Green Blue Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOSTER THE CREATION OF A RESILIENT SYSTEM OF COMMERCE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
- Income
- $10.7 million
- Spending
- $10.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 5.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 95%
- Employees
- 41
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $374,374, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 44% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (environment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $5.1 million spent. SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION:GREENBLUE HAS CONVENED A COALITION OF MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PACKAGING INDUSTRY WHOSE MISSION IS TO: 1) ADVOCATE AND COMMUNICATE A POSITIVE, ROBUST ENVIRONMENTAL VISION FOR PACKAGING, AND 2) LEVERAGE INNOVATIVE, FUNCTIONAL PACKAGING MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORTECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXECUTED IN THE FORMS OF RESEARCH, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATIONS, AND EVENTS. MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF OVER 550 COMPANIES, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.RESEARCH: WE CONDUCT IN-HOUSE RESEARCH, COMMISSION EXTERNAL RESEARCH STUDIES, AS WELL AS EVALUATE RESEARCH BY RESPECTED THIRD PARTIES ON A MYRIAD OF TOPICS INCLUDING SUCH EXAMPLES AS: CONSUMER RECYCLING COLLECTION ACCESS, COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING, RESPONSIBLE SOURCING OF FIBERFOR PACKAGING, ETC. THIS RESEARCH BECOMES THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS, LIVE EVENT SEMINARS, TRAININGS, AND WORKSHOPS, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATIONS CONTENT TO INFORM A LARGE AUDIENCE INTERESTED AND CONCERNED ABOUT PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY.EDUCATION: GREENBLUE'S SPC PRODUCES AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CALLED THE ESSENTIALS OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING (ESP) THAT EXPLORES THE CRITICAL AREAS OF PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY. TOPICS INCLUDE E-COMMERCE, CHEMICAL RECYCLING, REUSABLE PACKAGING, AND MORE. THE ESP'S ARE UPDATEDREGULARLY AND DELIVERED LIVE AS WELL AS ASYNCHRONOUSLY VIA A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO BROADEN OUR REACH. COMMUNICATIONS: THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM MANAGES ACTIVE EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WEBSITES. (HTTPS://SUSTAINABLEPACKAGING.ORG/)EVENTS: THE SPC PRODUCES MULTIPLE EVENTS ON TOPICS ASSOCIATED WITH PACKAGING SUSTAINABILITY WHERE SEMINARS, TRAININGS, AND WORKSHOPS ARE CONDUCTED TO FURTHER THE EDUCATIONAL MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION.(HTTPS://DASHBOARD.SUSTAINABLEPACKAGING.ORG/EVENTS)
- $3.3 million spent. HOW2RECYCLE:HOW2RECYCLE IS A STANDARDIZED LABELING SYSTEM THAT CLEARLY COMMUNICATES RECYCLING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE PUBLIC.THE PROGRAM HAS REVIEWED AND ASSESSED THOUSANDS OF UNIQUE RECYCLABILITY LABEL REQUESTS, DEVELOPED AN ON-PACKAGE LABEL FOR USE, AND ISSUED THE LABELS TO THE PACKAGE DESIGNERS. AS A PART OF THIS ACTIVITY THE HOW2RECYCLE TEAM HAS ISSUED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ON PACK LABELS FOR CONSUMER-PACKAGED GOODS TO INFORM THE CONSUMER HOW BEST TO RECYCLE THE PACKAGE. ADDITIONALLY, THE TEAM HAS MADE MANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE RECYCLABILITY TO PACKAGE DESIGNERS AS A PART OF THEIR LABEL REQUESTS.THE PROGRAM CONDUCTS EXTENSIVE ONGOING RESEARCH REVIEWS TO INFORM LABEL ASSIGNMENTS AND IS DESIGNED TO FOLLOW THE US FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND COMPETITION BUREAU CANADA'S GUIDANCE. (HTTPS://HOW2RECYCLE.INFO/)
- $662,608 spent. RECYCLED MATERIALS STANDARD:THE RECYCLED MATERIAL STANDARD (RMS) IS A STANDARD THAT ESTABLISHES REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY TO ASSURE ACCURACY AND TRANSPARENCY OF CLAIMS WITH THE SUPPORT OF A ROBUST THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION SYSTEM. THE RMS SERVES AS A VOLUNTARY, MARKET-BASED TOOL TO ADDRESS SOME OF THECHALLENGES THAT BRANDS, THEIR SUPPLIERS, AND THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY FACE IN TRYING TO INCORPORATE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF RECYCLED CONTENT INTO PACKAGING OR FINISHED PRODUCTS. THE RMS IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY FOR CONSUMERS AND BRANDS WHILE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEINDUSTRY AND ENABLING NEW MECHANISMS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF RECYCLED CONTENT. (HTTPS://WWW.RMSCERTIFIED.COM/)THE STANDARD: THE RECYCLED MATERIAL STANDARD IS THE CORE OF THE RMS PROGRAM. THE STANDARDS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THROUGH A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER CONSENSUS PROCESS, FOCUSING ON CLEAR RULES, DEFINITIONS, AND GUIDELINES TO CREATE AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD AMONG COMPETITORS AND A STRONGASSURANCE MECHANISM FOR BRANDS AND CONSUMERS. CERTIFIED PARTICIPANTS WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN ADVANCING THE USE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS. AS THE RMS PROGRAM IS IN EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, MANY DOCUMENTS ARE PENDING RELEASE. INTERESTED COMPANIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SIGN UP ON OURCONTACT FORM AND TO REVISIT THIS SITE FOR UPDATES.(HTTPS://WWW.RMSCERTIFIED.COM/ABOUT/STANDARD/)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2020 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2020.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2022.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.