Includes bottles, food packaging, paper, plastic
Company
Required:
- Business core purpose includes a “green” business function.
- Social and environmental mission and vision statement for your business on website.
Preferred:
- Banking with a community development, minority, or socially & environmentally responsible bank or credit union.
- Protocols in place (e.g., trainings, HR policies, support group(s), statement of commitment, accountability mechanisms, etc.) that advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) within the company.
Packaging Materials Used
Required:
- Made from materials that are substantially better for the environment than comparable ones OR with a process that saves a significant amount of water, heating or electricity.
- Products made in an efficient manner but from materials such as PVC, vinyl, non-recycled gold or silver, are not allowed for companies evaluated under this standard.
- If using plastic, material must be eligible for the lowest common- denominator municipal recycling program and language included in how to recycle.
- Packaging must be either returnable for disposal, recyclable, reusable or compostable.
- Local sourcing of components or supplies wherever possible.
Preferred:
- Ensure that all the packaging materials is itself 100% recyclable.
Manufacturing Of Products
Required:
- Commitment to sustainable labor practices and continuous improvement and transparency in the process.
- Country of manufacture disclosed on all products unless everything comes from one country and it is stated clearly on the front page of the website.
- Code of conduct in place that addresses social and environmental factory conditions with enforcement mechanism.
- Owned factories have an established worker representation mechanism.
- Owned factories pay a wage that ensures workers well-being.
- Commitment to a transparent supply chain including sub-contracting.
- Long-term contracts with contracted manufacturers.
Preferred:
- Owned and/or contracted factories are certified fair labor or fair trade.
- Owned/contracted factories are unionized.
- Disclosed factory list publicly available.
- Factory labor is paid a living a wage.
Product Shipping & Company Transportation
Required:
- Program in place to reduce emissions from company vehicles.
- Works with distributors that take steps to reduce emissions from vehicles and shipping.
Preferred:
- Company is an EPA SmartWay partner or affiliate.
- Company Works with distributors who are EPA SmartWay partners or affiliates.
Company Employment
Required:
- Employees have access to family friendly benefits including high-quality health insurance, sick days, paid parental leave and childcare help.
- Offer a flexible workplace culture that encourages work/life balance and makes reasonable accommodations for telecommuting and flex schedules.
- Pays a wage that ensures employees well-being.
- Has an established non-discrimination policy and procedure, and ensures an inclusive workplace culture.
- Governs fairly and in a transparent manner. Is open to employee input. Has a whistle blower protection policy in place.
Preferred:
- Living wage is paid.
- Has an established program that invests in employee growth and development.
Education
Required:
- Educates consumers on how to properly dispose of product at end of life-cycle (if applicable).
- Use transparent and truthful marketing.
- Advocate for green business practices in the packaging industry.
- Established program for receiving input from both internal and external stakeholders.
Preferred:
- Established take back program for end of product life-cycle.
- Actively seeks feedback from industry peers and participates in industry associations and mentor programs.
Green Office/Facility
Required:
- HVAC system well-maintained, building well-insulated, and smart and efficient climate control employed.
- System in place for reducing electricity consumption from lighting and electronics.
- Use of Energy Star rated appliances and CFL/LED light bulbs in office.
- Use of 100% post-consumer recycled, Chlorine Free paper in the office and in all envelopes, marketing, and print materials.
- Systems in place for reducing paper use such as electronic processes, printers set with double sided printing as the default, and more.
- Use of only non-toxic cleaning and pest control products.
- Maximum amount of waste is reused or recycled including paper, plastic, metals, glass, electronics, and printer ink cartridges.
- Action on clean energy such as purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) or use of on-site clean energy.
- Compost all food waste.
- Landscaping done with sustainability in mind, especially considering runoff and stormwater management.
- Only fair trade and USDA certified organic coffee and tea served in the office.
- Use of green or local caterers for events.
- Use of a certified E-Steward for electronics recycling.
- Proper disposal of hazardous materials (e.g., batteries, paint, motor oil, etc).
- Knowledge of recycling/composting guidelines at your local recycling/composting facility.
