Oregon Secretary of State

File to Become a Benefit Company

​​​​People, Planet & Profit

An Oregon benefit company is a type of corporation or limited liability company that considers its impact on society and the environment in the business decision-making process, in addition to earning a profit.

Benefit companies differ from traditional corporations and LLCs with regard to their purpose, accountability and transparency. The purpose is to create a general public benefit, which is defined as "a material positive impact on society a​nd the environment, taken as a whole, from the business and operations of the company."

To become a benefit company, an Oregon corporation or LLC must do the following.

  • ​Include a statement in the articles of incorporation or organization that says the corporation or LLC is a benefit company subject to ORS 60.750 - ORS 60.770​​.
  • Adopt a third-party standard.
  • Prepare an annual benefit report identifying:
    • The actions and methods used to provide a general or specific public benefit.
    • Any circumstances that hindered or prevented a benefit.
    • How well the benefit company met or exceeded the third-party standard. 
  • ​Distribute the annual benefit report to the owners and post it on the company’s website.

Start or Convert to a Benefit Company

Oregon business or professional corpo​​ration:

Oregon limited lia​bility company:

Converting to a benefit company does not change your business entity type. Our regular forms are still appropriate to use.

Adopt a Third-Party S​tandard

Each benefit company is required to assess itself by a third-party standard to ensure it's creating a positive impact. There are many third-party standards organizations that meet the statutory requirements. Examples include:

Find detailed information in our Benefit Company FAQ.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Plant sprouting from pile of coins.
​​

Like to Know More?

See all Oregon benefit c​ompanies >​

Benefit Company FAQ >

Additional Resources

Benefit Company Bar Association 

What is the difference between a benefit company and a Ce​rtified B Corp​? ​​

​Warning: Always get legal advice before changing your business structure.
​​