Sustainable Business Community

The City of Santa Monica partners with a community based organization to engage with Santa Monica businesses about sustainability. Since 2000, the City provides a free business greening program for local businesses. The program helps businesses identify strategies where they can conserve resources, reduce their footprint, and improve efficiency. Businesses that complete a list of green business strategies are eligible to be certified. These programs are voluntary. 

The annual Sustainable Quality Awards (SQAs) are the oldest and most rigorous sustainable business award in Southern California. The SQAs recognize local businesses who excel in the areas of sustainable economic development, social responsibility, and stewardship of the natural environment. The SQAs nurture Santa Monica’s sustainable business community and have been awarded since 1995. 

Business Greening Program

This chart shows the number of businesses that have participated in the City's business greening program since 2001. 

In 2025, 24 new businesses participated in the City's business greening program. In total, 502 businesses have participated since the program launched in 2001. 

* In 2016, this program was paused during a contract renewal process.

Green Business Certification

This chart shows the number of green business certifications since the program launched. 

In 2025, 14 businesses were certified, for a total of 287 certified green businesses in Santa Monica. This number includes recertifications. 

Sustainable Quality Awards

This indicator tracks the number of Sustainable Quality Awards distributed over the years. At the 2026 SQA ceremony, three businesses were awarded a Grand Prize, and one business received an Excellence award.     

As the 2020 SQA ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic, the 2020 award winners were recognized in a virtual ceremony in 2021. There was no SQA application cycle in 2021. 

Buy Local Businesses

This indicator measures the number of Santa Monica businesses that sign up for the Buy Local Santa Monica campaign. 

How do I get involved? 

  • Visit our Green Business Certification website to find a directory of green businesses in Santa Monica and to sign up to be certified.
  • Support local Santa Monica businesses. Check out the City's Buy Local Program page to find local businesses, join the Buy Local program, find the winners of Santa Monica's Most Loved Awards, and hire local talent. 
  • Follow @SustainableSaMo and @BuyLocalSM on Instagram to see featured green businesses and local gems.