Certified Business Registry: The trusted source for sustainability credentials

The world’s first global repository of sustainable businesses led by the United Nations

The Certified Business Registry is an initiative led by the United Nations to build the world’s largest database of certified businesses. 

The platform is a Global Public Good, which provides basic information about businesses and their sustainability credentials.

 

Entrust your data with a UN-led initiative

Certified business data is directly contributed and managed by sustainability enablers such as certification bodies, standard setting organizations, or sustainable development initiatives. The Tool Kit provides sustainability enablers with an advanced data management, visualization, and a sharing platform. Sustainability Enablers can test the tool in a private mode, before deciding to make the data public.

icon_Icons / Quality

Neutral & Trustworthy

Registry of sustainable actors
originating from credible
contributing partners

icon_Icons / Secure data

Secure

Non-commoditized data
stored on trusted UN
datacenters

icon_Icons / Learn dark

Harmonized

Common data management,
taxonomy and sharing
protocols se tup by ITC 

Want to take part in ITC Certified Business Registry?

Are you a sustainability certification body, standard
setting organization, or sustainable development
initiative?

Contact us to setup your free access to the platform.

Existing members:

Building a sustainable future through collaborative action

Certified Businesses

Enhance your business
opportunities and claim your
sustainability business profile..

Buyers/Financiers

Check businesses credentials
by accessing trustworthy data.

Sustainability Enablers

Access tools to streamline
data management,
visualization and sharing (API).

Already over 70 brands committed to using the platform to validate their suppliers' sustainability credentials using the CBR

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of sustainability credentials and certificates are displayed on the platform?

Data providers include sustainability certification body, standard setting organization, or sustainable development initiative which match the three following criteria.

  • First, data providers must have an existing public listing of verified / certified entities. This means that the data provider must maintain an up-to-date record of organizations, businesses or projects that have been certified as meeting their sustainability criteria.
  • Second, the data providers must have a set of criteria that address at least one pillar of sustainable development. These criteria should be designed to promote sustainable practices in areas such as social, environmental, and economic sustainability. The data provider should focus on promoting practices that contribute to sustainable development and meet global sustainability goals.
  • Finally, companies featured on the certified business registry can be either certified or verified, where certified implies that they have met specific standards or criteria set by a recognized authority, while verified suggests that their information or credentials have been authenticated and confirmed as accurate.

By meeting these three requirements, any sustainability certification body, standard setting organization, or sustainable development initiative can  provide data to the Certified Business Registry..

Who owns the data?

The ownership of the data displayed on the platform is governed by the policies set by the data provider. ITC does not alter or modify the data ownership protocols once the data is listed on the Certified Business Registry. This means that the data remains the property of the data provider and is subject to their established .

What sets the Certified Business Registry apart from other platforms?
  • The Certified Business Registry is free. It is  a United Nations global public good. ITC is committed to providing its users with a registry providing access to valuable and reliable data at no cost.
  • The Certified Business Registry provides accurate information which has been verified or certified. As such, all the information displayed on the Certified Business Registry is of high quality.
  • The Certified Business Registry is built for data providers with a mission to empower their verified and certified businesses, and to provide a free suite of tools to facilitate the visibility, management and sharing of businesses basic information and related sustainability credentials.
  • ITC is committed to putting data providers in the driver’s seat. ITC believes that the data providers should have control over their data, and the CBR is designed to protect these.  Data providers can remove the data exposed on the Certified Business Registry at any time, and data can be deleted from the United Nations servers.
  • The Certified Business Registry does not commoditize the data of data providers. Data shared by data providers on the Certified Business Registry does not enter the public domain but rather remains the property of the data provider, adhering to the ownership rules and parameters established by the data provider.
How is the data verified?

ITC does not independently verify the data displayed on the Certified Business Registry platform. ITC relies on the verification protocols and policies established by the data provider. These verification protocols may vary depending on the data provider. For example, some standards may require on-site audits, while others may rely on documentation review or self-assessment. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the data provider to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data they .

How frequently is the data up-dated?

Data displayed on the Certified Business Registry is updated in accordance with the data provider’s update frequency. It is important to note that the update frequency will vary. ITC aims to provide accurate and up-to-date data to its users.  In instances where the data provider would expose more up-to-date data on their website, a link to the most recent data is provided alongside the data.

What information is provided for each business or project?

Information shared on the platform is limited to what the data provider can publicly share. This generally includes basic information about the company’s/projects’ identity, location, and operation, as well as details about the validity of its sustainability claims. Occasionally, information about the validity date and entity confirming the sustainability claim may also be available. We strictly adhere to the policies and standards established by the data provider and do not alter any information provided. Our goal is to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information possible.

How can I become a data provider on the platform?

