Communicating the Benefits of Your Actions

As an EPA Green Power Partner, your organization demonstrates environmental leadership and a commitment to sustainability. Promoting and communicating the benefits of your actions in press releases, annual reports, and marketing pieces can help differentiate your company in the marketplace. Take a look at some of the media attention Green Power Partners have received.

The following tips and guidance can help you effectively communicate to stakeholders and other interested parties the importance of your green power purchase and status as a Green Power Partner.

• Explain Green Power and Its Environmental Benefits
  Many people have a limited understanding of green power and its benefits. Take the time to explain these issues in detail and provide simple information about how your green power purchase will make a difference.

  
  Also, the more specific a statement is about green power use, the more convincing it is likely to be. Provide details about your green power use to explain exactly what you are doing to help the environment, how using green power reduces your carbon footprint, and any potential economic benefits (for example, supporting the construction of a new green power project). For information on making solar power use claims, see the Guide to Making Claims About Your Solar Power Use and for examples of acceptable claims see the Solar Power Use Claims webpage.

• Make Your Message Tangible
  Help your audience better understand the environmental impact of your green power use by translating it into tangible, real-world terms. For example, it might be easier for an audience to understand the magnitude of your green power use if it is translated into equivalencies, such as the number of average American homes that it could power.

Read about making environmental claims before developing your green power message.

EPA can provide your organization communications support upon request. Contact  Christopher Kent (kent.christopher@epa.gov, 202-343-9046).

EPA has also developed other tools and services that Partners can use to promote their green power commitments.

Partner Certificate. Once an organization signs on as a Partner, that organization receives via email a welcome kit with program information, as well as a certificate acknowledging its green power commitment. Partners can display the certificate at a key location to demonstrate EPA's recognition of the value of their partnership.

EPA Green Power Partner Mark. Partners can include the Green Power Partner mark in outreach and communications materials. The Green Power Partner mark reinforces your environmental leadership and your commitment to the use of renewable energy. Learn more about the EPA Green Power Partner Mark. Learn more about the Guidelines for Proper Use of the Mark.

The Green Power Partnership maintains a list of current Green Power Partners on its website, along with profiles for each organization. The profile includes information about an organization's green power use and links to their environmentally related webpages (if applicable). Partners can also submit updated information for their profiles to EPA via the Update My Information link.

Posters, Banners, and Other Signage. For significant green power purchases, EPA can create customized banners and other types of signage. Partners should let their account managers know about any special events where EPA can highlight their commitment to EPA's Green Power Partnership.

Top Partner Rankings. EPA highlights leading green power purchases by Green Power Partners on different Top Partner Rankings, which are updated quarterly. These rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading organizations within the United States and across individual industry sectors. Learn more by visiting the Top Partner Rankings section of our website.

Green Power Leadership Awards. To recognize the actions of individuals and organizations that are significantly advancing the development of renewable energy, each year EPA recognizes outstanding actions by Partners with the Green Power Leadership Awards. Our Award Winners Web page provides award criteria, application forms, and profiles of past winners.