Ecovert Sustainability Consultants and the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS), have signed a licensing agreement authorizing the Toronto-based firm to represent MTS on an exclusive basis in Canada around SMaRT© certification and Green Building Securities (GBS).
"We believe that there are many synergies between MTS and Ecovert including our commitment to transparency in process and our passion to improve the environment through buildings and products," says Adolfo Silva, founding principal of Ecovert.
According to Silva, the partnership between MTS and Ecovert will help accelerate the growth of the Canadian green products industry. Manufacturers have been looking for a transparent and verifiable certification that allows them to differentiate their products from the greenwashing in the marketplace. The SMaRT certification system fills this void. SMaRT certification also benefits the consumer, allowing them to identify credible sustainable products that are the result of genuinely green manufacturing processes.
The agreement enables Ecovert to expand their business further into certified sustainable products and green financial instruments, areas of great interest to the company and in which they believe there is significant upside in Canada. MTS will benefit by expanding its presence in Canada and by increasing its emerging international presence. Beyond Canada, MTS also has partnerships in the UK and Australia.
Earlier this year, The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) announced approval of the SMaRT Consensus Standard for Certified Sustainable Products. The approval facilitates green building certification in Canada and moves MTS further toward its goals for sustainable global product standards, according to Bill Gregory, MTS board member and director of sustainability for Milliken & Company. "Ecovert is an ideal partner to further penetrate the Canadian market with these standards," he adds.
About Ecovert
Ecovert is a sustainability consulting firm specializing in green building and product certification, greenhouse gas calculation and sustainable policy development. Ecovert understands that sustainability cannot be achieved with a "one size fits all" approach. They provide their clients with a road map of effective, implementable sustainability solutions to best suit their needs and business environment. Their customized services make it easy and cost-effective to meet today's business needs without compromising the welfare of future generations. For more information, go to www.ecovert.ca.
About MTS
MTS is a balanced coalition of leading environmental groups, governments and companies administering SMaRT© (Sustainable Materials Rating Technology©), Sustainable Integrative Design & Development (SIDD) ANSI National Standard, and the Capital Markets Partnership. The SMaRT Consensus Committee has exclusive jurisdiction for all SMaRT approvals, amendments, and interpretations. MTS has a Global SMaRT Marketing Agreement with the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments, a coalition of 10 Fortune 500 Companies. Visit www.sustainableproducts.com to learn more.
