The Santa Monica Green Business Certification Program is an official certification program of the City of Santa Monica under the guidelines of the California Green Business Network (CAGBN). The Program is administered in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Sustainable Works. The certification criteria is established by the CAGBN and local city ordinances. The CAGBN leads the state and nation in working with small to medium-sized businesses to grow a vibrant and healthy green economy. Green Business Programs help fosters more livable communities with healthier environments, while also conserving resources and helping businesses cut costs.
These programs are subsized by local governments to make it accessible to small and medium-sized businesses in California.
The certification movement came from the need to recognize excellence in the many steps businesses take to incorporate sustainable practices into their operations. Until certification programs took root, customers had no way of recognizing which businesses were going "green." The City of Santa Monica, Santa Monica Travel + Tourism, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Buy Local Santa Monica, and Sustainable Works partner together to recognize Santa Monica green certified businesses.