About GreenCo Rating System
GREENCO INTRODUCTION
GreenCo Council
The GreenCo Council is a prominent body consisting of senior industry experts dedicated to promoting green practices in the country. With a mission to drive sustainability and environmental stewardship, the council plays a pivotal role in guiding the activities of the GreenCo rating system and shaping the development of the GreenCo certification. Comprising eminent leaders from various industries and subject matter experts, the GreenCo Council brings together a wealth of experience and knowledge. These individuals are recognized for their expertise in sustainability, environmental management, and corporate responsibility. The council effectively leads and influences the adoption of green practices across sectors by leveraging their collective wisdom. Its role extends beyond mere oversight, as it actively advises on the governance of the rating system and ensures its effectiveness in delivering the mission of GreenCo. The annual board meeting held during the GreenCo Summit reinforces the significance of the council's role in steering the course of GreenCo and highlights the commitment to continuous improvement and collective action.
GreenCo rating System
The objective of GreenCo is to assist companies in improving their environmental performance in a comprehensive manner and go beyond sheer compliance. The GreenCo Rating System embraces a life cycle approach that focuses on ten key performance areas namely energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, waste management, material conservation, recycling & recyclability, green supply chain, product stewardship & life cycle assessment, innovation for environment and green infrastructure & ecology. These areas provide a framework for evaluating and enhancing sustainability practices across industries. The rating system categorizes companies based on their total score, from Platinum+ to Certified, providing recognition and motivation for continual improvement.
A key strength of the GreenCo Rating System lies in its alignment with national and international environmental goals and commitments. Recognizing the importance of collective action, the system ensures that industry efforts are in sync with broader sustainability agendas and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The system provides a platform for companies to measure their progress against national and international benchmarks and contributes to the broader sustainability agenda, which is to drive continuous improvement in their environmental practices.
GreenCo goes beyond traditional environmental performance evaluation by adopting a holistic approach that encompasses various aspects of sustainability. Rather than focusing solely on compliance with regulations, GreenCo promotes the adoption of newer initiatives and practices that drive sustainability. It facilitates the implementation of concepts like Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Green Supply Chain (GSC) practices, Net Zero strategies, water positive approaches, Zero Waste to Landfill (ZWTL) programs, and biodiversity conservation efforts. By incorporating these initiatives into the evaluation process, GreenCo encourages companies to embrace innovative approaches and stay ahead of evolving sustainability challenges. Furthermore, GreenCo goes beyond a one-time evaluation by fostering continuous improvement.
GreenCo rating Parameters
The Green Company Rating System advocates a performance based approach. The rating system evaluates green features of companies against the following performance parameters:
| Parameter | Points |
|---|---|
| Management System | 75 |
| Energy Management | 175 |
| GHG Management | 150 |
| Water Management | 125 |
| Material Resource Management | 125 |
| Green Supply Chain | 100 |
| Product Stewardship & Life cycle aspects | 125 |
| Innovation for Environment | 50 |
| Green Built Environment, Ecology & Others | 100 |
| Total | 1000 |
Applicability of GreenCo Rating
GreenCo rating is applicable to both manufacturing facilities and service sector units. The rating is implemented at unit or facility level. The unit or facility has to be in operation for a minimum period of 3 years. In case of new plants/ facilities minimum 2 years operation is required.
Scope of Activities in GreenCo Rating
GreenCo rating is a unit or facility level rating. The boundary condition for GreenCo assessment & certification will be the unit or facility applying for the rating.
Period of validity of GreenCo Rating: 3 years from award of Rating
Activities:
| S.No. | Activity | No of tentative visits | No of tentative days | Tentative CII Staff / External experts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Training program on GreenCo Rating | 01 | 02 | 02 |
| 2. | Handholding visits or Pre- assessment visits* | 01 to 02 | 01 | 01 |
| 3. | Final assessment and site visit** | 01 | 02 to 03 | 03 to 04 |
| 4. | Certification and Award of GreenCo Rating by CII | - | - | - |
| 5. | Report on opportunities for improvement / Feedback report by CII | - | - | - |
Note:
* No of Handholding/ Pre-assessment visits shall vary with the size of the company and nature of operations
**No of Days required for final assessment and site visit for GreenCo certification shall vary with the size of the unit and nature of operations
Completion period: The activities 1 to 6 has to be completed in a period of 6 months from the date of acceptance. The completion of the rating exercise will also depend upon the speed of data/document submission by the plant. The company and CII upon mutual agreement has the right to extend the completion period.