U.S. Zero Waste Business Council

What U.S. Zero Waste Business Council does

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council operates the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) zero waste certification program, a whole-systems rating framework that measures, improves, and recognizes zero waste performance at the facility level. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Newport Beach, California, the organization operates under the GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.) umbrella, which is itself affiliated with USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) — the body behind LEED and other established green building standards. The core product is the TRUE Rating System, which evaluates facilities on waste reduction, material reuse, recycling, and sustainable resource management across the full lifecycle of materials used on-site.

The business model is certification-driven: facilities pursue TRUE designation through a structured assessment process administered via the GBCI platform, generating recurring revenue through initial certification fees and ongoing recertification cycles. The TRUE Advisor program certifies individual professionals trained on the rating system, who serve as the delivery channel guiding facilities through certification — a parallel professional credentialing revenue stream. The primary customer segment is commercial and industrial facilities (manufacturing plants, warehouses, office buildings, and large retail operations such as Inditex), with TRUE Advisors serving as a secondary professional-services persona. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled through direct engagement with GBCI.

The organization runs an active content and community motion — publishing articles on zero waste economics and circular-economy product innovation, maintaining an events calendar, distributing an email newsletter, and operating a public TRUE Advisor directory. In February 2026, the program opened TRUE v2, the next generation of the rating system, for public consultation, signaling continued investment in evolving the certification framework. The operating posture is that of a small (11-50 employees), specialized certification body with institutional backing rather than a high-growth technology company.

Name

U.S. Zero Waste Business Council

Legal name

U.S. Zero Waste Business Council

Website

https://uszwbc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council operates the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) zero waste certification program for commercial and industrial facilities, operating under the GBCI/USGBC umbrella and generating revenue through facility certification fees and the TRUE Advisor professional credentialing program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Certification

NAICS

All Other Waste Management Services (56299)

SIC

Services-Services, Nec (8900)

akta.pro primary industry

Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL)

Keywords

• Zero waste certification
• Sustainability certification
• Green building certification
• Waste management certification
• Environmental certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: Facilities pay for certification assessment and recertification services through the TRUE program. The certification demonstrates zero waste achievement and ongoing environmental commitment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council operates the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification program, a whole-systems zero waste rating system for commercial and industrial facilities. It offers the core TRUE Certification Program for facilities, the TRUE Advisor professional certificate for trained practitioners, and the upcoming TRUE v2 update of the rating system.

Product overview

The U.S. Zero Waste Business Council operates the TRUE certification ecosystem, consisting of three main offerings: the TRUE Certification Program (the core certification for facilities seeking zero waste designation), TRUE v2 (the upcoming major version of the rating system currently in public consultation), and the TRUE Advisor professional certificate program for trained professionals who guide facilities through certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TRUE Certification Program A zero waste certification program for commercial and industrial facilities (manufacturing plants, warehouses, office buildings) seeking to measure, improve, and gain recognition for zero waste performance through the TRUE Rating System.
• TRUE Advisor A professional certificate program for individuals trained on the TRUE Rating System. TRUE Advisors understand the requirements of the rating system, help projects achieve TRUE certification, and serve as resident experts supporting zero waste program implementation.
• TRUE v2 The next generation of the TRUE Rating System, representing a major update to the zero waste certification framework with enhanced criteria and requirements. Opened for public consultation in February 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cut greenhouse gases through resource efficiency
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTRUE is operated under the GBCI umbrella, which is affiliated with USGBC. USGBC is a nonprofit organization that developed LEED and other sustainability standards. TRUE certification leverages USGBC's established infrastructure and market credibility in sustainable building and facility management.
• GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGBCI is the parent organization that administers TRUE certification. GBCI provides the certification infrastructure, assessment processes, and credentialing for TRUE Advisors. GBCI is the only certification body exclusively delivering programs and credentials for the global green building industry.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GreenCircle Certified: Third-party certification body focused on sustainability claims including waste diversion, recycling, and circular material use — directly comparable in scope to TRUE's zero waste certification.
• SCS Global Services: Independent third-party certifier offering sustainability, environmental, and zero-waste-related certifications across food, forestry, and consumer products. Comparable as a peer in the third-party sustainability certification market.
• Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA): Nonprofit standards body that publishes the Zero Waste Business Council certification standard — historically connected to the zero waste certification category in which TRUE competes.
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI): The certification body that administers TRUE; provides assessment infrastructure and credentialing for green building and zero waste programs. Operates as the direct parent/administrator of the TRUE program.
• B Lab (B Corporation): Operates the B Corp certification for companies meeting social and environmental performance standards. Comparable as a voluntary, brand-driven sustainability certification competing for corporate ESG budget.
• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): Operator of the LEED green building certification and parent affiliate of GBCI, which runs TRUE. Most directly comparable as a sustainability-rating program under the same institutional umbrella.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: Administers the Cradle to Cradle Certified product sustainability standard covering material reuse, recyclability, and circular economy — overlapping directly with TRUE's zero waste/circular economy positioning.

Emerging players

• EarthCheck: Sustainability certification and benchmarking program primarily for the travel and tourism sector. Comparable as a sustainability certification operator, though more narrowly focused on hospitality and tourism verticals.

Others

• RRS (Resource Recycling Systems): Consultancy advising companies and governments on waste reduction, recycling, and circular economy strategy — adjacent ecosystem participant that supports facilities pursuing TRUE-style certifications.

Broad incumbents

• UL Solutions: Large established certification and standards body offering environmental, sustainability, and claims verification services across many industries — a broader incumbent competing for the same corporate certification spend.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zerowastebiz
• Facebookfacebook.com/us-zero-waste-business-council-282490785176912
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/u-s--zero-waste-business-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about U.S. Zero Waste Business Council