FAQs

The SGLS is Singapore's national Type 1 Ecolabel, administered by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) since 1999. It independently certifies products that meet rigorous environmental standards based on life cycle assessment — covering production, use, and end-of-life.

The SGLS has certified over 3,500 products in more than 26 countries.

ISO 14024 defines a Type 1 Ecolabel as a voluntary, multiple-criteria based, third-party programme that awards a licence authorising the use of environmental labels on products with overall environmental preference within a product category, based on life cycle considerations.

Unlike self-declared green claims, a Type 1 Ecolabel is independently verified by a third party against publicly available criteria — meaning the environmental claims are audited, not just asserted. The SGLS is the only Type 1 Ecolabel in Singapore.

Yes. SEC has been a member of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) since 2006, which places the Singapore Green Label alongside trusted ecolabels from around the world. SGLS certified products may qualify for fast-track mutual recognition in GEN member countries including Japan, Australia, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Türkiye.

The following green building schemes also recognise GEN ecolabels: BCA Green Mark Scheme, Malaysia Green Building Index, Vietnam Lotus, and Hong Kong BEAM Plus.

The SGLS certifies products only — not the companies that own them. Each product must be individually assessed and certified.

To eco-certify a company, applicants can refer to the Eco-Office Plus Certification, which is one of three Eco-Certifications administered by SEC.

The SGLS Secretariat recognises green products based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. LCA takes into account the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life — raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, packaging, usage, and end-of-life management.

The SGLS does not certify products based on a single environmental benefit such as energy efficiency alone. The overall aspects of a product — including raw material composition, manufacturing process, health impacts, and product disposal — are all considered.

No. The Singapore Green Label is a voluntary scheme. However, it provides a significant competitive advantage — many development projects in Singapore require Green Label certified products to gain endorsement under the BCA Green Mark Scheme, and procurement officers increasingly specify Green Label certified products in tenders.

For consumer products, certification also provides an edge in an increasingly eco-conscious market.

The SGLS is administered by the Singapore Environment Council and certifies green products. The BCA Green Mark scheme is administered by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and certifies green buildings.

The two schemes complement each other: BCA Green Mark awards points to projects that specify Singapore Green Label certified products, contributing towards a building's overall Green Mark rating.

Visit the SGLS Directory and search by product name, licensee name, or certificate number. All listings in the directory show currently valid certifications only.

For procurement or compliance purposes, you should also verify directly with the SGLS Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg.

All SGLS certificates are valid for two years from the date of issue.

At present, the SGLS Secretariat has a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with Japan Eco-Mark for photocopiers and printers only.

For all other product categories, you would need to submit all required supporting documents as specified in the assessment criteria for the relevant product category. Contact the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg to find out more.

If anyone has cause to complain to SEC about SGLS certification services or suspected logo misuse, the complaint must be made in writing and addressed to the Head, Environmental Certification, or the Executive Director of SEC, along with the complainant's contact name and number.

All complaints will be acknowledged in writing, independently investigated, and closed on satisfactory conclusion. SEC will inform the complainant of the outcome.

Contact us at greenlabel@sec.org.sg.

The Enhanced Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (Enhanced SGLS) is a more stringent certification tier introduced in January 2017 specifically for pulp and paper products. It adds supply chain requirements — peatland management, fire management, and zero-burning compliance — on top of the standard SGLS criteria.

The Enhanced SGLS was the first pulp and paper certification scheme in Asia to receive ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation in 2019. Learn more →

Each certified company is assigned a liaison officer from the SGLS Secretariat who manages your certification account. Your liaison officer is your primary point of contact for all certification matters — applications, renewals, document submissions, and general enquiries.

If you are unsure who your liaison officer is, or if you are a new applicant, contact the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg and we will assist you.

Standard processing takes 3 to 4 weeks from the date the SGLS Secretariat receives a complete set of supporting documents.

Optional faster services are available at additional cost:

• Express processing (~3 working days): additional S$1,000
• Rapid processing (~7 working days): additional S$500

Processing commences when the first set of supporting documents is received. Approval can only be issued after all supporting documents have been received and assessed.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide a complete set of documents. Processing commences when the Secretariat receives the first set of supporting documents, and approval can only be issued after all documents have been received and successfully assessed.

An invoice will be raised upon commencement of work. The express or rapid processing fee does not guarantee a faster outcome if documents are incomplete.

Contact your liaison officer or the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg to confirm your product's eligibility and obtain the relevant requirements document. The Secretariat will advise on the application procedure and required documents.

Once documents are submitted, we will issue a quotation (S$3,500 + 9% GST per product). Sign and return the quotation, then pay the invoice upon receipt. Assessment begins only after payment is received.

Note: The online application portal is currently unavailable. All applications are to be submitted to your liaison officer or the Secretariat directly.

Yes. These fields are required to facilitate the smooth processing of your certification. "Product Brand Name" refers to the distinct name given to identify the product you are certifying. "Model" refers to the specific code you assign to the product.

For example: for DULUX LIGHT & SPACE Paint, the brand name is Dulux and the model is LIGHT & SPACE.

Please contact the SGLS Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg for advice. The Secretariat will help determine the most appropriate product category for your product.

Contact the SGLS Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg to discuss your product. The Secretariat will assess whether it can be certified under an existing category, or whether a new category might be considered.

New product categories are launched from time to time where there is sufficient industry demand and the feasibility of criteria has been established.

No. Each product must be individually certified to ensure the transparency, credibility, and reliability of the SGLS. Please contact the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg for further advice on certifying a product series.

