that B Corps in the fashion sector focus their social entrepreneurial efforts on their product design, business design, and auxiliary activities to achieve the high standards of social and environmental impact required to obtain B Corp status. Post hoc analysis further distinguishes the foci of B Corps from those of their (non-B Corp) competitors. We discuss the implications of this work for the study of entrepreneurial nonconformism and social entrepreneurship and identify fruitful directions for future research.