B Corps and JEDI: Why Support, Community and Expert Guidance Matter More Than Ever

A Practical Guide to Thriving Under the New JEDI Standards

The new B Corp standards are here, and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) is now a major part of what it means to operate responsibly.

And like every other B Corp, we’re learning too.

As companies begin to understand the new requirements and the implications for strategy, governance, leadership development, recruitment, sustainability and culture, one thing is becoming clearer by the day:

Nobody can do this on their own‍... Not even the most committed organisations

The new JEDI framework is bigger, deeper and more demanding than anything B Corps have had to evidence before. It requires data, accountability, long-term planning, leadership training, expert insight and regular evaluation.

This is why the role of trusted third-party support is going to be essential. Not as an option. Its essential to keeping that B Corp standing.

And this is exactly where Includability is already operating.

We’re navigating the shift ourselves as a B Corp, while supporting more than 100 organisations, clubs and communities to embed the kind of cultural, governance and leadership structures these new standards require.

So while companies are lifting the lid on JEDI for the first time, we’ve already built the ecosystem designed to help them get there.

The Rise of Third-Party Support in the New JEDI Era

The new B Corp standards acknowledge a truth many organisations have felt for years:

You cannot build justice, equity, diversity and inclusion without expert support, lived-experience guidance and long-term partnership.

Companies know their values.
They know what they want to stand for.
What many lack is the structure, clarity, training and specialist insight to turn ambition into measurable, sustained change.

This is why Includability has become such an important space for employers, and why the JEDI shift only reinforces the need for community-powered, third-party support.

Our Verification Partners, CSGs, mental health and wellbeing frameworks, sustainability expertise and upcoming Leadership Academy give organisations exactly what the new JEDI requirements ask for:

• independent review and accountability
• expert evaluation
• structured learning and leadership development
• long-term behaviour change
• ongoing support
• community insight
• a safe space to learn, improve and question

We’re not here to judge companies.
We’re here to help them build the capability they need to meet a global standard that is rising rapidly.

And we’re walking the same path too.

Why Includability Is Perfectly Placed to Help B Corps Navigate JEDI

B Corps now need to demonstrate the very things our Verification Partners (VPs) already assess, review and help organisations to build.

Our VP team is made up of some of the most trusted people in their fields:

↳ Diversity & Inclusion: Sara Matthews – Includability/ODiSEE
↳ Sustainability: Laura Slack – B Corp consultancy
↳ Leadership & Governance: Will Cleare – The HR Agency
↳ Wellbeing: Matt Lock – Outliers Wellbeing
↳ Mental Health: Michael Lloyd – Workplace Mental Health Charter
↳ Talent Management: Jon Hering – Talent Mapper

These aren’t box tickers. They’re system builders. People who know how to take standards and translate them into culture, processes, leadership behaviours and long-term organisational change.

And our approach is already aligned with what the new JEDI requirements ask for:

• Data, insight and accountability (mirroring the expectations in JEDI, PLEDIS and other frameworks)
• Clear governance responsibilities and leadership commitment
• Long-term strategies, not one-year action plans
• Evidence-based reporting, employee feedback and honest baselining
• Support across protected and non-protected groups, recognising intersectionality
• Education, learning and capacity building, not just policy writing
• A structured verification process that identifies strengths, challenges and recommendations

If B Corp is the destination, Includability is the map, the tour guide and the friendly person making sure you’ve eaten enough and aren’t walking around in the wrong shoes.

Experience Across Sectors That Need JEDI the Most

The new standards aren’t just for typical purpose-led SMEs. JEDI touches every sector, and we’re already supporting inside some of the most complex, high-pressure environments where culture change comes with challenges.

Football and Sport

We support Premier League clubs and sports organisations who are operating against some of the most stringent and publicly scrutinised EDI frameworks in the UK. The FA, PLEDIS and EFL EDI systems are essentially high-performance JEDI in action, built on leadership, data, learning, accountability and behaviour change.

