What each certification covers, and what it leaves out.
We read each standard and record both sides: what it validates, what sits outside its scope, and what that means when a buyer asks.
We assess certifications held by others. We do not issue them.
- Rigour, independence and enforcement each rated 1–5
- From the standard documents, who employs the auditor, and the published enforcement record
- We take no payment from certification bodies, or from the companies we assess
| Certification | Category | Weight | Rigor | Indep. | Enforce. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B Corp Certified | Governance | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold | Materials | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Regenerative Organic Certified Gold | Ecosystem | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Science Based Targets | Carbon | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Cradle to Cradle Certified | Materials | 2.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Demeter Certified Biodynamic | Ecosystem | 2.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| GOTS | Textiles | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| International Wineries for Climate Action Gold | Carbon | 2.5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Regenerative Organic Certified | Ecosystem | 2.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| CCOF Certified Organic | Ingredients | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| MSC | Seafood | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Preferred by Nature Sustainable Travel Activities | Travel | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Smithsonian Bird Friendly | Ecosystem | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| USDA Organic | Ingredients | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| ASC | Seafood | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Alliance for Water Stewardship | Water | 1.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| EPA Safer Choice | Chemicals | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| EPEAT | Electronics | 1.5 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| FSC | Forestry | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Fair Labor Association | Social | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Fair Trade Certified | Social | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Fair for Life | Social | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| GRS | Textiles | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Green Key | Travel | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Green Seal | Chemicals | 1.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| International Wineries for Climate Action | Carbon | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| LEAF Marque | Ecosystem | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| RSPO | Commodity | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Rainforest Alliance | Ecosystem | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Responsible Down Standard | Textiles | 1.5 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Responsible Wool Standard | Textiles | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| SIP Certified | Ecosystem | 1.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| TCO Certified | Electronics | 1.5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| TRUE Zero Waste | Operations | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Travelife Certified | Travel | 1.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| bluesign | Textiles | 1.5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| BPI Certified Compostable | Packaging | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| CMA Composter Approved | Packaging | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| California Green Business | Operations | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Carbon Trust Certified | Carbon | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing | Ecosystem | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Certified Humane | Animal Welfare | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Certified Naturally Grown | Ingredients | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Climate Neutral Certified | Carbon | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| ENERGY STAR | Electronics | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| EPA GreenChill | Operations | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Fish Friendly Farming | Ecosystem | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| Green Globe | Travel | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| GreenCircle Certified | Verification | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| LEED | Operations | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Leather Working Group | Textiles | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| MADE SAFE | Chemicals | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| OEKO-TEX | Materials | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| PEFC | Forestry | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| RCS | Textiles | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| SFI | Forestry | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Sustainable Food Group | Ecosystem | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| USDA Certified Biobased | Materials | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Upcycled Certified | Circularity | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| WRAP | Social | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| ZQ Standard | Textiles | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 1% for the Planet | Giving | 0.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Dolphin Safe | Seafood | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| FARM Animal Care | Animal Welfare | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Intertek Sustainable Olive Oil | Verification | 0.5 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Leaping Bunny | Animal Welfare | 0.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Non-GMO Project Verified | Ingredients | 0.5 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| Non-UPF Verified | Composition | 0.5 | — | — | — |
| Plastic Neutral | Packaging | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Sonoma County Sustainable | Ecosystem | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Validus Certified | Animal Welfare | 0.5 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Where Food Comes From Care Certified | Animal Welfare | 0.5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Rainforest Alliance (tourism) | Travel | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
WEIGHT IS WHAT A BRAND EARNS TOWARD ITS CERTIFICATIONS SCORE, OUT OF 10 · THE OTHER THREE ARE OUT OF 5