Environmental Certifications for UK Businesses  

A Practical Guide to Going Green

As sustainability becomes a core expectation for businesses in the UK, environmental certifications are a powerful way to prove your commitment to responsible practices. Whether you’re a small start-up or a large enterprise, these certifications can help you reduce your environmental impact, build trust with customers, and even unlock new business opportunities. 

Here’s a breakdown of some of the environmental and sustainability certifications relevant to UK businesses: 

General for all business sectors 

ISO 14001 – Environmental Management Systems 

What it is: 
An internationally recognised standard for setting up an Environmental Management System (EMS). People may recognise the ISO standard from others often used in businesses such as ISO9001 (Quality) and ISO 45001 (Health and Safety).   The core principle that each of these standards use is – having a robust system to consider your environmental risk and opportunities will enable a business to identify actions ot mitigate those risks, take advantage of opportunities and set continuous improvement goals.  The system also includes requirements for monitoring to ensure improvement plans are implemented.   

Why it matters in the UK: 
Widely adopted across industries, ISO 14001 requires UK businesses to understand and comply with environmental laws, reduce their environmental impact and improve their overall environmental performance. 

Best for: 
Any size business looking to formalise and improve their environmental practices. 

B Corp Certification 

What it is: 
A holistic certification that assesses a company’s social and environmental impact.  B Corps stands for “Benefit Corporation” and signifies that a company is committed to balancing profit and purpose and considering the impact on all stakeholders and not just shareholders.  The assessment covers criteria across company governance, employees (and contractors), community and the environment. 

UK relevance: 
Over 2,000 UK companies are now B Corps, including household names like The Body Shop and Innocent Drinks [1]. 

Best for: 
Purpose-driven businesses that want to balance profit with people and the planet. 

Carbon Trust Standard

 What it is: 
A UK-based certification that recognises organisations for measuring, managing, and reducing their carbon greenhouse gas emissions.  It is a robust standard but in concentrating solely on carbon emisions it is not strictly speaking a broad environmental accreditation considering emissions to water for example, waste, biodiversity, use of resources etc.   

Why it matters: 
It’s a trusted badge for demonstrating climate leadership and can help businesses meet net-zero targets. 

Best for: 
Companies with clear carbon reduction goals or those seeking to improve energy efficiency. 

EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) 

What it is: 
An EU-based certification that goes beyond ISO 14001 by requiring public environmental reporting. 

UK relevance: 
Still recognised post-Brexit, especially for companies trading with the EU. 

Best for: 
Organisations seeking transparency and leadership in environmental performance. 

EcoVadis 

What it is: 
A global sustainability rating platform that evaluates companies on environmental, labour, ethics, and procurement practices. 

UK relevance: 
Used by many UK suppliers and buyers to assess ESG performance in their supply chain. 

Best for: 
Businesses working with large corporations or international partners. 

ISO 14068-1 – Carbon Neutrality Standard  

What it is: 
ISO 14068-1 is an international standard that provides organisations with a framework to achieve carbon neutrality. It outlines the process of measuring greenhouse gas emissions, implementing reduction strategies, and using verified carbon offsetting to reach Net Zero emissions.  A cornerstone of ISO 14068-1 is the establishment of a clear hierarchy: Reduce, Remove, Offset. This hierarchy ensures that organisations cannot simply offset their way to neutrality, emphasising the critical importance of genuine emission reductions. Unlike PAS 2060, which permitted carbon neutrality claims based on limited scope and solely on offsets, ISO 14068-1 mandates concrete evidence of emission reductions before any offsetting can be considered. 

Why it matters: 
It provides a clear framework for businesses to credibly claim carbon neutrality. 

Best for: 
Companies aiming to make verified net-zero or carbon-neutral claims. 

Sustainable Leaders in Business 

Overview: 
A UK-based multi-level sustainability award that helps businesses assess and improve their sustainability performance.  

Best for: 
Small to medium UK businesses starting their sustainability journey. 

Sector Specific

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) 

What it is: 
A UK-developed certification for assessing the sustainability of buildings. 

Why it matters: 
BREEAM is one of the most respected green building standards in the UK and Europe, used in both new construction and refurbishment projects. 

Best for: 
Property developers, architects, and organisations managing commercial buildings. 

ECOsmart Certification 

What it is: 
A sustainability certification tailored for the UK hospitality and events industry. 

Why it matters: 
It’s the leading green standard for hotels, venues, and travel agencies in the UK[2]. 

Best for: 
Hotels, serviced apartments, and event venues aiming to attract eco-conscious clients. 

Final Thoughts 

Environmental certifications are more than just green badges—they’re strategic tools that help UK businesses: 

• Build credibility with customers and investors. 
• Comply with environmental regulations. 
• Improve efficiency and reduce costs. 
• Stand out in a competitive market. 

Choosing the right certification depends on your industry, goals, and resources. Here’s a quick guide: 

Environmental Certifications for UK Businesses – Comparison Table 

Certification	Best For	Positives	Limitations	Estimated Cost (UK)
ISO 14001	General environmental management	Globally recognised, improves compliance, scalable	Resource-intensive, ongoing audits	£4,000–£6,000+ for SMEs [1]
B Corp	Ethical branding & governance	Strong brand trust, holistic ESG focus	Legal structure changes, rigorous	£500–£2,000+ annual fee + verification fee [3]
Carbon Trust Standard	Carbon reduction & net-zero	Government-trusted, supports energy savings	Requires detailed data, less suited to micro-businesses	Custom quote; typically £5,000–£10,000+ [4]
EMAS	EU trade & transparency	High transparency, builds on ISO 14001	Complex, less common post-Brexit	Custom quote; varies by size and sites[6]
EcoVadis	Supply chain & B2B	Global reach, covers ESG, used by corporates	Subscription-based, less public-facing	From ~€535/year (~£450) for basic plan [7]
ISO14068-1	Carbon neutrality	Credible net-zero claims, UK standard	Requires verified offsets, time-intensive	£3,000–£6,000 including audits
Sustainable Leaders in Business	UK SMEs starting sustainability	Accessible, tiered levels, supportive	Less global recognition,	£300–£950/year depending on tier and size[9]
BREEAM	Sustainable buildings	UK-specific, adds property value, flexible for new/refurb projects	Complex, costly, sector-specific	£700+ per asset + assessor fees [2]
ECOsmart	Hospitality & events	Industry-specific, easy to use, recognised by travel buyers	Limited to sector, less global recognition	£500 audit fee + annual fee from £300–£950 [5]

Whether you’re just starting your sustainability journey or looking to deepen your impact, there’s a certification that fits your goals. 

References