Program Levels and Criteria

Levels of Partnership

There are four levels of Partnership: Champion, Bronze, Silver and Gold. There are also two tracks within the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia: the Environmental Management System (EMS) Track and the Sustainable Office Toolkit (SOT) Track.  The EMS Track is designed for organizations that are developing and/or implementing a full EMS similar to the ISO 14001 standard.  The SOT Track is designed for small and medium-sized organizations that desire to make their organization more sustainable but a full EMS is not realistic due to various resource constraints. The entry level for each business or organization is different and based on activities already in place as well as those to be completed during the term of Partnership: one year for Champion, three years for Bronze and Silver levels; membership is unlimited at the Gold Level.

Champion Level Partner

Any organization may participate as a Champion. These Partners promote and support the goals of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia by providing training, consultation or other services to Partners. Champions include organizations such as community groups, trade associations, citizen advisory panels, environmental organizations and consultancies.

Bronze Level Partner

The Bronze Level is the entry point for most applicants to the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, and Partners at this level are just beginning to develop proactive environmental policies, procedures and educational efforts.

Silver Level Partner

Silver Partners are already putting their environmental programs in place. These Partners are proactively involved in pollution prevention and cost-saving strategies and are actively integrating environmental stewardship into their daily business operations.

Gold Level Partner

A Gold Partner has reached the highest achievement level and is a model environmental leader. Gold Partners’ environmental programs integrate robust pollution prevention efforts and community outreach. Companies that are already enrolled in the National Environmental Performance Track program may complete an abbreviated Partnership application for the Gold Level. Membership at the Gold Level is unlimited in years, but organizations must demonstrate continual improvement.

Criteria Sheets

The criteria sheets below were created to provide applicants and others interested in the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia with a snapshot of the program and the general requirements by level. In addition to providing a broad overview of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia, the criteria sheets may be used as a quick reference guide to assist applicants in determining at which level and track to apply.

For more information, please contact Diana Trettin at 404-165-5120 or diaettin@gasustainability.orgThe information contained in these documents should not be used in lieu of the full application and application instructions. Please refer to the application and instructions for a complete description of the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia requirements.

Compliance Screen Requirement

All EMS Track Silver and Gold Level applicants are subject to a compliance screen prior to approval as a Partner. The compliance screen policy and procedure is detailed here.

Site Visit Requirement

The Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia requires Bronze, Silver, and Gold Partners to be open to site visits during participation in the program.  Partnership staff will randomly pick several Partner facilities during the year for verification visits.

The purpose of site visits is to help ensure the effectiveness of the program by verifying that members are continuing to meet program criteria.  During site visits, members will be asked to provide materials that directly support their participation in the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia including information about their environmental program, progress towards performance commitments, and community outreach efforts.  Site visits provide an excellent opportunity for face-to-face interaction among Partnership staff and Partners in a collaborative setting.  Site visits help establish and maintain relationships that would not otherwise be available through conventional regulatory programs.  Site visits also offer members an opportunity to provide feedback on the Partnership for a Sustainable Georgia.