This experience translates beautifully to B Corps now being asked to strengthen governance, representation, wellbeing, fan-equivalent engagement and leadership capability.

FMCG & Corporate Sectors

From global brands to high-growth organisations, we’ve supported companies navigating everything from mental health to sustainability, employee wellbeing and DEI strategy.

Through our Company Commitment Survey and Verification Process, we have visibility of how organisations are really operating across wellbeing, sustainability, leadership, mental health and DEI. Many are mature, many are emerging, and many simply need structured support to meet higher standards.

B Corps and Purpose-Led SMEs

Our community is full of purpose-driven organisations who genuinely want to do the work, but need support to turn intention into action, and action into measurable improvement.

Long-Term Leadership Development: Where JEDI Comes Alive

JEDI only works when leaders are trained, confident and capable of delivering consistency. That’s why we are investing in creating genuinely accessible learning pathways for leaders at all levels.

Includability Academy (LMS) – Launching 2026

Our Academy is being developed as a micro-learning powered space for leaders and teams. It will cover topics such as:

• Introduction to Inclusion
• Disability Awareness & Accessibility
• LGBTQ+ Inclusion and allyship
• Race, Religion & Cultural Inclusion
• Mentally healthy management
• Neurodiversity
• Intersectionality & Marginalised Communities
• Practical Skills for EDI
• Mental health, wellbeing & Burnout Prevention
• Purpose, values and behaviour alignment
• Equity-driven decision-making

Short lessons, real-world scenarios, lived-experience teaching and a format designed for real leaders in real organisations who don’t have 6 hours a week for theory.

Community Support Groups (CSGs)

Our monthly CSGs are free for members and act as an always-on leadership development programme.

They give teams access to:

• Expert speakers
• Case studies
• Tips and Ideas
• Peer2Peer support
• Tools, templates and live examples
• Pockets of leaerning they can immediately apply

This is exactly the kind of ongoing development JEDI now demands organisations demonstrate.

Proof of Impact: The Includability Verification Model

The new JEDI requirements are clear: no organisation can rely on storytelling alone. You need:

• Evidence
• Action
• Measurement
• Clear governance
• Long-term plans
• Learning
• Progress over time

Our verification process already provides:

• Context and overview of each area
• Analysis of current initiatives
• Identified gaps and challenges
• Recommendations and conclusions
• Partner expert insights
• Long-term planning support
• Community resources
• Templates, data-support tools and assets

It is aligned with the spirit and structure of the new B Corp JEDI standards. In fact, many organisations use their Includability verification outcomes to inform their B Corp submission and their leadership development plans. And as a bonus its delivered by a B Corp

The Includability Future Roadmap (And Why It Matters to JEDI)

We’re not standing still. Includability is evolving into an ecosystem designed for the next decade of inclusive and sustainable organisations.

Coming Up:

• Includability Academy: our LMS for leadership development
• Includability Job Board: inclusive job board and talent pathway
• Expanded Partner Programme: more experts, more solutions
• Essentials Library: free document library, templates and guides
• Marketplace 2.0: discounts, training, partner offers
• Expanded CSG calendar: deeper topics, hybrid delivery
• Burnout Awareness Charter: more companies, more champions, more global reach

Everything aligns with the new JEDI demands: data, learning, accountability and evidence.

The Message for B Corps

The new standards are not something to fear. They’re a chance to build healthier, fairer, more resilient organisations that actually live their values.

And if you’re wondering who can help you get there, level up your leadership, benchmark your culture, guide your teams and simplify the complexity of JEDI?

That’s us.

Includability is not a consultancy. Not a bolt-on. Not a badge.
We are a community-powered collective system designed exactly for this next chapter of responsible business.

If JEDI is the destination, we are the engine that helps you get there.

Get in touch with us!

If you’re ready to explore how Includability can support your organisation through the new B Corp JEDI requirements, Dave would love to chat.

Get in touch and start building a confident, future-ready strategy today: dave@includability.co.uk