Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance
SWEEP is a nonprofit that operates the voluntary SWEEP+ sustainability standard and certification for the municipal solid waste industry, serving municipalities, waste management firms, and industry organizations through tiered membership and certification programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance does
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance (SWEEP) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in 2016 by Rob Watson, known as the "Founding Father of LEED," to serve as the voluntary sustainability standard for the municipal solid waste management industry. The organization is headquartered in Epsom, New Hampshire and operates with a 1-10 person team, governed by a Board of Directors and supported by a Steering Committee and Standards Committee composed of industry experts from across waste management, consulting, recycling technology, and government. SWEEP's core product is the SWEEP+ Standard, described as the world's only comprehensive, measurable framework covering the full waste system from collection and source reduction through post-collection processing and disposal, with a credit-based structure under a Sustainable Materials Management Policy (SMMP) covering prevention, collection, processing, and disposal categories.
SWEEP delivers its value through three revenue streams: tiered membership programs (individual at $50/year, local government starting at $250/year, and industry tiers), the SWEEP+ Certification program for both local governments and industry organizations, and donations supporting sustainable materials management initiatives. The go-to-market is sales-led and community-driven, combining online self-serve enrollment with direct engagement through webinars, industry conferences, and committee participation. Target customers span municipal governments (City of Austin, District of Columbia, City of San Marcos, City of Keene), major waste management firms (Waste Management, Recology), consulting firms (GBB, Kessler Consulting), recycling technology providers (RecycleGo, AMCS, Sensoneo, Everest Labs), and educational institutions (Santa Monica College).
The organization's strategic positioning is explicitly modeled on LEED's market transformation playbook in green buildings. SWEEP+ Pilot Standard 2.0 was released in 2026, and the member and partner ecosystem now includes roughly 30+ named organizations spanning municipalities, enterprises, consultants, advocacy groups, and technology providers. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and no M&A activity; it is sustained through membership fees, certification fees, and donations, with strategic leadership provided by Rob Watson (President), James Thompson (Secretary, Waste Business Journal), and Jon Michael Huls-Garcia (Treasurer).
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance
- Legal name
- Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance
- Website
- https://sweepstandard.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SWEEP is a nonprofit that operates the voluntary SWEEP+ sustainability standard and certification for the municipal solid waste industry, serving municipalities, waste management firms, and industry organizations through tiered membership and certification programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainability Certification Services for Solid Waste Management
- NAICS
- Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Waste Collection (56211)
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning) (BPALAAAE)
Keywords
Where Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: SWEEP generates revenue through tiered membership programs for local governments (starting at $250/year), industry businesses (small, medium, large tiers), and individuals ($50/year for non-profits, universities, and unaffiliated individuals). State and federal agencies also have membership options.
- SWEEP+ Certification: Revenue generated through certification programs for local governments and industry organizations seeking SWEEP+ certification status.
- Donations and Support: SWEEP accepts donations to support sustainable materials management initiatives and eco-friendly programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Local Government Membership - Small City/County |
| Subscription | Annual | Local Government Membership - Medium City/County |
| Subscription | Annual | Local Government Membership - Large City/County |
| Subscription | Annual | Industry Membership - Small/Medium/Large Business |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership - Non-profit/University |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership - Individual/Unaffiliated |
| Subscription | Annual | Individual Membership - State/Federal Agency |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SWEEP provides a comprehensive, measurable sustainability standard (the SWEEP+ Standard) for the municipal solid waste management industry, covering the full waste system from collection and source reduction through post-collection processing and disposal. The organization sells tiered memberships (Local Government, Industry, Individual), administers SWEEP+ certification programs for municipalities and waste service providers, and runs an educational webinar series featuring industry subject-matter experts.
Product overview
SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance) offers a single unified certification standard called the SWEEP+ Standard, which is a comprehensive framework for measuring and rewarding excellence in sustainable materials management. The organization provides parallel certification tracks for Local Government and Industry entities, along with associated membership programs and educational webinars. The core SWEEP+ Standard covers the complete waste management lifecycle including waste generation prevention, collection, post-collection processing, and disposal, with performance categories for KPI measurement and zero waste achievement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SWEEP+: Certification program for local governments and industry to achieve SWEEP certification for sustainable materials management.