The Certified Business Registry welcomes potential data providers who wish to share their certified or verified company basic data on our platform. The onboarding process is quick and straightforward, taking only a few minutes of your time. ITC offers a testing phase which allows potential data providers to familiarize themselves with our platform and ensure that it meets their needs before making their data public.

All data providers to the CBR are in complete control of their data.

How can I provide feedback or report an issue with the data displayed on the Certified Business Registry?

ITC is fully committed to ensuring the utmost accuracy and reliability of the data that we provide to our platform users.  ITC strongly encourages the data providers to report any discrepancies or concerns encountered on the platform, given that several geolocations are generated automatically via geolocation services. ITC will promptly investigate all reported issues and take the necessary corrective measures to guarantee the continued provision of precise and reliable data.

Furthermore, any business listed on our platform that wishes to be removed can contact ITC (sustainability@intracen.org) so the team can process the request and remove their information from the CBR.

 

Is there a cost associated with accessing the data on the platform?

The Certified Business Registry allows users to query data from data providers by browsing tables and map. Exploring the table or map view of a data provider is completely free. The Certified Business Registry is an ITC global public good, which means that ITC is committed to providing its users with access to valuable and reliable data at no cost.

 Users wishing to access the API provided by the Certified Business Registry to data providers should contact the data providers directly to access information in a digital format as each data provider is responsible for setting the rules around access to their data via the API.

How is user privacy and data security protected on the platform?

ITC places a great emphasis on ensuring user privacy and data integrity. To protect user privacy, ITC uses industry-standard encryption protocols to safeguard all data in transit and at rest. Additionally, ITC provides data providers with control over the data, enabling them to manage their information as they see fit. Furthermore, the platform’s data governance policies ensure that data is only accessible to authorized individuals and is used only for its intended purpose. In summary, the United Nations’ web platform prioritizes user privacy and data integrity through the implementation of robust security measures, strict data governance policies, and transparent data management.

What are the terms of use of data providers need to comply with to expose make use of the Certified Business Registry and its toolkit?

The terms of use can be downloaded here. Data providers can use and test the platform without making any information public and without agreeing to the terms of use. 

How can data providers provide feedback or report an issue with the data displayed on the Certified Business Registry?

ITC is fully committed to ensuring the utmost accuracy and reliability of the data that we provide to our platform users.  ITC strongly encourages the data providers to report any discrepancies or concerns encountered on the platform, given that several geolocations are generated automatically via geolocation services. ITC will promptly investigate all reported issues and take the necessary corrective measures to guarantee the continued provision of precise and reliable data.

Furthermore, any business listed on our platform that wishes to be removed can contact ITC (sustainability@intracen.org) so the team can process the request and remove their information from the CBR.

Is there a cost associated with accessing the data on the platform?

The Certified Business Registry allows users to view data from various data providers  and obtain relevant information for their research or business needs. Exploring the list of a voluntary sustainability standards verified or certified business on the Certified Business Registry is completely free. The Certified Business Registry is an ITC global public good, which means that ITC is committed to providing its users with access to valuable and reliable data at no cost.

An API is provided to all data providers contributing data to the Certified Business Registry. The data providers are in full control of the access, dissimination and terms upon which their APIs are assessed. 

Should users wish to access a data providers’ specific API, we invite you to contact them directly to access their0 information in a digital format.

Is data on the Certified Business Registry available via an API?

Data providers can benefit from a free API service. The API information is not displayed on the Certified Business Registry. To access more information about the data providers API, users need too contact them directly. Data providers have full control over their APIs and can choose whether to utilize them, with the ability to manage access through password protection. They also have the flexibility to create multiple APIs and customize which specific fields or parts of data sets are shared. This convenient API service is provided free of charge to data providers, and they can easily activate or deactivate it within their admin account by simply clicking a button.

How is user privacy and data security protected on the platform?

ITC places a great emphasis on ensuring user privacy and data integrity. To protect user privacy, ITC uses industry-standard encryption protocols to safeguard all data in transit and at rest. Additionally, ITC provides data providers with control over the data, enabling them to manage their information as they see fit. Furthermore, the platform’s data governance policies ensure that data is only accessible to authorized individuals and is used only for its intended purpose. In summary, the United Nations’ web platform prioritizes user privacy and data integrity through the implementation of robust security measures, strict data governance policies, and transparent data management .

Do data providers need to format their data when uploading their information on the Certified Business Registry?

No, they do not. Data providers are not obligated to comply with any particular data format or mapping. However, if they choose to share their data on other platforms or utilize the API service, they have the option to harmonize their data with various taxonomies. ITC recognizes that there is no universal master data set and understands that data providers may prefer to continue using their own formats. The harmonized functionality of the Certified Business Registry, available to data providers, aims to simplify data exchange by supporting commonly used data formats.

Do you have additional reading material on the Certified Business Registry which can be downloaded?