Green your Business

In order to get designated as a San Francisco Green Business, a business must be in compliance with all Federal, State and local regulations and implement a minimum number of resource conservation, waste minimization and pollution prevention practices listed on a Green Business Checklist. If your business is already implementing green business practices, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to receive recognition. For all other businesses, enrollment in the program will help you learn and implement green practices and eventually become a recognized green business. We provide free onsite assessments, technical support and rebate information to help “green” your business. Just follow the steps below in order to get started.

STEP 1: Enrollment Form

Please complete and submit the online enrollment form in order to get started.

The SF Green Business Program is currently accepting applications from hotels, restaurants, offices, retailers, and dentists. If your business is not in one of these sectors, please stay tuned! We are in the process of developing standards for printers, office buildings, auto repair shops, and other business sectors.

If your business does not operate in these sectors, you may still submit your enrollment form and be added to our wait-list. We will contact you when as we are ready to work with your business sector.

STEP 2: Eligibility Check

Once we receive the enrollment form, we will determine eligibility by verifying that the business operates in a sector listed in STEP 1 above. We will then conduct background compliance verification to ensure that your business has been and is currently in compliance with applicable environmental regulations (Air Quality Regulations, Fire Code, Health Code and Wastewater/Storm Water Discharge Requirements). Your business will be notified via email or phone when this process is complete. (Please note that this could take up to three weeks depending on the business type and the number of applications submitted during the week).

STEP 3: Checklist Completion

Upon receipt of the eligibility notification, the applicant must complete the appropriate checklist for their business sector and submit it to the SFGB team. Please note the following:

We have developed four handy "do-it-yourself" guides to help you implement green business practices. Please use these guides to meet the minimum number of checklist practices.

STEP 4: Onsite Conservation and Compliance Assessments

After we receive a completed checklist, we will send program area experts to your business to verify compliance with environmental regulations and implementation of resource conservation measures.

In San Francisco, your compliance will be verified by the following agencies:

  1. SF Department of Public Health for Health Code compliance
  2. SF Fire Department for Fire Code compliance
  3. Bay Area Air Quality Management District for complaince with Air Quality Regulations
  4. SF Public Utilities Commission for compliance with Wastewater discharge Regulations

Your business will receive onsite assessments by experts that will verify the resource conservation practices already being implemented and also recommend measures that may lower your operating cost. For instance, we partner with PG&E and SFPUC to help you take advantage of valuable energy rebates. All enrolled businesses may receive audits from the following agencies who will be able to provide free technical assistance, rebate information, and money-saving tips:

  1. Water Conservation by SF Public Utilities Commission
  2. Energy Conservation by SF Dept. of the Environment
  3. Recycling and Composting by SF Dept. of the Environment
  4. Pollution Prevention: wastewater by SF Public Utilities Commission
  5. Pollution Prevention: toxics by SF Dept. of the Environment or SF Dept. of Public Health

Information on the steps involved in becoming a San Francisco Green Business can be downloaded here.

STEP 5: Maintain your Green Business Status