Products and services
- SWEEP+ Standard The SWEEP+ Standard is a comprehensive, measurable framework covering the full solid waste system—from collection and source reduction through post-collection processing and disposal—used by municipalities and waste management service providers to identify and reward leaders in Sustainable Materials Management.
- SWEEP+ Local Government Certification Certification program for municipalities and local governments that achieve SWEEP+ recognition by implementing policies and programs that fulfill Sustainable Materials Management policy and waste generation prevention criteria.
- SWEEP+ Industry Certification Certification program for waste management service providers and private industry organizations that achieve SWEEP+ recognition through sustainable materials management practices and performance metrics.
- SWEEP Membership Program Tiered annual membership program for Local Government (Small/Medium/Large City/County), Industry (Small/Medium/Large Business), and Individuals (non-profits, universities, individuals, state/federal agencies) starting at $50/year for individuals and $250+/year for municipalities and industry, providing access to standards, webinars, and industry resources.
- SWEEP Webinar Series Educational webinar series bringing in top subject matter experts to present on hot-button issues and emerging concepts in the solid waste management industry, with recordings distributed via the SWEEP YouTube channel.
Quantifiable outcome
- Exceed national average diversion by 10-20% (SMMP Credit 3)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- AMCSminorMember organization listed in SWEEP's committee and member logos section. AMCS provides software solutions for the waste and recycling industry.
- Austin Resource RecoverycoreCity of Austin department actively participating in SWEEP Standards Committee. Provides representation from municipal perspective on solid waste management best practices.
- Blueridge ServicesminorMember organization in SWEEP's network supporting sustainable materials management initiatives.
- CarboturaminorMember organization contributing to SWEEP's industry network.
- Carton CouncilminorMember organization supporting recycling and sustainable packaging initiatives within SWEEP network.
- CETminorMember organization in SWEEP's committee network.
- District of ColumbiacoreMunicipal member providing government perspective and contributing to standards development for sustainable materials management.
- Earth911minorMember organization providing recycling information resources and supporting SWEEP education initiatives.
- ECGOminorMember organization in SWEEP's industry network.
- GBB Solid Waste Management ConsultantscoreMajor consulting firm actively participating in SWEEP Steering Committee and providing project management for solid waste initiatives. Steve Simmons serves as President and Morgan McCarthy as Project Manager.
- GreenBlue (Sustainable Packaging Coalition)coreStrategic partner providing expertise through Adam Gendell who serves on SWEEP Steering Committee. Contributes research on composting and sustainable packaging.
- Kessler ConsultingcoreConsulting firm actively contributing to SWEEP Standards Committee with Chas Jordan serving as Senior Consultant and Project Manager.
- Mt Diablo Resource RecoveryminorMember organization representing resource recovery operations.
- National Stewardship Action CouncilminorMember organization supporting stewardship and sustainable materials management.
- RecologycoreMajor waste management company and member supporting SWEEP standards development and sustainable materials management.
- RecycleGocoreRecycling technology provider with CEO Stan Chen actively serving on SWEEP Standards Committee.
- RubbishminorMember organization in SWEEP's industry network.
- Santa Monica College of CaliforniaminorEducational institution member contributing to sustainable materials management education and research.
- City of San MarcosminorMunicipal member supporting SWEEP standards and sustainable waste management.
- SERDCminorSoutheast Energy Efficiency Alliance member organization.
- SBMminorMember organization in SWEEP's network.
- STAR (State of Texas Alliance for Recycling)coreState-level recycling advocacy organization with Jordan Fengel contributing to SWEEP Standards Committee (former Executive Director).
- TERRAminorMember organization in SWEEP's industry network.
- TRUE Certification (GBCI)coreZero waste certification program administered by GreenBusiness Certification Inc. Stephanie Barger serves on SWEEP Standards Committee as TRUE Director.
- Upland RoadcoreStrategic partner founded by Rob Watson, SWEEP Founder and President. Develops waste separation and processing complexes (SMART Centers) and provides technical innovation leadership.
- US Composting CouncilminorMember organization supporting composting and organics diversion initiatives.
