GreenDining Alliance

What GreenDining Alliance does

Green Dining Alliance (GDA) is a St. Louis-based restaurant sustainability certification program operated as a service of earthday365, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 4125 Humphrey St. Founded in 2012, GDA evaluates restaurants through a proprietary 7-category audit framework covering recycling and waste reduction, sourcing and procurement, water conservation, energy conservation, chemical use, awareness and education, and innovation. Restaurants that commit to mandatory Core Concepts—including a Styrofoam ban, recycling implementation, phased energy-efficient lighting, and waste reduction goals—and score two or more stars in the on-site walk-through audit earn certification and are listed in the public GDA Restaurant Finder directory.

The organization serves SMB restaurants, breweries, and food-service operators across the St. Louis region through three revenue streams: recurring restaurant membership fees ($250 for the first audit, $200 for annual renewal, with the true $700–$2,000 cost of certification subsidized by grants and sponsorships), corporate sponsorships, and donations (including a directed GDA Certification Assistance Fund for small operators). Ancillary offerings include Green Dining Districts (neighborhood-level initiatives requiring 25%+ locally-owned restaurant participation, now spanning Maplewood, The Loop, South Grand, The Grove, and Webster Groves), the GDA Restaurant Passport (discount offers at 18 certified restaurants), the Green Dining Ambassador consumer membership at $50/year, and annual events such as Green Dining Week, the Food Waste Challenge, and Bikes and Bites district-launch tours.

GDA's go-to-market blends direct restaurant outreach with event-driven community engagement and depends on a partner ecosystem anchored by earthday365's 7,500+ member network plus the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, regional media (Sauce Magazine, Healthy Planet, Feast Magazine, KSDK, St. Louis Public Radio), and local sustainable-product suppliers such as Meridian Supply. The program operates with 1–10 employees against a St. Louis-region restaurant TAM of approximately 2,000 establishments, and targets an annual impact goal of diverting 1,000+ tons of waste from landfills.

Name

GreenDining Alliance

Legal name

Green Dining Alliance

Website

https://greendiningalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Green Dining Alliance is a St. Louis-based nonprofit certification program that audits restaurants across seven sustainability categories and certifies them on a star-rated basis. It serves SMB restaurants, diners, and neighborhood business districts across five Green Dining Districts as a program of earthday365.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Certification Services

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Accreditation & Oversight Bodies for Food Safety Certification (ABs/Scheme Owners) (AFALACAB)

Keywords

• Restaurant sustainability certification
• Sustainability audit services
• Green dining program
• Environmental certification
• Waste reduction consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Membership Fees: Annual membership fees based on biannual cycle with fees based on restaurant staff size. Restaurants pay $250 for first audit and $200 for subsequent annual audits. The actual cost of certification ranges from $700-$2,000 depending on time and assistance required.
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support programming, educational resources, and expansion efforts. Donations can be directed to the general fund or specifically to the GDA Certification Assistance Fund (Relief Fund) to help small restaurants pay membership fees.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the program in exchange for brand promotion, association with environmental action, and access to environmentally-conscious consumers and restaurant operators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

GreenDining Alliance certifies restaurants for sustainability through a 7-category audit framework covering waste reduction, sourcing, water conservation, energy, chemical use, education, and innovation. Restaurants commit to core concepts, undergo on-site audits, and earn 1-5 star certifications, gaining access to marketing tools, supplier discounts, and inclusion in the public restaurant directory. The program operates as a service of earthday365, a 501c(3) nonprofit, and is supplemented by Green Dining District neighborhood initiatives, a discount Passport program, and an annual Green Dining Week celebration.

Product overview

The Green Dining Alliance (GDA) operates a restaurant sustainability certification program as a service of earthday365, a 501c(3) nonprofit. The core offering is the GDA Restaurant Sustainability Certification, which includes on-site audits evaluating restaurants across 7 sustainability categories. Certified restaurants earn 1-5 stars and gain access to member perks including the GDA Restaurant Finder directory, Marketing Tools, and the Restaurant Resources Database. Supporting programs include Green Dining Districts (neighborhood-level initiatives), the GDA Restaurant Passport (discount program), Green Dining Ambassador membership, and the annual Green Dining Week event. The organization provides consultation and audit services to help restaurants improve their environmental impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GDA Restaurant Sustainability Certification A 7-category on-site audit-based restaurant sustainability certification program. Restaurants commit to Core Concepts (ban Styrofoam, implement recycling, phase in energy-efficient lighting), complete a walk-through audit, and earn 1-5 star ratings. Targeted at St. Louis region independent restaurants seeking third-party sustainability verification.
• GDA Audit and Consultation Services On-site sustainability consultations and certification audits that assess restaurant operations, provide non-biased third-party verification, and offer tailored strategies for environmental improvement. Sliding scale rates available for restaurants that do not yet qualify for membership.
• Green Dining Districts A neighborhood-level sustainability initiative that brings together community leaders and business owners to achieve GDA Membership for at least 25% of locally-owned restaurants in a designated Business District. Targets neighborhood business districts and city governments seeking to establish sustainability district branding.
• GDA Restaurant Passport A discount passport program offering special deals at 18 GDA certified restaurants, previously available at 50% off, providing consumers incentives to support sustainable dining. Targeted at environmentally-conscious diners in the St. Louis region.
• Green Dining Ambassador Program A $50 annual membership program supporting the GDA mission, offering discounts at participating GDA certified restaurants including Crushed Red, Kakao Chocolate, Perennial Artisan Ales, and The Wolf. Targeted at environmentally-conscious diners in the St. Louis region.
• Green Dining Week An annual event celebrating and promoting sustainable dining in St. Louis, with activities and special offerings at GDA certified restaurants. Targeted at both diners and certified restaurants to drive awareness and trial.

