How Green Hive Rates Ethical Brands

Transparency in our evaluation process

Transparency

Transparency holds brands accountable for their sustainability claims. At Green Hive, we undertake a comprehensive examination of a company's commitment to transparency and its willingness to openly share its practices, sourcing methods, and ethical principles. In our assessment, we give priority to brands that are open and forthcoming about their operations. This approach allows us to verify the authenticity of the brand's claims, ensuring they are grounded in tangible evidence. By fostering a culture of openness, we encourage continuous improvement and innovation in sustainable practices.

Available information

Public Disclosure Evaluation

In our assessment process, we meticulously study the data and details that companies choose to disclose regarding their practices and supply chains. This involves a meticulous analysis of readily accessible information, encompassing the brand's public reports, dedicated sustainability page, Code of Conduct, and other pertinent sources.

Through careful examination of the data willingly disclosed by these companies, we acquire valuable insights into the ecological, labor, and animal welfare consequences of their operations. This information equips us with the tools to make well-informed evaluations, allowing us to support brands genuinely committed to sustainability.

Corporate Responsibility

Size of the Company

At Green Hive, we carefully assess larger brands with stricter standards. Due to the scale of their activities, large corporations tend to have a more substantial negative impact on the environment, workers, and animals. Our aim is to ensure that the magnitude of their influence is matched by an equally significant dedication to environmental stewardship, ethical labor standards, and the well-being of animals.

Long-Term Progress

Ongoing Improvement

As part of our evaluation process, we place a significant emphasis on assessing whether a brand has established well-defined goals, concrete timelines, and robust strategies to consistently improve its sustainability performance over time. This reflects their proactive approach to ensuring long-term environmental and ethical progress.

The Sustainable Attributes that Make a Difference

While our primary focus is on stringent environmental certifications, we also factor in various sustainable attributes to offer a well-rounded perspective on a brand’s commitment to sustainability.As we meticulously examine a brand’s publicly available information, we identify specific sustainable attributes that capture its core commitment to sustainability. By integrating these elements into our evaluation process, we aim to help you fully understand a brand's overall dedication to eco-friendly practices.

Give Back

Brands that "give back" are companies committed to social responsibility and philanthropy as integral parts of their business models. These brands often volunteer or donate a portion of their profits, products, or services to charitable causes, community initiatives, or environmental efforts.

Repair Service

Brands that offer repair services are committed to prolonging the lifespan of their products and reducing waste. They typically provide dedicated repair centers or partner with skilled technicians, artisans, or seamstresses who can fix their items.

Takeback Program

Brands with takeback programs, frequently seen in the sustainable fashion industry, provide initiatives to accept their products back for resale, repurposing, or recycling, with the goal of reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

Handmade

Handmade products are crafted by skilled artisans using manual techniques rather than mass production machinery. They often reflect the cultural traditions of a specific region, contributing to the preservation of cultural identities while creating one-of-a-kind items.

Locally Made

Locally made products are items crafted or produced within a specific geographical region, typically with an emphasis on supporting local economies and reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts.

Responsibly Sourced

Raw materials or ingredients have been obtained with a focus on both social fairness and environmental sustainability. This includes fair compensation for producers and a commitment to reducing the environmental impact associated with the acquisition of materials.

Ethically Made

Ethically made products are items that have been manufactured and produced in a way that respects and upholds fair labor practices, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability throughout their production process.

Refillable

Refillable options are designed to be replenished or reused by simply adding more of the product when it's depleted. This eco-friendly concept helps promote the circular economy and minimize waste by reducing the need for single-use packaging.

Biodegradable

Biodegradable products are items designed to naturally decompose into non-harmful substances when exposed to environmental conditions, contributing to reduced environmental harm and waste.

Compostable

Compostable products are items that have the ability to decompose into organic matter when subjected to composting processes, ultimately contributing to nutrient-rich soil and reducing waste in an environmentally friendly manner.

Non Toxic

Chemical free refers to a product's safety, healthiness, or sustainability, implying it contains primarily natural and safe ingredients. However, It's important to note that it refers to the absence of harmful synthetic chemicals, not the complete absence of all chemicals.

Eco-friendly Packaging

Eco-friendly packaging refers to the use of sustainable materials in the creation of product packaging. Instead of using single-use plastics, these brands opt for eco-friendly alternatives, like recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable options.

