Seal of Approval

Release Date: Wednesday, January 21st 2009

The Downtown BID has been recognized as a “Green Steward.” The Sustainable Business Network of Washington (SB NOW), a nonprofit membership organization for companies that integrate environmentally and socially responsible principles into their operations and strategy, certified the Downtown BID as the first organization to have its daily operations audited successfully for eco-friendly practices. Last year, the Downtown BID partnered with SB NOW to test SB NOW’s Green Business Certification Pilot Program, “Certifiably Green.” The holistic pilot program audits a tenant’s operation, identifies where improvements can be made and then offers certification at four levels. While focused on internal operations, the certification also helps the public determine whether businesses are truly green and sustainable, and to what extent.

Now that the BID is certifiably green—it uses everything from soy-based inks and recycled paper to power-saving servers and computer monitors—SB NOW is extending the second phase of its pilot by signing up nine more businesses for its certification program, including AARP (601 E Street) and Washington Gas (101 Constitution Avenue). All told, more than 70 organizations are now on SB NOW’s waiting list to get certification for green operations.