The Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), an organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally, has unveiled TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency), the new brand identity for its zero waste rating system. The TRUE Zero Waste rating system helps businesses and facilities define, pursue, and achieve their goals through project certification and professional credentialing. The TRUE Zero Waste certification, previously administered by the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council, was acquired by GBCI in 2016.
According to the U.S. EPA, the average American generates 4.4 pounds of trash each day. TRUE is a whole systems approach that helps organizations understand how materials flow through their facilities and identify redesign opportunities so that all products are reused. TRUE-certified projects meet a minimum of 90% waste diversion for 12 months from landfills, incinerators (waste-to-energy), or the environment. The system is administered by GBCI and serves as a complement to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building rating system.
Currently, there are 88 TRUE-certified facilities around the world. TRUE focuses on helping businesses, industrial sectors, and schools quantify their performance and find additional ways to move toward their waste management goals. Microsoft, Tesla, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Nature’s Path, Earth Friendly Products, Raytheon, Cintas, and Northrop Grumman are among the organizations that have facilities certified under the program.
“Our goal is to help develop a zero waste economy for all that delivers financial, environmental, and social benefits,” said Stephanie Barger, director, TRUE Zero Waste program. “The TRUE team is working with organizations across industries to help set benchmarks, track performance, educate employees, and deliver innovative solutions that move them closer to zero waste.”

Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL building standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), Parksmart, EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), the TRUE Zero Waste certification, Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits and the GRESB benchmark, which is used by institutional investors to improve the sustainability performance of the global property sector.