What Environmental Media Association does

Environmental Media Association (EMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Bel Air, California, with a staff of 1-10 employees. Its stated mission is to promote environmental action and innovation through storytelling by leveraging pop culture and the entertainment industry to influence sustainable lifestyle adoption. EMA operates at the intersection of arts and environmental advocacy, using its position to amplify sustainability messaging across mass media.

The organization's core product is the EMA Green Seal certification program, launched in 2003, which recognizes sustainable production practices for filmed commercials, movies, animation, television shows, and print advertising. Since inception, more than 1,800 projects have received the Green Seal for Production. EMA has subsequently extended the Green Seal into adjacent verticals with EMA Green Seal for Business and EMA Green Seal for Hospitality certifications. Complementary offerings include the annual EMA Awards (35th edition scheduled for Fall 2026) and the EMA Impact Summit, both serving as convening platforms for environmental storytelling in entertainment. EMA distributes its messaging through a multi-channel content strategy including social media, the EMA Blog, EMA Talks podcast, PSAs, newsletters, press coverage, and its YouTube channel.

EMA's revenue model is donations-based, funded by individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting environmental causes. The organization does not sell products or services in a commercial sense, so traditional pricing metrics do not apply. Its primary customer segments are the entertainment industry (film studios, TV networks, streaming platforms, production companies seeking sustainability certification) and sustainability-focused businesses (pursuing Green Seal certification across production, hospitality, and general business operations), with broader consumer awareness campaigns targeting the general public through pop-culture-driven messaging.

Name

Environmental Media Association

Legal name

The Environmental Media Association (EMA)

Website

https://ema-online.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Environmental Media Association (EMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 that promotes environmental action through entertainment and storytelling. It certifies sustainable productions via the EMA Green Seal program, runs the annual EMA Awards and Impact Summit, and serves film studios, production companies, and sustainability-focused businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Advocacy and Sustainability Certification

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Environmental & Sustainability Events (Earth Day, Clean-Up Festivals) (MPAGAEAO), Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI)

Keywords

• Environmental advocacy
• Sustainability certification
• Green production certification
• Entertainment sustainability programs
• Environmental storytelling

Headquarters

HQ city

Beverly Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: EMA operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization primarily funded through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations supporting environmental causes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Environmental Media Association operates environmental sustainability certification and recognition programs targeted at the entertainment industry. Its core offering is the EMA Green Seal program, launched in 2003, which certifies sustainable practices in film, TV, animation, commercials, and print production (over 1,800 projects recognized), with adjacent Green Seal certifications for business and hospitality operations. EMA complements certifications with the annual EMA Awards show, the annual Impact Summit, and a network of digital content, events, and PSAs that promote environmental storytelling to mass audiences.

Product overview

Environmental Media Association (EMA) operates as a unified platform centered on environmental certification and recognition programs for the entertainment industry. The core offerings include the EMA Green Seal certification program (covering production, business, and hospitality sectors) that has recognized over 1,800 projects since 2003, the annual EMA Awards celebrating environmental excellence in media, and the EMA Impact Summit for education and advocacy. These programs work together to promote sustainable practices through entertainment and pop culture, with EMA serving as the primary voice for sustainability in the entertainment industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMA Green Seal for Business: Green Seal certification program for sustainable business operations.
• EMA Green Seal for Hospitality
• EMA Green Seal for Production
• EMA Awards
• EMA Impact Summit

Products and services

• EMA Green Seal for Production Certification program for sustainable production practices across filmed commercials, movies, animation, television shows, and print advertising. Since 2003, over 1,800 projects have been recognized.
• EMA Green Seal for Business Certification program recognizing businesses that demonstrate sustainable practices beyond the entertainment industry.
• EMA Green Seal for Hospitality Certification program recognizing hospitality businesses that meet environmental sustainability standards.
• EMA Awards Annual awards ceremony recognizing environmental excellence in media, entertainment, and pop culture. The 35th EMA Awards is scheduled for Fall 2026.
• EMA Impact Summit Annual summit focused on environmental impact, bringing together industry leaders, celebrities, and environmental advocates for education and action.
• EMA Green Seal Recipients Database Searchable database of thousands of movies and TV shows that have earned the EMA Green Seal for Sustainable Production.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,800 projects recognized with EMA Green Seal since 2003
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Green Seal Recipients (Entertainment Productions)coreOthersThousands of movies and TV shows have earned the EMA Green Seal for Sustainable Production, representing the entertainment industry's commitment to environmental sustainability through EMA certification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Earth Day Network (EarthDay.org): Nonprofit organization coordinating Earth Day activations and environmental education campaigns globally. Comparable to EMA in event-driven environmental advocacy and donor-funded model, with comparable scale and a similar celebrity/communications-led approach.
• B Lab (Certified B Corporation): Nonprofit network certifying companies against social and environmental performance standards. Comparable to EMA's Green Seal for Business in certifying corporate sustainability, with stronger global brand recognition and a paid certification model.
• Green Seal Inc. Independent nonprofit that sets sustainability standards and certifies products, services, and operations across industries. Most direct comparable to EMA's Green Seal certification model, though broader in scope (consumer products, cleaning, hospitality) and stronger in third-party standards recognition.

Emerging players

• Earth Alliance: Environmental nonprofit founded by Leonardo DiCaprio and others, leveraging celebrity platforms for climate action. Directly comparable to EMA's celebrity/entertainment-led environmental advocacy model, with a more recent founding and a focus on direct grantmaking and protection projects.
• Global Citizen: International advocacy organization using entertainment, celebrity, and media campaigns to drive action on global issues. Comparable to EMA in entertainment-driven advocacy and content reach, though focused more on poverty and global development than environmental sustainability specifically.
• Hollywood Climate Summit: Annual convening mobilizing the entertainment industry around climate action. Directly comparable to EMA's Impact Summit in targeting entertainment industry sustainability engagement, with a more focused event-only model and no certification program.

Others

• EarthShare: Federation of environmental and conservation nonprofits facilitating workplace giving and donor engagement. Comparable to EMA as a donor infrastructure player in the environmental advocacy space, though operating as an aggregator rather than a direct program operator.

Broad incumbents

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Large environmental advocacy nonprofit combining policy, science, and public education. Comparable to EMA in mission-driven environmental advocacy and donor-funded model, but operates at greater scale and through policy/legal channels rather than entertainment.
• Sierra Club: One of the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organizations in the United States. Comparable to EMA in nonprofit environmental advocacy mission, but focused on conservation, policy, and outdoor recreation rather than entertainment-industry sustainability.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global nonprofit running a major environmental disclosure system for companies, cities, and investors. Comparable to EMA in operating a sustainability disclosure/recognition platform, though focused on corporate climate and water disclosures rather than entertainment production practices.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EMAOnline
• Xx.com/green4ema
• Facebookfacebook.com/emaonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Environmental Media Association