An increasing number of for-profit companies are elevating corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the strategic level, integrating sustainability into their management practices to address socio-environmental issues. These distinguish between benefit corporations (BCs) and certified B Corps. Effectively communicating the organisation’s mission as sustainable and purpose-driven can produce advantages in terms of corporate image and reputation. This study aims to identify the components of mission statements of Italian benefit corporations certified as B Corps and analyse those expressing and leading to financial and sustainability performance. Based on content analysis and qualitative comparative analysis of multiple case studies, the findings revealed that mission statement components express a dual identity, with the environmental and social sustainability dimension being more marked than the financial dimension. While all mission statements generated an impact beyond the boundaries of the organisation, only some statements addressed specific stakeholders, particularly customers, society and the environment; while others neglected investors and employees. The results show that the components of the mission statements of Italian certified B Corps are related less to financial performance and more to sustainability performance, this relates to the communication strategy, which aims to make their mission statements as attractive as possible to certain stakeholders. A higher or lower sustainability performance of certified B Corps depends on a combination of multiple factors. The results highlight the importance of producing a high-quality mission statement Overall, the study highlights the need for regulations and the intervention of policymakers to support the development of BCs, whose activities may positively affect markets, society and the environment. Theoretical, practical and social implications are provided, together with suggestions for future research opportunities.