- Waste Business JournalcoreResearch and consulting firm dedicated to waste management industry with James Thompson serving as Secretary on SWEEP Board of Directors.
- Waste ManagementcoreMajor waste management company with Susan Robinson serving as Co-Chair of SWEEP Steering Committee. Contributes expertise in recycling infrastructure and sustainability reporting.
- Tetra PakcoreGlobal packaging company with Jordan Fengel (Sustainability Manager) serving on SWEEP Standards Committee.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SCS Global Services: SCS Global Services is a long-standing third-party certifier offering sustainability and recycled-content certifications, including Zero Waste Facility certification. It is a direct competitor in the US zero-waste/sustainable-materials certification market SWEEP+ addresses.
- TRUE Zero Waste Certification (GBCI): TRUE is the closest direct competitor — a zero waste certification program for facilities and businesses, administered by GBCI. SWEEP and TRUE are even Strategic Partners (Stephanie Barger of TRUE sits on SWEEP's Standards Committee), reflecting their overlapping mission of certifying sustainable materials management performance.
- GreenCircle Certified: GreenCircle Certified provides third-party verification of sustainability claims, including waste diversion, recycling, and zero waste certifications for organizations. It competes for the same corporate ESG and facility-level certification buyers as SWEEP+.
Emerging players
- Green Seal: Green Seal is a US-based non-profit ecolabel that certifies products, services, and facilities against sustainability criteria, including waste reduction and recycling performance. It overlaps thematically with SWEEP+ in certifying facility-level sustainability practices.
- B Lab (B Corporation Certification): B Lab certifies companies on social and environmental performance, including waste and materials management criteria. While focused on overall corporate ESG rather than waste specifically, it overlaps with SWEEP's industry certification buyer pool.
- Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: C2C Certified is a product-level sustainability standard for material health, reutilization, renewable energy, water, and social fairness. It overlaps with SWEEP's circular-economy and materials management agenda at the product/materials level rather than the facility/municipality level.
Others
- Waste Management (the company, WM): WM is SWEEP's largest member/partner and Co-Chair of its Steering Committee. As the dominant US hauler, WM is also a critical industry stakeholder whose internal sustainability program direction can either amplify or undermine SWEEP+'s market relevance.
Broad incumbents
- UL Solutions (Sustainability Services): UL provides third-party certification, testing, and verification services across environmental and waste claims, including zero waste and recycling claims. It competes for the same corporate ESG verification budgets that SWEEP+ certification targets.
- NSF International (Sustainability): NSF provides standards, testing, and certification services across sustainability areas including waste and recycling claims. It is a broader incumbent competing for corporate and municipal sustainability verification spend.
- LEED (U.S. Green Building Council / GBCI): LEED is the green-building certification that SWEEP explicitly models itself on ('LEED for waste'). Founded by SWEEP's own founder Rob Watson in 1993, LEED represents both the conceptual template and the dominant incumbent in adjacent sustainability certification, administered by GBCI — the same body that administers TRUE.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance social profiles
Digital presenceSolid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance
What does Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance do?
SWEEP provides a comprehensive, measurable sustainability standard (the SWEEP+ Standard) for the municipal solid waste management industry, covering the full waste system from collection and source reduction through post-collection processing and disposal. The organization sells tiered memberships (Local Government, Industry, Individual), administers SWEEP+ certification programs for municipalities and waste service providers, and runs an educational webinar series featuring industry subject-matter experts.
Is Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance a public or private company?
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance founded?
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance based?
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are SWEEP+ Certification and donations and Support.
Who are Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SCS Global Services, TRUE Zero Waste Certification (GBCI) and GreenCircle Certified. Emerging players are Green Seal, B Lab (B Corporation Certification) and Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. Waste Management (the company, WM) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are UL Solutions (Sustainability Services), NSF International (Sustainability) and LEED (U.S. Green Building Council / GBCI).
Does Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance.
What industry is Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance in?
Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Performance's product category is Sustainability Certification Services for Solid Waste Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPALAAAE, Street & Public Space Litter Collection (Municipal Cleaning). Its NAICS code is 9241 and its SIC code is 4953.