The City of West Hollywood has completed the first year of its Green Business Certification Program, which is one of the commitments in the City’s 2021 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, WeHo Climate Action. WeHo Climate Action outlines the City’s intended path to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and to adapt to the impacts of a changing climate while centering equity and quality-of-life outcomes for the West Hollywood community. Continuing to offer this program free of charge to West Hollywood businesses is part of the City’s commitment to support businesses and sustainability. More information and program registration is available at go.weho.org/greenbusiness.

In its inaugural year, the City’s Green Business Certification Program certified 15 West Hollywood businesses, with 11 receiving a combined $13,735 in rebates for sustainability upgrades. These improvements included HVAC servicing, purchasing Energy Star® equipment, and switching to less-toxic cleaning products; these are all steps that enhance indoor air quality, support employee health, and reduce environmental impact. To receive certification, West Hollywood’s Certified Green Businesses have demonstrated a commitment to implementing practices that reduce energy and water consumption, prevent pollution, divert waste from landfills, and assist businesses in creating a cleaner and healthier environment for their employees.

Building on the success of the Green Business Certification Program, the City is extending the program into its second year, offering each business up to $1,500 in rebates to help implement green measures by December 30, 2025. Qualifying businesses can also apply for additional energy-efficiency grants through a partnership with INTUIT, a global financial technology company.

The City of West Hollywood’s Green Business Certification Program offers two certification tiers. Tier 1: Entry-Level, can be a great introductory certification for small businesses; Tier 2: Certification-Level, can work for small or larger businesses, depending on their ability to make procurement changes and perform minor retrofits if needed. For businesses to achieve either level, they must implement a minimum number of measures in the areas of water and energy conservation, clean energy, waste reduction, pollution prevention, sustainable transportation, and community engagement.

The Green Business Certification Program is provided free of charge to West Hollywood businesses. The local non-profit organization Sustainable Works continues to administer the program after partnering with the City to develop and launch the customized program last year, which targeted the Office, Retail, Cannabis Dispensary, Restaurant, Grocery, and School (K-12) sectors. Program coordinators provide step-by-step guidance to achieve the criteria and connect businesses with resources and incentive programs available to help them go green.

The Green Business Certification Program operates under the guidelines established by the California Green Business Network (CAGBN), which provides a statewide standard of criteria for businesses to achieve certification. In 2024, California Green Businesses reduced 59 million kWh of electricity, 106 million gallons of water, 18.4 million pounds of materials from local landfills, and 83.7 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2024, California Green Businesses reduced 59 million kWh of electricity, 106 million gallons of water, 18.4 million pounds of materials from local landfills, 83.7 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about the Green Business Certification Program, see a list of participating Certified Green Businesses and/or to register for the program, please visit go.weho.org/greenbusiness. For more information about WeHo Climate Action, please visit www.weho.org/climateaction.

For more information about the Green Business Certification Program, please contact Christine Shen, City of West Hollywood Senior Planner, at (323) 848-6803 or cshen@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.