Green Business Certification Inc., a sustainability and health certification and credentialing body, recently announced it has surpassed 200 Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) certified projects. TRUE is administered by GBCI and is the first zero-waste certification program dedicated to measuring, improving, and recognizing zero-waste performance by encouraging the adoption of sustainable waste management and reduction practices that contribute to positive environmental, health and economic outcomes.
“Integrating zero waste strategies presents one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to protect the environment, promote human health and mitigate climate change,” said Sean McMahon, Vice President of Product Management, GBCI. “The companies pursuing TRUE certification are demonstrating leadership by shifting to circular thinking and prioritizing processes, operations and actions to reduce waste and limit upstream resource extraction and use – ultimately delivering numerous benefits for communities worldwide.”
Facilities achieve TRUE certification by meeting an average of 90 percent or greater overall waste diversion from landfill, incineration, and the environment over 12 months, as well as implementing minimum program requirements within the TRUE rating system. With more than 86 million square feet certified across 16 countries, TRUE projects have been able to divert a total of 3,075,301 tons of waste from landfill since 2017. TRUE certification also helps these projects collectively average an estimated savings of more than $47.5 million per year.
Global organizations are deploying TRUE as their zero-waste management system to meet sustainability and corporate social responsibility goals, achieve carbon emission and waste reduction targets, standardize implementation practices in their operations, and streamline their educational efforts to onboard their staff. TRUE certification also lends itself to buildings that include distribution, warehousing, hospitality, office, retail and events.
Dan Hounsell is senior editor, facility group.
