Singapore Environment Council

What Singapore Environment Council does

Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is a Singapore-based non-profit, non-government organisation founded in 1995 and recognised as Singapore's first UN-accredited environmental NGO. It operates as an approved charity and institution of public character (IPC), coordinating environmental efforts across the People, Public and Private sectors through a portfolio of certification, training, award, and research programmes. Its core offerings include the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS, administered since 1999, with over 3,800 unique products certified across 43 countries), the GreenDNA certification system targeting organisations and individuals, Eco Certifications for offices, retail, food establishments and MICE events, and two flagship award programmes: the Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards (SEAA) for organisations and the School Green Awards (SGA) for educational institutions.

SEC's revenue model is multi-stream and consistent with its non-profit structure: certification and licensing fees from SGLS, GreenDNA and Eco Certifications; course fees for sustainability training (heavily subsidised, up to 70%, through the Enterprise Singapore Enterprise Sustainability Programme partnership); corporate and philanthropic donations (e.g., the Keppel Care Foundation $270,000 pledge over 2023–2025); and research collaborations with strategic partners such as KPMG Singapore and Deloitte Singapore on packaging waste and food loss. Go-to-market is community-led and institution-direct, with distribution through annual award cycles, school engagement, and direct corporate application rather than commercial sales channels.

Operationally, SEC is a small organisation (11–50 employees) headquartered at 1 Kay Siang Road, Singapore, supported by a Board of Directors and an Executive Director (Jen Teo). Its scale commentary includes 300+ participating schools, approximately 300,000 students and teachers impacted annually through SGA, 800,000 community members reached, and recurring annual SEAA and SGA ceremonies. Strategic partnerships span financial backers (Keppel Care Foundation), government agencies (Enterprise Singapore, Workforce Singapore, Singapore Water Association), and Big Four / professional services firms (KPMG, Deloitte, Grant Thornton), positioning SEC as a coordinating body for environmental standards rather than a commercial product company.

Name

Singapore Environment Council

Legal name

Singapore Environment Council

Website

https://sec.org.sg

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Singapore Environment Council is a non-profit NGO founded in 1995 that administers environmental certifications (SGLS, GreenDNA, Eco Certifications), runs sustainability training subsidised by Enterprise Singapore, and operates flagship award programmes (SEAA, SGA) engaging businesses, schools, and government across Singapore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Certification Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & Environmental Certifications (Carbon, Water, Regenerative) (AFALAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability, Energy & Environmental (ESG/LEED) Certifications (EDAAANAO), Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Environmental certification
• Sustainability training
• Green labelling
• Eco certification
• Environmental awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Environmental Certification Services: Revenue generated from certification programs including Eco Certifications, GreenDNA certification, and Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) which certify products and organisations against environmental standards.
2. Training and Education Programs: Sustainability training courses, experiential outdoor trails, and workshops for schools and corporates. Course fees are subsidised up to 70% through partnership with Enterprise Singapore's Enterprise Sustainability Programme.
3. Donations and Grants: As an approved charity and institution of public character (IPC), SEC receives donations including the $270,000 pledged by Keppel Care Foundation over three years for School Green Awards support.
4. Research and Reports: Joint studies with strategic partners like KPMG Singapore and Deloitte Singapore on environmental topics including sustainable packaging and food loss reduction.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Singapore Environment Council (SEC) administers environmental certification programmes including Eco Certifications (GreenDNA, Eco-Office, Eco-Retail, Eco-F&B, Eco-Built), the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS), and the Enhanced SGLS+. It also delivers sustainability training courses, runs two major environmental awards (School Green Awards and Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards), and publishes sustainability research reports covering food waste, packaging waste, and Singapore's material flows.

Product overview

SEC operates as a platform of environmental certification programs and sustainability initiatives. The core portfolio includes Eco Certifications for businesses, the GreenDNA certification system, the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) for products, the Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards (SEAA), and the School Green Awards (SGA) for educational institutions. Supporting these are Training and Education Programs and Sustainability Courses, alongside research Reports on environmental topics. Together, these programs engage businesses, schools, and communities across Singapore's sustainability ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• School Green Awards (SGA): SEC's yearly flagship outreach program empowering students and faculty in all Singaporean schools to advocate for the environment
• Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards (SEAA)
• Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS and SGLS+)
• GreenDNA
• Eco Certifications