Cruelty Free

Cruelty free products are items that have been produced without subjecting animals to any form of testing, including both ingredients and final product testing. This commitment also extends to brand’s suppliers, who must also refrain from animal testing.

Water Save

"Water Save" refers to the practice of conserving water during manufacturing by minimizing unnecessary use and waste. It's an approach that prioritizes the efficient use of water resources to reduce environmental impact.

Upcycled

An upcycled product is created by transforming waste, surplus items, or undesired materials into a new, higher-quality item. This process often results in products with increased artistic or environmental value, enhancing sustainability.

Recycled

A recycled product is one made from materials that have been reused. These components are typically sourced from recycling programs or recovered from waste generated during manufacturing, contributing to waste reduction and environmental sustainability.

Organic

An organic product is made from materials sourced from organic agriculture, which avoids synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. While most recognized in food, the organic approach also applies to apparel and personal care products.

Green Energy

"No Green Energy" refers to a business that relies on non-renewable energy sources, like coal, oil, or natural gas, for its manufacturing or production processes, rather than using sustainable, renewable alternatives.

Plastic Free

A plastic-free product is one that contains no petroleum-derived plastics in both the product and its packaging. Essentially, it ensures that both the item and its sale packaging are devoid of any plastic material.

Vegan

A vegan product is one that contains no animal-derived ingredients or substances. This includes not just meat or dairy, but also any products sourced from animals such as honey, beeswax, or certain types of colorants and additives.

Green Hive's Brand directory

An Example of How We Rate a Sustainable Brands

With Green Hive, you can look for sustainable brands with complete confidence, knowing that every brand featured on our platform has met our rigorous criteria. Every brand featured on Green Hive undergoes rigorous scrutiny by our team of seasoned Sustainability Experts to ensure genuine sustainability. So, what's behind our brand selection process? Let's explore the key factors we take into account to select sustainable brands committed to promoting a greener, more ethical future:

Blueland

Blueland was established with a clear mission: to offer affordable home cleaning solutions while significantly reducing plastic waste. Ranking in the top 2% of brands in our directory, Blueland stands out with its 8 environmental certifications and numerous sustainable attributes.
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Final Brand Score: 345 Points
Bees Score: 4 bees out of 4
Top: 2% in the directory

Thanks to our filters and ranking system, brands like Blueland gain up to 80% more visibility in our directory

Blueland Environmental Certifications

Certifications play a vital role in our assessment and have the biggest impact. Blueland has the following environmental certifications:

‍Cradle to Cradle: 38 Points ‍
EPA's Safer Choice: 30.5 Points‍
EWG Verified: 32.5 Points‍
Leaping Bunny: 30 Points
Climate Neutral: 31 Points
USDA Biobased Product: 25 Points
B Corp: 52.5 Points
‍Made Safe: 37.5 Points

Blueland, with its notable environmental certifications, achieves an impressive score of 277 points, only coming from a good mix of reliable and trustworthy certifications.

Attributes

Our evaluation focuses on both sustainable attributes and certifications, with the latter being the most critical. Sustainable attributes contribute to eco-friendliness and can improve a brand's score. Blueland has the following attributes:

Refillable: 10 points‍
Non-toxic: 6 points
Eco-friendly packaging: 7.5 points
Water Save: 6 points
Ethically Made: 7.5 points
Cruelty-free: 6 points
Vegan: 10 points

Blueland thanks to its sustainable attributes gets an additional 53 points.

Size & Transparency Factors

Size

We modify the total score of certifications and attributes to reflect the size of the business, acknowledging the increased challenges larger businesses encounter in adopting and managing sustainable practices. Since Blueland currently employs fewer than 50 individuals, we have kept their score unchanged by multiplying it by 1. Depending on the business size, we may divide the score by up to four times.

Transparency

Blueland stands out for its exceptional transparency. Their website offers a wealth of information, allowing us to effortlessly verify numerous claims they make. In recognition of this transparency, we have awarded them an additional 15 points.

How Green Hive Rates Ethical Brands

How We Ensure that Brands are Truly Sustainable

Third-party Certifications

Transparency

Public Disclosure Evaluation

Size of the Company

Ongoing Improvement