Quantifiable outcome

• Divert 1,000+ tons of waste from landfills per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Meridian SupplycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2024Meridian Supply, a family-owned restaurant supplier in Overland, MO, offers Green Dining Alliance members discounted prices on certified sustainable products. This partnership helps restaurants reduce environmental footprint affordably.
• earthday365coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerearthday365 is the parent 501c3 nonprofit organization that developed and operates the Green Dining Alliance program. The organization brings 7,500+ member network, event infrastructure, and sustainability expertise to support GDA operations.
• Sauce MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal food and lifestyle magazine providing advertising space for GDA certified restaurants at 20% discount on open rates. GDA sponsors also featured in magazine.
• Metro (Bi-State Development)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic transit agency providing sponsorship support and visibility for sustainable dining initiatives in the St. Louis region.
• StraightUp SolarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal solar energy company sponsoring the GDA program as part of their community sustainability engagement.
• Healthy Planet MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sustainability publication providing editorial coverage and advertising for GDA certified restaurants.
• Garrett PaperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal paper and packaging supplier sponsoring the GDA program.
• Maplewood Special Business DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Green Dining District partner. The Special Business District actively encourages green dining movement in member restaurants and co-promotes sustainable dining on the Maplewood strip.
• The Loop (Delmar Loop Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecond Green Dining District. As a major tourist destination, their sustainability practices reach visitors far and wide, promoting St. Louis as an environmentally-conscious city.
• South Grand DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird Green Dining District (City of St. Louis's first). Known for plant-based dining options and watershed protection with permeable pavement, 14 raingardens, and 32 rainscaping locations.
• The Grove Business DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFourth Green Dining District on Manchester Ave between Kingshighway Blvd. and Vandeventer. Home to Urban Chestnut's LEED-certified brewery and diverse sustainable dining options.
• City of Webster GrovescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFifth Green Dining District (June 2025). Nine GDA certified restaurants in the community, with city government actively promoting sustainable dining initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Green Restaurant Association: National nonprofit that certifies restaurants for environmental sustainability using a points-based Endorsement and Certification system. Operates in the same product category (restaurant sustainability certification) with a similar third-party audit model, but at national scale versus GDA's St. Louis focus.
• Green Seal: Independent nonprofit that certifies products, services, and businesses across industries against science-based environmental standards. Shares GDA's nonprofit, third-party certification model and focus on verifiable sustainability claims rather than self-attestation.
• B Lab: Nonprofit network that certifies B Corporations using a verified assessment of social and environmental performance. Comparable to GDA in operating a structured third-party certification with annual verification, though B Lab serves all industries rather than restaurants specifically.

Regional players

• Sustainable Restaurant Association: UK-based nonprofit that certifies restaurants across sustainability pillars including sourcing, environmental impact, and society. Directly comparable in mission and restaurant-specific certification framework, but operates in a different geography.
• EarthCheck: International sustainability certification and benchmarking program for the travel and tourism industry, including food service operations. Operates primarily in Australia, Asia, and Europe with comparable benchmarking and certification services for hospitality businesses.

Emerging players

• Climate Neutral: Nonprofit that certifies brands on carbon neutrality through measurement, reduction, and offsetting, with growing presence in food and beverage. Comparable third-party sustainability certification model, though narrower in scope (carbon only) versus GDA's broader 7-category framework.
• Future Fit Foundation: UK-based nonprofit that provides a science-based framework and tools for businesses to measure and improve environmental and social performance. Comparable third-party assessment methodology, though broader in scope and earlier in market adoption.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (LEED): Large nonprofit operating LEED, the dominant green building certification system, including LEED for Restaurants and LEED for Hospitality. A broad incumbent in sustainability certification whose restaurant-relevant offerings could overlap with GDA's scope, particularly for restaurant operators in LEED-certified buildings.

Others

• Green America: National nonprofit that promotes sustainable business practices through its Green Business Directory and certification. Adjacent rather than directly competing; could serve as either a complementary channel or an indirect competitor for sustainability-minded restaurants.
• 1% for the Planet: Nonprofit that connects businesses donating 1% of sales to environmental causes with vetted nonprofit partners. Operates as an enabling/ecosystem player rather than a direct restaurant certifier, but shares GDA's nonprofit sustainability positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/greendiningstl
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreenDiningSTL
• Instagraminstagram.com/greendiningstl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/green-dining-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 GreenDining Alliance