New York SBDC Research Network

The Onondaga SBDC, in co-operation with some partners, has initiated a program called the Green Core Company certification, which "provides a blueprint for businesses working to achieve green operations through reduced environmental and social impacts, and recognizes businesses that make a substantial effort to develop a culture of sustainability within their organization; while challenging the offence of 'greenwashing' - the unregulated and improper use of the term and methodology of 'green' for marketing advantage." In other words, it is NOT a self-certification program that allows someone to pay some money to get a sticker for the store logo. The program is currently designed for businesses in the central New York (Syracuse) area, a participatory process involving SBDC clients who want to save money while doing better for the environment.

4 powerful ways to promote your green credentials "You’ve probably heard of greenwashing, a term describing marketing that makes exaggerated or otherwise misleading claims about the green credentials of a company or product. Greenwashing is a problem for consumers who wish to make truly informed decisions. And unfortunately, consumer skepticism in the face of all the green messaging that’s out there means that even scrupulous business owners promoting real environmental benefits need to make sure their message is credible."