I doubt that the junk salesman in the souvenir store needs much of a solid, actionable strategic plan, nor the seller who changes his product or service every time the market shifts. These are not necessarily businesses that are keen to have a long-term positive impact on the world.

But if you run or are launching a natural or organic product brand, especially if you are sustainability-minded, it is essential to think about strategic planning from the get-go (and determine how you will integrate strategic alignment and planning into your day-to-day work). In fact, it’s essential to do more than think about it—you must take action and work with all your stakeholders to craft a strong, actionable plan (both verbally and in writing) to serve as your foundation for all decision-making and next steps. Cosmetics company? You need a strategic plan. Chocolate maker? You need a plan. And, critically—if you are sustainability minded and you intend to become a B-corp by seeking B-corp certification, a solid business plan that governs your strategy and purpose will be core to all of your operations.

Strategic planning is crucial for a mission-driven company, especially one aiming for B-corp certification. Most articles you will find about crafting a strong strategic or business plan will focus on the need to prove to investors that you are worthy of their time and capable of achieving sufficient revenue to justify their monetary investment. BUT this is by far not the only reason to create a truly actionable strategic plan. The reasons that follow are only a smattering of the worthwhile reasons for putting the time and energy into creating a strategy (and working with a consultant to address all pain points and directions of the process).

1. Aligning Mission with Operations: Your strong strategic planning process helps ensure that every action your company takes is aligned with your mission and core values. For a mission-driven company, the strategic plan acts as a roadmap that connects the company’s purpose—such as sustainability, social justice, or environmental impact—with practical steps for daily operations, growth, and decision-making. Non-mission-based companies can get away without planning because they often chase profits, feel free to exploit along the way, change when the market shifts, and sign on vendors, suppliers and employees without regard to core values or purpose.

But a strategy that looks forward and includes mission and vision is vital for B Corp certification and other sustainable-minded companies. The stakes are too high to “just roll with it,” and according to B-Lab, the company’s operations must reflect a commitment to positive social and environmental impacts​ B Lab U.S. & Canada. In the future, the commitment required will grow to proof of actionable steps taken.

2. Meeting B Corp Standards: B Corp certification requires companies to meet rigorous standards across multiple areas such as governance, worker treatment, community engagement, and environmental impact. This is why B-Corp certification is so well-regarded and such a prize to achieve for a sustainability-minded brand. A well-thought-out strategic plan ensures that your company is ready to (and plans to) continuously improve in these areas, demonstrating accountability and progress in both the short and (especially) the long term​ BCorporation.

The strategic plan helps track and manage performance across B Corp’s nine impact areas; without a plan, you and your team will get lost, forget what’s important, feel overwhelmed, lose sight of core values, and fail to meet objectives in a way that aligns with your intended purpose. You don’t want that. Instead, you want to PLAN.

3. Sustainability and Scalability: Without strategic planning, it’s difficult for mission-driven companies to grow sustainably—or to grow at all, in some cases. Strategic planning helps set clear financial and social impact goals, ensuring that growth is achieved without compromising on ethical standards and by maintaining a clear sense of core values. This is particularly important for B Corps, as certification focuses on balancing profit with purpose. You want to grow (as all businesses do) AND serve a worthwhile purpose or mission within your community or in the world.

A solid strategy supports you as you scale while maintaining your social, environmental, and governance commitments​ to B-Lab or whatever other certifications you pursue (such as Fair Trade, cruelty-free, 1% for the Planet, and many others).

4. Engaging Stakeholders: For mission-driven businesses, stakeholder involvement is key. Your suppliers matter. Whom you hire matters. A strategic plan helps guide your team’s efforts to engage with everyone important to you: employees, customers, investors, communities, and the earth--ensuring that each group’s interests are considered and aligned with your company’s mission. Stakeholders are a crucial part of B Corp certification, as the framework requires businesses to operate in ways that benefit all stakeholders, not just shareholders​. And yes, stakeholders can come and go (and you may fire some vendors and suppliers, lose customers, and disengage with employees) but your INTENTION in working with them, at every stage, must be driven by your strategy and purpose.

5. Measuring and Improving Impact: Strategic planning allows mission-driven companies to set measurable goals and track progress in areas such as social equity, sustainability, and environmental impact. By establishing clear metrics and using them to drive continuous improvement, your company can ensure you are meeting B Corp’s high standards. Regular assessments and adjustments will keep your business on track to not only maintain certification but also improve your positive impact over time​. A strategic planner or purpose consultant can help you decide what to measure, when to measure it, and what to do with your data in a way that supports your long-term mission.

Strategic planning is essential. It helps mission-driven companies stay aligned with their purpose—which is the most important piece of the puzzle especially for B-corp and other sustainable companies. Strategy alignment through planning will help you and your team meet rigorous B Corp standards and manage your growth in a way that benefits all your stakeholders while driving (not only supporting, but DRIVING) long-term, conscientious improvement.