Yes. Random audits are conducted on certified products during the 2-year certification period to ensure continued compliance with SGLS criteria. Cooperation with all audit requests is a condition of maintaining certification.

If your product is selected for an audit, your liaison officer or the Secretariat will contact you with further details.

No. The SGLS Secretariat does not test products. We only accept test reports from nationally accredited third-party test laboratories. In Singapore, we accept reports from SINGLAS-accredited laboratories.

For the full list of SINGLAS-accredited test labs, visit the Singapore Accreditation Council website.

No. The SGLS Secretariat only accepts test reports from nationally accredited third-party test laboratories. In Singapore, this means SINGLAS-accredited laboratories. In-house test reports are not accepted.

No. All costs associated with product testing are to be borne by the company applying for certification. The SGLS Secretariat does not subsidise or reimburse testing costs.

No. The SGLS Secretariat accepts test reports with a validity of up to five years from the date of the report, provided the validity period covers the certified period. Retesting after five years is required.

Retesting may also be required when criteria for a product category are revised, when a test report is no longer valid, or when specifically requested by the Secretariat.

Yes. The Secretariat accepts overseas test reports, provided the testing was conducted in accordance with SGLS requirements and carried out by a nationally accredited third-party test laboratory in the relevant country.

You may refer to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) for a list of internationally accredited test laboratories.

All new applications must conform to the revised criteria and may require additional testing. Existing certified products will be given a grace period of up to two years (or up to their next renewal) to comply with the revised criteria.

Contact your liaison officer or the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg. We will provide the renewal application form and templates for the required declaration letters.

Once documents are submitted, we will issue a quotation (S$2,300 + 9% GST per product). Sign and return the quotation, then pay the invoice upon receipt. Document review begins only after payment is received.

Note: The online renewal portal is currently unavailable. All renewals are to be submitted to your liaison officer or the Secretariat directly.

No. SGLS certification is valid for two years. We recommend submitting your renewal application 2 to 3 months before the expiry date, and no later than 30 days before expiry.

We strongly recommend submitting your renewal application two to three months before your certificate expiry date. This allows sufficient time for the assessment process to be completed before expiry, ensuring uninterrupted use of the Green Label.

The absolute latest deadline for renewal is 30 days before the expiry date.

Effective 1 January 2025, the validity period for all renewed certificates begins on the date document verification is completed — not the original certificate start date. This ensures fairness and consistency across all certifications.

The expiry date continues to follow the original two-year cycle. There are two scenarios:

• If verification completes before your current expiry date — your new certificate starts the day after the original expiry date. No gap, full continuity.
• If verification completes after your current expiry date — your new certificate starts from the verification completion date, shortening your usable validity period.

We strongly encourage you to submit your renewal early and factor in your payment cycle, as document review only begins after payment is received.

If you do not renew before expiry, the Singapore Green Label logo must be removed from all products and marketing materials (website, packaging, posters, brochures, and so on) immediately upon the expiry date.

Renewal applications received within 90 days of expiry can still be processed, with a fee difference invoice issued. Applications received after 90 days will be treated as new applications at the full new application fee.

If the logo cannot be physically removed from existing stock on the expiry date, a declaration to the Secretariat is required stating the inventories bearing the logo and the projected timeline for those inventories to be consumed.

Yes. At the point of renewal, your product must meet the criteria that are current at that time. All new and renewal applications must conform to the most recent criteria for the relevant product category.

Renewal is only possible before your certificate has expired. If your certificate has already expired, a new application must be submitted — unless you had already submitted a renewal application to the Secretariat at least two weeks before the expiry date and it is currently in the assessment process.

Contact the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg if you are unsure of your certificate status.

All certificates are valid for two years. The standard fees (excluding 9% GST) are:

• New application: S$3,500 + 9% GST per product
• Renewal application: S$2,300 + 9% GST per product
• Express processing add-on (~3 working days): additional S$1,000
• Rapid processing add-on (~7 working days): additional S$500

See the Fees & Validity page for the full schedule.

The payment process works as follows:

1. Submit your documents to your liaison officer or the Secretariat
2. We issue a quotation — sign and return it to proceed
3. We issue an invoice upon receipt of the signed quotation
4. Make payment upon receipt of the invoice (cash on delivery terms)

Assessment or document review begins only after payment is received. Please do not make any payment before receiving the invoice.

The certificate is issued once payment has been received and the application has been approved. Please allow up to 3 working days for the certificate to be issued after payment is received.

Yes. Use of the Singapore Green Label logo is regulated by the SGLS Logo Guidelines and the Singapore Green Label User Agreement, which is issued upon successful certification and receipt of payment.

Download the Logo Guidelines from the Guidelines page.

The logo may be used on the product itself, on product packaging, and on product brochures — provided it complies with the SGLS Brand Guidelines. The logo may not be used on name cards.

For use of the logo on other marketing collaterals, seek approval from the SGLS Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg before proceeding.

SEC takes a strong stand against logo misuse. If you do not intend to renew, the logo must be removed from all products and marketing materials immediately upon the expiry date. Failure to do so may result in legal action.

If the logo cannot be physically removed from existing stock on the expiry date, contact the Secretariat at greenlabel@sec.org.sg to provide a declaration of existing inventory and a projected timeline for consumption.

Yes. The applicant has the right to appeal any certification decision (including new application, renewal, suspension, or withdrawal). The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Head, Environmental Certification of SEC within 14 days from the date of the certification decision.

Any decision of SEC shall remain in force until the outcome of the appeal. The decision of SEC on the appeal is final and binding. If the appeal is successful, no monetary claims can be made against SEC for reimbursement of costs or any other losses.

Send appeal letters to greenlabel@sec.org.sg.