Products and services

• Eco Certifications A portfolio of certification programmes that recognise environmentally sustainable practices across offices, retail shops, food and beverage establishments, built environments, communities, events, and students. Targeted at Singapore-based organisations and community groups seeking independent third-party recognition of their environmental performance.
• GreenDNA Certification A certification programme that scores organisations on Energy, Water, Waste, Paper, and Travel using a Carbon Calculator to certify their overall environmental sustainability rating. For Singapore-based organisations and companies seeking to benchmark and certify sustainability performance.
• Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS and Enhanced SGLS+) An environmental labelling and certification scheme administered by SEC since 1999 covering over 3,800 products across 43 countries, providing independent third-party verification that products meet environmental criteria. For consumer brands and manufacturers seeking credible eco-labelling for their products.
• Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards (SEAA) An annual national awards programme that recognises organisations and individuals in Singapore for outstanding environmental sustainability contributions, across categories including Corporate, SME, Public Sector, Non-Profit, and Individual. For companies, public agencies, non-profits, and individuals seeking national recognition for environmental achievement.
• School Green Awards (SGA) An annual recognition programme for primary, secondary, tertiary, and international schools in Singapore, awarding schools that demonstrate strong sustainability practices and student-led environmental initiatives. For schools and student eco-clubs seeking formal recognition of sustainability efforts.
• Training and Education Programmes A suite of sustainability training programmes comprising sustainability courses, experiential outdoor trails (including Sustainability Express, Lorong Halus, and Dairy Farm), and workshops. For corporates, schools, and community groups seeking structured sustainability learning experiences.
• Sustainability Courses (Putting Sustainability into Practice for Business) A formal sustainability training course, 'Putting Sustainability into Practice for Business', launched in March 2022 with up to 70% subsidy from Enterprise Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore eligibility. For working professionals and businesses seeking practical sustainability capability building.
• SEC Sustainability Research Reports Independent sustainability research reports published by SEC, covering topics including packaging waste, food waste, and Singapore's material flows. For policymakers, corporates, and the public seeking independent research on Singapore's environmental sustainability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300,000 students and teachers impacted through School Green Awards 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and minor.

• Grant ThorntonnotableTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2025Grant Thornton serves as Assessment Partner for Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards 2026, providing evaluation support for the awards programme.
• Enterprise Singapore (ESG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Partnership with Enterprise Singapore's Enterprise Sustainability Programme (ESP) to deliver the 'Putting Sustainability into Practice for Business' course, with up to 70% course fee subsidised for eligible businesses.
• Singapore Water AssociationnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022MOU signing between Singapore Environment Council and Singapore Water Association to enhance Singapore's robust water ecosystem and support the country's position as a leading global hydrohub and model city for integrated water management.
• KPMG SingaporenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in joint study 'Unlocking Sustainable Packaging Opportunities in Singapore' examining attitudes and behaviours towards managing packaging waste and factors for achieving zero waste in packaging.
• Deloitte SingaporenotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic international partner in study 'Advancing a Circular Economy for Food: Key Drivers and Recommendations to Reduce Food Loss and Waste in Singapore' examining food loss across the supply chain.
• Simple Solution Systems (SimSys)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimSys partners with SEC to drive sustainability and community impact, participating in environmental initiatives such as coral reef restoration and tree planting as part of their corporate social responsibility program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: Global testing, inspection and certification major with deep Singapore operations across environmental, ESG, and product certification. Comparable to SEC's Eco Certifications and SGLS as a competing route for Singapore corporates seeking recognised sustainability credentials.
• Bureau Veritas: Global certification body offering sustainability, environmental, and ESG assurance services with a Singapore presence. Comparable to SEC as a competing provider of corporate eco-certification, training, and assurance in Singapore.
• Carbon Trust: UK-based independent climate certification and advisory organisation issuing carbon footprint verification, eco-labels and sustainability certifications to corporates globally. Comparable to SEC's certification and carbon calculator offerings, but at much larger scale and global reach.
• Rainforest Alliance: International NGO that operates the Rainforest Alliance Certified eco-label on consumer products. Directly comparable to SEC's Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) as a product-level sustainability certification mark with global geographic reach.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): International non-profit running the FSC eco-label for responsibly-sourced forest products, certifying products across multiple countries. Directly comparable to SGLS as a globally-recognised third-party product eco-labelling scheme.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection and certification organisation with established sustainability certification and training services in Singapore. Overlaps with SEC's Eco Certifications and sustainability training portfolio, with deeper global brand recognition.

Regional players

• Fair Trade USA: US-headquartered non-profit administering the Fair Trade Certified label on consumer products. Comparable to SEC/SGLS as a product eco-certification NGO model with similar governance structure and reliance on licensing fees and donations, though operating primarily in North America rather than Southeast Asia.

Direct peers

• WWF Singapore: Singapore office of a major international environmental NGO running conservation, advocacy, and corporate partnership programmes. Comparable to SEC as a Singapore-anchored environmental non-profit that convenes corporates, government, and the public on sustainability issues.
• Singapore Green Building Council: Singapore-based non-profit that administers the Green Mark certification scheme for sustainable buildings. Closest domestic peer to SEC: both are local certification and advocacy bodies operating under Singapore's national sustainability agenda, engaging corporates, government agencies, and building professionals.

Emerging players

• Eco-Business: Asia-Pacific focused sustainability media, research and advisory platform headquartered in Singapore. Comparable to SEC as a regional sustainability convener producing research, convening corporates and government, and running ESG thought-leadership content.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/secsingapore
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/secsingapore
• Facebookfacebook.com/secsingapore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/singapore-environment-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/secsingapore/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Singapore Environment Council