Eco Certification and Eco Label
This page provides information and resources on the major green certification and eco certification programs and protocols availabe for businesses, as well as a collection of U.S. government resources to help businesses become enact and increase sustainable activities.
Green Business/Corporate Sustainability Sub Categories:
Green and Financial Consultants
Green/Eco Certification Related
U.S. Government Green Business Guidance
Other Green Business Resources
Green/Eco-Certification Related
Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)
The Biodegradable Products Institute is a multi-stakeholder association of key individuals and groups from government, industry and academia, which promotes the use, and recycling of biodegradable polymeric materials (via composting). The BPI is open to any materials and products that demonstrate that they meet the requirements in ASTM D6400 or D6868, based on testing in a approved laboratory.
EcoLogo is North America’s most widely recognized and respected certification of environmental leadership. By setting standards and certifying products in more than 120 categories, EcoLogo helps you identify, trust, buy, and sell environmentally preferable (“green”) goods and services. On this website, you’ll find more than 7,000 EcoLogo-certified products from hundreds of manufacturers.
Joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy promoting energy efficient products, practices, homes and buildings.
Established in 1992, the EU Eco-label "flower" is a unique certification scheme aimed to help European consumers distinguish greener, more environmentally friendly products and services.
The Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) is a non-profit association of third-party, environmental performance labelling organizations founded in 1994 to improve, promote, and develop the "ecolabelling" of products and services.
Green Seal sets product standards and awards its certification label to a wide variety of products.
The Climate Conservancy is a non-profit organization founded by scientists at Stanford University. Our primary focus is the advancement of a Climate Conscious carbon label on consumer packaged goods that will score products based on their GHG intensity (the grams of CO2-equivalent emissions per dollar of product), which should provide consumers with a meaningful basis of comparison among all products, including similar ones.
U.S. Green Building Council - LEED
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED provides building owners and operators with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance.
US Government Green Business Guidance
U.S. EPA Climate Leaders Program
Member companies commit to reducing their impact on the global environment by completing a corporate-wide inventory of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, setting long-term reduction goals and annually reporting their progress to EPA.
U.S. EPA - Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)
Program that promotes US government purchase of/from environmentally-friendly products/vendors.
U.S. Government - Green Business Guide Portal
Green business guide and information portal.
U.S. Government - Green Business Start-Up Portal
Information and resources for starting a green business.
U.S. Government - Green Marketing Resource Portal
Information, resources and regulations for green marketing and ecolabeling claims.
U.S. FTC - Environmental Marketing Guidelines
US Federal Trade Commission regulations for green marketing and advertising practices.
U.S. FTC - How to Comply with Environmental Marketing Guides
US Federal Trade Commission guidance on how to the comply with US green marketing regulations.
U.S. Government - Environmental Regulations Resource Portal
Portal with information and resources related to environmental regulations for US business.
U.S. Government -Environmental Management Resource Portal
Information and resources on environmental issues to avoid liability, reduce costs and get recognized as a green business.
U.S. Government - Environmental Grants, Loans and Incentives Resource Portal
Information and resources on energy efficient upgrades and US tax credits for green technology development.
U.S. Government - Small Business Guide to Energy Efficiency Portal
Information and resources for US small businesses.
U.S. Government - Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency Resource Portal
Information and resources on US energy efficiency tax credits for home builders, manufacturers and commercial buildings.
U.S. Government -Green Procurement Resource Portal
Information and resources on selling green products and services the US government.
U.S. Government - Pollution Prevention and Recycling Portal
Information and resources on pollution prevention and recycling.
U.S. EPA - Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Information service dedicated to reducing and eliminating industrial pollutants through technology transfer, source reduction, education and public awareness.
The WasteWise program helps US organizations eliminate municipal solid waste.
U.S. Government - America's Green Cities Portal
Information on initiatives to encourage the adoption of green business practices in several US cities.
U.S. Government - Green Product Development Resource Portal
Information and resources on green technology businesses developing innovative new products and services.
U.S. Department of Energy tools and calculators for buildings, homes, vehicles and industry.