OTTAWA, CANADA—ULC Standards, the Canadian affiliate of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), has acquired majority ownership of TerraChoice, a global 
leader in environmental certification and green marketing, and exclusive manager of the EcoLogo program.
TerraChoice joins UL’s global network through its sister company UL Environment in providing third party environmental services to companies around the world.
Scott McDougall, president of TerraChoice said its Canadian operations, office location and staff will remain in place to provide uninterrupted service to its more than 500 customers. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
The EcoLogo program helps public and corporate purchasers, as well as consumers, find environmentally preferable products across 80 categories that they can trust, he added.
Founded in 1988, EcoLogo awards its mark to products that demonstrate environmental leadership within their category. “As an ISO 14024 Type 1 program,” McDougall explained, “EcoLogo evaluates products against scientifically rigorous criteria that reflect the entire life cycle of the product. An audit process verifies that each product complies with the criteria established in EcoLogo Standards, which restrict certification to only the top 20% of products within a specific category.”
At press time, more than 7,000 EcoLogo-certified products were currently available on the market. In addition to managing the EcoLogo program, TerraChoice provides its clients with such things as environmental marketing and communications expertise.
“For more than two decades, TerraChoice has led the development and adoption of sustainable product standards in Canada, and established EcoLogo as one of the most credible eco-labels in the world,” said Stephen Wenc, UL Environment’s president. “By joining forces, we’re enhancing our leadership in the global market for sustainable product certification and environmental claims validation. This convergence will streamline the process of turning environmental leadership into a competitive advantage for manufacturers and service providers.”
For more information on UL, UL Environment, ULC Standards, TerraChoice or EcoLogo, call 877.854.3577.