Green Tier_Content Page_Green Tier overview

Green Tier overview

The Green Tier program empowers organizations to align their business objectives with environmental performance by providing a voluntary platform for collaboration with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Working proactively with high performers allows the DNR to expand its traditional role as a regulator to that of a resource and a partner. Watch the video below to learn more.


Are you interested in learning more about Green Tier? Select each section below for additional information.

What is Green Tier?

The DNR is committed to helping Green Tier participants continue to raise the bar and discover new opportunities for environmental stewardship.

Green Tier's collaborative approach reduces regulatory burden and incentivizes participants to go above and beyond the basic environmental requirements.

Participants are encouraged to think creatively about ways they improve their environmental impacts and achieve superior environmental performance while growing their business.

Why Green Tier?

Green Tier is the only state program in the country to acknowledge participants who drive their performance with a systems-based approach that integrates performance assessments and transparency.

Green Tier participation can lead to the following outcomes:

  • The systematic approach helps identify and minimize potential environmental risks.
  • Regular performance assessments reduce the potential for noncompliance and help facilities improve their overall environmental footprint.
  • Annual reports ensure transparency with those potentially affected by a facility’s operations and can be used as a tool to promote environmental achievements to stakeholders.
  • Measurable environmental improvement helps differentiate participants from their competition.

The DNR provides incentives to those who participate, including:

  • The DNR recognizes Green Tier participants and works to share their stories.
  • The Green Tier logo can be used by participants to brand their commitment to superior environmental performance.
  • A dedicated DNR staff member is matched to each Green Tier participant. That staff member is there to improve communication and provide a consistent point of contact from the DNR.
  • Eligibility for limited liability protections for mistakes that are proactively identified, addressed and self-corrected.
  • Tier 2 participants can negotiate innovative regulatory solutions that can result in streamlining permits or allowing for additional flexibilities in operations.

Participants sometimes experience intangible benefits, like:

  • Developing a good reputation as a sustainable organization.
  • Identifying new business opportunities and improving their competitive advantage.
  • Increasing employee engagement and satisfaction, which can improve retention rates.

Green Tier participants should take pride in their accomplishments! Participation in Green Tier provides an opportunity to work with the DNR to take the next step on their path to sustainability.

Who Can Participate?

Participants can be individual businesses of any size, or groups with shared goals that could include businesses, non-governmental organizations or local governments.

Most participants utilize an Environmental Management System (EMS), to guide their strategy for continual improvement. Each organization’s purpose for choosing to improve their environmental footprint is unique, but no matter their reason for adopting an EMS, they can improve profitability by increasing efficiency, reducing risks, and cutting costs.

See who’s currently in Green Tier by visiting our participant webpage!

How to Participate?

Green Tier offers three options for participation, depending on where your organization is at on its sustainability journey. These options are listed below.

  • Tier 1 might be for you if you are looking to develop or utilize a system to improve your environmental footprint, become more sustainable and engage with the department. Tier 1 participants commit to having an EMS in place within one year of joining Green Tier and annually auditing that system, including an external audit every third year by a DNR approved auditor.
  • Tier 2 is for companies that are already achieving superior environmental performance through their continual improvement strategy. Tier 2 participants are actively driving their sustainability efforts with an EMS and commit to auditing their EMS annually through an external audit by a DNR approved auditor. Tier 2 participation is more rigorous because it provides additional opportunities for regulatory flexibilities and incentives, which can be negotiated into their participation contract with the DNR.
  • Charters provide a framework for groups with similar interests to work collaboratively with the DNR to address environmental issues and opportunities and further environmental goals. Charter participants can be businesses, members of a supply chain, industry sectors, trade associations, public sector entities, or others. If you, or a group you're involved with, would like to proactively work towards a shared environmental goal, a Green Tier Charter may be the fit for you.

Each participation option has slightly different requirements and benefits, and we can help you decide if one of the options is a good fit for your organization. To learn more about the process for applying, check out the applicant webpage.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, check out the Frequently Asked Questions webpage.