The Benefit Corporation (SB) continue to represent a rapidly growing business model in Italy, integrating the goal of profit with the creation of shared value for society and the environment. Introduced in Italy in 2016 – with the entry into force of Law 28 December 2015, n. 208, paragraphs 376-384, published in the Official Journal no. 302 of 30 December 2015 – as the first country in Europe and second in the world after the United States, Benefit Companies have seen a significant increase in their number, reaching 4,593 units at the end of 2024 according to the National Research on Benefit Companies 2025. This growth translates into aincidence of 1.57 per thousand on the total number of registered companies. From an employment perspective, Benefit Corporations outnumber 217,000 employees, and the production value stands at around 62 billion euros, equal to 2.2% of the total production of companies registered in Italy.
There National Research on Benefit Corporations 2025, curated by the Research Department of Intesa Sanpaolo in collaboration with NATIVA, InfoCamere, the University of Padua, the Chamber of Commerce of Brindisi-Taranto and Assobenefit, confirms the dynamism of these companies, highlighting how, in the period 2021-2023, they recorded a Median revenue growth of 26%, higher than the 15.4% of non-benefits. The 2025 Research also highlights theeffectiveness of Benefit Corporations in supporting employment and income, representing a reference model for a transformation of business oriented towards more advanced and inclusive paradigms.
It is therefore useful to summarise below the aims and characteristics of this interesting business model.
Objectives and fundamental characteristics of a Benefit Company
Benefit companies are distinguished by a dual purpose: to generate profit and pursue one or more specific objectives of common benefit. These objectives must be clearly stated in the company's corporate purpose. The management of the Benefit Company must be oriented towards balancing the interests of the members and the interests of those on whom the social activity may have an impact.
The common benefit It is defined as the pursuit of one or more positive effects, or the reduction of negative effects, on people, communities, territories and the environment, cultural and social assets and activities, institutions and associations and other stakeholders such as workers, customers, suppliers, financiers, creditors, public administration and civil society.
Constitution and name
The purposes of common benefit may be pursued by any type of company provided for by the civil code (book V, titles V and VI), in compliance with the relevant regulations. Existing companies that intend to become Benefit Corporations must amend their articles of association or bylaws, following the procedures established for the type of company to which they belong.
A Benefit Corporation may add the words “Benefit Corporation” or the abbreviation “SB” to its corporate name and use that name in its documentation and communications.
Management and responsibility
The Benefit Company must be managed in such a way as to balance the interests of the members, the pursuit of the common benefit purposes and the interests of other stakeholders, in accordance with the provisions of the statute. It is also expected that the company identifies one or more responsible subjects to whom to entrust specific functions and tasks for the achievement of these purposes. Failure to comply with the obligations of balancing interests may constitute a breach of directors' duties., with the consequent responsibilities provided for by the civil code for the type of company in question.
Reporting and impact assessment
A Benefit Company is required to draw up an annual report on the pursuit of common benefit, to be attached to the company balance sheet. This report must include:
- The description of the specific objectives, methods and actions implemented to pursue the goals of common benefit, as well as any circumstances that have hindered this path.
- The evaluation of the impact generated, using an external evaluation standard with the characteristics described in Annex 4 of the Act. This standard must be comprehensive, developed by an independent, credible and transparent body. The evaluation criteria and information on the developer must be public. The evaluation must include the evaluation areas identified in Annex 5 of the Act.
- A section dedicated to describing the new objectives that the company intends to pursue in the following financial year.
The annual report must be published on the company's website, if one exists. To protect beneficiaries, some financial data may be omitted.
The impact assessment must necessarily include the following areas of analysis:
- Corporate governance: transparency and accountability in pursuing goals of common benefit, stakeholder involvement and policy transparency.
- Workers: relationships with employees and collaborators in terms of salaries, benefits, training, work environment, safety and flexibility.
- Other stakeholders: relations with suppliers, territory and local communities, volunteering, donations, cultural and social activities, support for local development and the supply chain.
- Environment: impacts of society in terms of use of resources, energy, raw materials, production and logistics processes, life cycle of products and services.
Reputational benefits
Any type of company – partnership, joint-stock or cooperative – can choose to adopt the form of a benefit company, regardless of its size. This option is particularly interesting, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the Italian business fabric. Becoming a benefit company means embracing a vision of business activity as a driver of value creation that is not only economic, but also social and territorial, a perspective that SMEs can effectively represent also due to their proximity to the territory. The qualification of benefit company is associated with several advantages: an improvement in reputation as a company capable of responding to the needs of a market that is increasingly sensitive to environmental and social issues; the opportunity to measure and communicate the positive non-financial impact generated; greater attractiveness for new talent; and an incentive for continuous improvement, thanks to constant attention to their 360-degree performance. Finally, the commitment to environmental and social issues, which is typical of the benefit company, will represent an increasingly relevant element in relationships with banks and financial investors.
Failure to pursue the common good
But be careful, the choice to become a Benefit Company also entails possible sanctions in the event of failure to comply with the relevant regulations.
In the event that a Benefit Company does not actually pursue the purposes of common benefit, it is in fact subject to the provisions on misleading advertising (Legislative Decree 145/2007) and the consumer code (Legislative Decree 206/2005). The Competition and Market Authority is responsible for supervising this matter, within the limits of available resources.
In conclusion, although from a formal point of view, "being born" or transforming into a benefit company is a relatively simple step, it is still a choice of great importance, destined to involve the entire company organization and which requires the implementation of concrete actions aimed at pursuing the common benefit.
Content by the Lawyer. Daniele Giombini
