Get a green certification for your business

It’s hard to pick a certification if you don’t know what your company is trying to achieve, and why. So, before you pick the badge you like best, outline SMART environmental goals—ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. Maybe you want to cut your emissions by a certain percentage, or use more recycled materials in your products? No matter the goal, the important part is to have a target.

A well-selected certification should help you plot your path towards a given goal. It should also fit with your existing priorities. Once you are certified, you can use it to drive genuine progress on your company’s green ambitions.

Certifications can set your business apart from the competition by identifying market opportunities. To get a sense of the type of certification that will appeal to your target audiences, survey your stakeholders—staff, customers, investors and even your community—to identify areas where your business can make the changes that your stakeholders are looking for. Look at your close competitors to see what certifications they have as well.

Some certifications are broad and fold environmental initiatives into more fulsome evaluations of your company’s sustainability.

• B Corp

There are also certifications focused only on environmental issues, like emissions and waste.

• Single-Use Plastic Free Certification
• ISO 14001

Others are product- or even sector-specific, offering validation for food or tourism industry businesses, for example.

• Feast On (Ontario only)
• Sustainable Tourism Certification for Businesses
• Rainforest Alliance Certification
• Canadian Organic Standards
• ENERGY STAR Canada

Credible certifications demand effort and clear evidence of progress from their applicants, while less rigorous options lack credibility and may open your company up to accusations of greenwashing. The right certification choice will drive progress on your company’s green goals and address your stakeholders’ primary expectations.

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To help ensure a successful certification process, task a team member or a green committee with overseeing your company’s progress. That way you can keep track of your developments and stay accountable to your action plan.

If you’re struggling with where to start, look to BDC or other consultant services for help. They can help you decide the best certifications for your business, and then establish a baseline and plot a path to success.

By not making an informed choice on a certification, businesses leave themselves open to accusations of greenwashing by consumers who are increasingly savvy about companies and certifiers that can’t back up their claims.

Some rules of good practice include

• Use certifications that have been verified by an independent third party.
• Do not create your own certification to affix to your products.
• Do not use vague terms such as "eco-responsible" or "green" with no direct reference to the company's actions.