Beluga

1. Review Beluga's criteria: Visit the official Beluga website (beluga.is) to understand the environmental policy standards and what is expected of applicants in your sector (hospitality, agriculture, municipalities, etc.).

1. Self-assess your organization: Evaluate your current environmental policies, practices, and documentation against Beluga's published criteria to identify gaps.

1. Develop or strengthen your environmental policy: Address any gaps identified in your self-assessment by formalizing environmental commitments, setting measurable targets, and documenting your practices.

1. Prepare your application documentation: Compile evidence of your environmental policies, initiatives, and outcomes. Beluga assesses each entity independently, so tailor your documentation to reflect your organization's specific context and sector.

1. Submit your application to Beluga: Contact Beluga's organization directly to submit your application and supporting documentation for second-party review.

1. Undergo Beluga's assessment: Beluga's own team reviews your submitted documentation and environmental policy. Be prepared to respond to any follow-up questions or requests for clarification.

1. Receive certification decision: If your application meets Beluga's standards, you will be awarded the Beluga eco-label, which you can display publicly to signal your environmental commitment.

1. Maintain certification: Continue implementing and improving your environmental policies to remain eligible for renewal when your certification period expires.

Beluga evaluates the environmental policies and practices of applying organizations rather than measuring performance against a fixed universal benchmark. Each entity is assessed independently, meaning the criteria are adapted to the specific context, sector, and circumstances of the applicant. This approach is designed to be relevant across diverse sectors including hospitality, tourism, agriculture, and the public sector in Iceland.

The assessment focuses on the quality and commitment of the organization's environmental policy — including whether it is formally documented, actively implemented, and genuinely integrated into operations. Beluga examines the organization's stated environmental goals, the measures taken to achieve them, and evidence that environmental considerations are embedded in day-to-day decision-making.

Because Beluga uses second-party verification (conducted by Beluga's own organization rather than an independent third party), the review process is collaborative and contextual. Applicants are expected to demonstrate sincere engagement with environmental conservation and ecologically sustainable development, rather than simply checking boxes against a standardized checklist. Specific scoring weights and pass/fail thresholds are not publicly disclosed.

Beluga is a niche, Iceland-specific eco-label with limited international recognition compared to major environmental certification programs such as the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, EU Ecolabel, or ISO 14001. Its relevance is primarily confined to the Icelandic market, where it serves businesses, municipalities, and organizations seeking local recognition for their environmental commitments. Iceland's strong cultural emphasis on environmental stewardship and its globally recognized natural landscapes make domestic eco-labels like Beluga meaningful for businesses catering to environmentally conscious tourists and consumers.

The program's second-party verification model (assessed by Beluga's own organization rather than an accredited independent auditor) places it at a lower tier of credibility compared to internationally recognized third-party certified standards. This limits its appeal for organizations seeking globally benchmarked credentials or those operating in international supply chains where ISO 14001 or EMAS compliance may be required by partners or regulators.

Demand for environmental certification in Iceland is growing alongside global sustainability trends and the expansion of eco-tourism. However, Beluga faces competition from better-known international labels that carry more weight with international buyers and travelers. Its key differentiator is its flexibility and local relevance — particularly for smaller Icelandic businesses and public sector entities that may find international standards overly complex or costly to pursue.

Beluga was established in 2002 in Iceland as a domestic environmental certification program designed to recognize and promote sound environmental policies among Icelandic businesses, municipalities, and organizations. The program was created to address a gap in locally relevant environmental recognition — providing a framework that could accommodate the diverse contexts of Icelandic entities without imposing the rigid compliance requirements of international management standards like ISO 14001.

The program operates through collaboration with government ministries, municipalities, private companies, and individuals, reflecting a broad stakeholder approach to environmental stewardship. Unlike many eco-labels that emerged from industry-specific needs, Beluga was designed from the outset to be cross-sectoral, covering hospitality, tourism, agriculture, and the public sector. Over its two-decade history, Beluga has remained a niche but recognized mark of environmental commitment within Iceland, though detailed records of major revisions or expansion milestones are not publicly available.