Going Green Pays Off: More Jamaican Organizations Join NEPA Programme

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is reporting increased participation and growing interest in its Green Business Jamaica (GBJ) programme, as organisations across Jamaica’s public and private sectors take steps to strengthen environmental stewardship and improve operational efficiency.

Participation in the GBJ programme increased by 37 per cent in the 2025–2026 financial year, compared with 2022–2023 when NEPA began reporting the initiative as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI). During 2025–2026, 11 organisations were actively participating, while an additional nine entities expressed interest and engaged NEPA for information on participation and enrolment.

Green Business Jamaica is a voluntary programme designed to help organisations identify and implement environmentally responsible practices that can reduce operational costs while contributing to the protection and sustainable use of Jamaica’s natural resources.

Participating organisations are assessed using the Green Business Jamaica Assessment Form and Checklist, which establishes a baseline for measuring improvements. The assessment covers five thematic areas: Environmental Awareness and Training, Waste Management, Water Efficiency, Chemical Management and Energy Efficiency.

Based on their performance, participants receive gold, silver or bronze recognition in each thematic area. Organisations that have not yet attained a ranking may receive participatory certification. Performance across all five areas determines an organisation’s overall GBJ ranking.

During 2025–2026, four participating organisations achieved an overall gold ranking, while seven achieved an overall silver ranking. This enabled NEPA to surpass its KPI target of having at least six businesses attain an overall silver or gold ranking.

Gold and Silver Awardees

The organisations achieving overall gold recognition were Juici Patties, Shortwood Teachers’ College, PriceSmart Jamaica and Kingston Properties Limited.

Juici Patties was the only participating organisation to attain gold-level performance across all five thematic areas. The company has implemented a range of environmental stewardship initiatives aimed at improving business operations and strengthening its corporate social responsibility efforts.

“The annual assessment keeps us accountable and encourages us to identify new opportunities for improvement,” said Edith Chin, director of Juici Patties and custos rotulorum for the Parish of Clarendon.

Shortwood Teachers’ College was the only academic institution to achieve an overall gold ranking, attaining gold-level performance in four thematic areas and silver in the remaining area.

According to Principal Nadine Molloy, “the need to be a certified tertiary institution embracing best practices in environmental conservation and sustainability in all our operations, was paramount in our decision to participate in the programme”.

Kingston Properties Limited achieved gold-level performance in four thematic areas and silver in one, while PriceSmart Jamaica attained gold-level performance in three areas and silver in two.

The seven organisations receiving overall silver recognition were the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA); Victoria Mutual Investments Limited (VMIL); TotalEnergies Marketing Jamaica Limited; Lee’s Food Fair; Half Moon; the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service; and the University of Technology, Jamaica.

Reflecting on VMIL’s participation, Mikhail McLeod, manager, legal and compliance, said, “we believe that creating lasting wealth goes hand in hand with building a sustainable future”.

Programme Benefits

The benefits of adopting greener business practices extend beyond environmental protection. Improved energy and resource efficiency, reduced waste, and more sustainable use of water and other resources can contribute to lower operating costs. Additionally, environmental recognition can bolster an organisation’s reputation and demonstrate its commitment to sustainability to customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. Organisations at the participatory level and above also qualify to use the GBJ eco-label on their websites, products, letterheads and other materials.

NEPA emphasises that participation in Green Business Jamaica is a journey of continuous improvement. Organisations can determine the pace at which they implement environmental measures, based on their available resources and operational priorities.

Through technical guidance, support, monitoring and surveillance audits, NEPA helps participating organisations identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. The programme’s thematic approach also enables businesses to address practical, achievable measures or “low-hanging fruits” while progressively strengthening their environmental performance and aligning operations with global sustainability practices.

The ultimate goal of Green Business Jamaica is to support the greening of businesses across multiple sectors and contribute to Vision 2030 National Goal 4, “Jamaica’s Natural Environment is Healthy”, as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals #3, 6-7 and 11-15. As Jamaica continues to confront climate change and extreme weather events, strengthening environmental responsibility and resource efficiency can contribute to more resilient organisations and communities.

Launched as a pilot in 2018, Green Business Jamaica had attracted five public and private sector organisations by 2020. Interest has continued to grow as organisations recognise the operational, environmental and reputational benefits of more sustainable business practices. During 2025–2026, nine entities actively sought information about the programme, representing a 50 per cent increase over the six entities that made similar enquiries during the previous financial year.

NEPA is encouraged by the performance of current participants and the growing interest from organisations seeking to improve their environmental performance. The Agency is inviting other organisations to participate in the programme and begin their journey towards more sustainable operations.

For further information, organisations may contact: greenbusinessjamaica@nepa.gov.jm or visit www.nepa.gov.jm/green-business-initiatives.