Colorado Green Business Network

What is the Colorado Green Business Network?

ESA is proud to partner with CGBN (Colorado Green Business Network) to help businesses in our community become more efficient and sustainable.  CGBN is a voluntary program that was established to aid and guide businesses that want to be more environmentally friendly. The program provides an opportunity for businesses to assess their environmental and social impacts

with technical assistance for areas that the business wants to improve. CGBN also provides mentor / mentee opportunities for environmentally- and socially- minded organizations that are either leaders or are just getting started on their sustainability journey.

sustainability in business

While many people may see sustainability practices as a luxury for businesses to participate in, there are several ways that businesses can SAVE and MAKE money through sustainability:

 

Statewide Recognition for Businesses

Once the sign-up process is complete, each business is assigned points based on things like environmental or social policies, energy saving practices, implementation of operational efficiency projects, and so on. CGBN then categorizes the businesses into Bronze, Silver, and Gold categories based on how many points the business has earned.

colorado green business network logo

As a statewide program, the CGBN aims to encourage, support, and reward organizations leading in environmental performance. Rewards from CGBN come in the form of statewide recognition including: window signage indicating leadership in the Network, in-Network recognition at an annual event, promotion on CGBN’s ‘green’ business lists, promotion on ESA’s website, and more!

How to Sign Up

green business handshakeESA is excited to provide free assistance for businesses that want to sign up for CGBN through the GreenBizTracker. To get started, visit the GreenBizTracker website and click ‘Take the Green Business Assessment’. From there, ESA will receive a notification that a business in our area has expressed interest and we will reach out to you. You’re welcome to complete as much of the GreenBizTracker as you can upon creation of your account, but certain areas of the assessment might require assistance.

Once the business has completed the GreenBizTracker, the information is submitted for review and compliance checks. A final score is developed after compliance checks and site assessments (if needed) are completed. During application review and / or site assessment, the representative will look for opportunities for improvement as well as areas in which the business excels in their sustainability efforts. CGBN will provide technical assistance and guidance for businesses that are interested in implementing the recommendations throughout the entire process of implementation.

Congratulations to the following local businesses who are participating members of Colorado’s Green Business Network!

Gold Members

Bronze Members

Special Thanks

Click a logo to find out more about your local green businesses!

ESA and CGBN look forward to working with and signing up businesses in the Evergreen community. Join us and 226 other Certified Green Businesses who are working and collaborating in support of Colorado by taking the Green Business Assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the benefits of joining the Colorado Green Business Network?

    The Colorado Green Business Network provides a support system, mentorship, technical assistance, and statewide recognition for businesses that are interested in improving their environmental and social performance.

  • How long does it take to complete the application?

    Depending on the extent of your business’ environmental and social efforts so far, the application can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours to complete.

  • What do I need to complete the application?

    Many of the questions will be related to policies and procedures that the business owner or manager will already know about the business. Examples of items that you may want to collect before completing the application are listed below:

    • Electricity bills 
    • Water bills 
    • Natural gas and / or propane bills 
    • Waste collection bills 
    • Mileage records 
    • Employment policies 
    • Sourcing policies 

    If your business leases the space in which it operates, you may be able to get information related to utility bills from your landlord. If you are not able to obtain this information, we can help you with this section. 

  • How much does it cost to participate in the Colorado Green Business Network?

    The application, technical assistance, and the services that ESA provides in assistance are entirely free!

  • How can I support businesses that participate in the Colorado Green Business Network?

    Be their customer! Write a review of your experience. Buy gift cards. Like them on social media. Tip generously. Thank them for their green efforts.