Got a question? We’re here to help! Take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions below. If you don’t see your question, feel free to reach out to us via our Contact Page.
To enhance your environmental and social performance, celebrate your initiatives, join a larger network of conscious businesses, and perpetuate the shift towards a green economy!
Certifying with BC Green Business is about more than just a certificate. We provide our members with guidance for practical and affordable ESG improvement, individualized environmental metrics, resources, marketing assets, networking events, and partnership opportunities. Our certification is more affordable than most (did you know we’re a non-profit?), geared towards small to medium-sized businesses, and takes a one-on-one approach where we not only identify individual opportunities for businesses but also build relationships with our members.
Our pricing is based on a business’ FTE (full-time equivalent). As a non-profit organization, we strive to keep our program accessible to all businesses through a multi-tiered system. You can view our pricing tiers here.
Assessment and re-certification is conducted on an annual basis. If a business certifies Green for 3+ years, they qualify for our Green Leaders program, where they are only required to recertify every second year. You can learn more about our certification levels and the process here.
Yes! Our program is based upon continuous improvement and we pride ourselves on always being able to identify new opportunities for our members. There are also additional benefits to being a BC Green Business member.
Virtual site visits are conducted over Zoom and will rely on the business to provide photos, documents, and other forms of proof to verify particular actions.
We certify office-based businesses, restaurants, grocery stores, spas, salons, retail stores, food and beverage processors, and fleet-based businesses.
BC Green Business is run by our parent non-profit organization, Synergy Foundation. Synergy’s mission is to share ideas, spark innovation and activate change to steer our economy and communities towards a more regenerative future.
We welcome businesses that operate within British Columbia. We currently have sector-specific checklists for restaurants and cafes, retailers, offices, spas and salons, grocery stores, and food and beverage producers. We do not serve the following industries: weapons, gas/oil/coal, or manufacturing of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers or plastics.
You can become a member by filling out our New Member Form.
Once you set up a site visit, we’ll send you an invoice that you can pay online. Certification fees are based on the number of full-time employees your business has. You can find our pricing here.
While we hope to have businesses in the program for as long as possible, there is no minimum requirement. Certifications are good for one year.
Certifications can be finalized in as fast as three weeks following the site visit. The site visit itself usually lasts 1 to 2.5 hours, depending on the size and sector of your business.
We provide sustainability recommendations tailored specifically to your business’ location and unique context. Because of this, we certify each location of a business separately.
Get in touch with us here!