Selo Social
Selo Social is a Brazilian nonprofit organization that certifies companies, municipalities, NGOs, and educational institutions against the UN Sustainable Development Goals, delivering SDG-aligned certification, training, and ESG consulting across 20+ Brazilian cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersSorocaba, Brazil
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Selo Social does
Selo Social (legally Instituto Selo Social) is a private Brazilian nonprofit institute headquartered in Sorocaba, Brazil, founded in 2014. It operates as a social impact certification body, issuing the country's largest portfolio of SDG-aligned certifications to companies, public agencies, civil society organizations, and educational institutions that demonstrate positive social impact aligned with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals plus a Brazil-specific SDG 18 on Racial Equality. The methodology is delivered through a web application platform (app.selosocial.com) that supports self-service registration, annual certification cycles, in-person training, and online consulting, and is distributed via municipal partnerships and a network of local coordinators (Articuladores) across 20+ municipalities in South, Southeast, and Central-West Brazil.
The product portfolio is segmented into three core certification lines: the base Certificação Selo Social (valid for one year, including training and online consultancy), Selo Social Corporativo (corporate ESG positioning), and Selo ODS Educação (educational institutions program aligned with SDG 4). Two complementary service lines — Capacitação e Formação (training) and Consultoria ESG (advisory) — strengthen the certification revenue with professional services. As of the latest data, 2,661 organizations are certified, 10,663 projects have been executed by certified organizations, and 27,703 social impacts have been documented.
The revenue model is a mix of recurring annual certification fees, corporate sponsorship, and ESG consulting, with undisclosed pricing handled via direct contact through [email protected] and WhatsApp. The organization is structured as a nonprofit entity with headcount of 1–10 employees and no disclosed funding rounds, suggesting a lean operating model. Distribution is anchored by partnerships with the UN Global Compact (Pacto Global), Cidades Sustentáveis, RedeUnisustentável, Somos ODS, and Estratégia ODS, which provide reach and credibility across Brazilian civil society, academia, and municipal government.
Selo Social firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Selo Social
- Legal name
- Instituto Selo Social
- Website
- https://selosocial.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Selo Social is a Brazilian nonprofit organization that certifies companies, municipalities, NGOs, and educational institutions against the UN Sustainable Development Goals, delivering SDG-aligned certification, training, and ESG consulting across 20+ Brazilian cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Selo Social is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sorocaba
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Markets served
Selo Social business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Certification Program Fees: Annual certification program with one-year duration, including in-person training and online consulting. Organizations pay to participate and receive certification upon demonstrating positive social impact.
- Corporate Sponsorship: Companies sponsor the Selo Social program as part of their ESG strategy and social responsibility positioning, providing funding in exchange for association with the certification program and brand visibility.
- ESG Consulting Services: Consulting services to help companies, public bodies, and civil society organizations implement ESG best practices aligned with sustainable development.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual certification program with training and consulting |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Selo Social product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Selo Social (Instituto Selo Social) certifies organizations against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (ODS/SDGs), issuing the Selo Social seal to corporates, municipalities, and educational institutions. Beyond certification, the company delivers ESG consulting, training programs, and a dedicated digital platform (app.selosocial.com) that supports assessment and certification workflows.
Product overview
Selo Social is a unified social impact certification platform operating in Brazil. The core offering consists of the main Certificação Selo Social program, complemented by specialized variants including Selo Social Corporativo for corporate clients, Selo ODS Educação for educational institutions, and the Programa Selo Social na sua Cidade for municipal implementation. Supporting services include Capacitação e Formação (training programs) and Consultoria ESG (ESG advisory services). The platform connects certified organizations through a web application and aligns all activities with the 18 UN Sustainable Development Goals (ODS), including the 18th goal on Racial Equality which is unique to Brazil's SDG framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Selo Social Corporativo: Corporate social certification program for companies seeking ESG positioning and social impact recognition.
- Selo ODS Educação
- Programa Selo Social na sua Cidade
Products and services
- Certificação Selo Social Core social-impact certification that validates organizations against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (ODS/SDGs), issuing the Selo Social seal to qualifying entities in Brazil.
- Selo Social Corporativo
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,661 organizations certified with demonstrated social impact
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Selo Social
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Selo Social technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Selo Social partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- CnodscoreStrategic partnership for sustainable development coordination and ODS implementation support.
- RedeUnisustentávelcorePartnership with sustainable university network for academic collaboration on sustainable development goals.
- Estratégia ODScorePartnership for ODS (Sustainable Development Goals) strategy alignment and implementation support.
- Cidades SustentáveiscorePartnership with Sustainable Cities initiative supporting urban sustainable development programs.
- Pacto GlobalflagshipPartnership with UN Global Compact network, the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, for global SDG alignment.
- Somos ODScorePartnership with Somos ODS network for collaborative sustainable development goal initiatives.
- GT (Grupo de Trabalho)corePartnership with working group focused on sustainable development implementation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Selo Social competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global non-profit running environmental disclosure and certification systems. Comparable to Selo Social in providing ESG/certification services with international sustainability framework alignment for corporate and institutional participants.
- Rainforest Alliance: International sustainability certification organization with significant Latin America presence. Operates a similar certification model focused on environmental and social standards with established global brand recognition that competitors must contend with.
- B Lab (B Corp): Global nonprofit certifying B Corps for social and environmental performance. B Lab is the most direct competitor to Selo Social, offering third-party social impact certification with a multi-stakeholder governance model that closely mirrors Selo Social's structure.
- Carbon Trust: International climate and sustainability certification body. Similar to Selo Social in providing ESG certification and consulting services to corporations and public bodies, with comparable sustainability framework alignment.
- ISEAL Alliance: Global membership association for sustainability standards organizations. Directly comparable to Selo Social's role as a multi-stakeholder certification body with member-based governance and credibility frameworks.
- GRI (Global Reporting Initiative): Independent international organization providing sustainability reporting standards. Comparable to Selo Social in developing frameworks for organizations to demonstrate social and environmental impact, with similar stakeholder-driven governance.
- Fair Trade USA: Third-party social and environmental certification organization for products and supply chains. Operates a similar certification model focused on social impact and sustainability standards, with comparable annual certification cycles and impact verification.
Regional players
- Instituto Ethos: Brazilian non-profit organization focused on corporate social responsibility and sustainable business. Comparable to Selo Social as a regional peer operating in the same Brazilian market with overlapping ESG and CSR focus areas.
Broad incumbents
- Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) services company. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering certification services including ESG and sustainability, though not specializing in social impact certification like Selo Social.
- SGS: Global inspection, verification, testing and certification company. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering ESG certification services with international reach, though with a much broader portfolio than Selo Social's focused social impact model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Selo Social social profiles
Digital presenceSelo Social financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Selo Social leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Selo Social funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Selo Social 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 Selo Social
What does Selo Social do?
Selo Social (Instituto Selo Social) certifies organizations against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (ODS/SDGs), issuing the Selo Social seal to corporates, municipalities, and educational institutions. Beyond certification, the company delivers ESG consulting, training programs, and a dedicated digital platform (app.selosocial.com) that supports assessment and certification workflows.
Is Selo Social a public or private company?
Selo Social is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Selo Social founded?
Selo Social was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Selo Social based?
Selo Social is headquartered in Sorocaba, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Selo Social make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certification Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship and ESG Consulting Services.
Who are Selo Social's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), Rainforest Alliance, B Lab (B Corp), Carbon Trust, ISEAL Alliance, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) and Fair Trade USA. Instituto Ethos is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Bureau Veritas and SGS.
Does Selo Social have an API?
No public API is recorded for Selo Social.