Criterias
Who can apply?
All local companies and organisations as well as their individual functional units that primarily operate within Hong Kong are welcome.
How to become a HKGO?
Application for HKGO is accepted all year round for free. Participants can obtain the certificate of HKGO through the following three routes –
Route 1: Winners of the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE)
The HKAEE winners (i.e. Gold Award, Silver Award, Bronze Award and Certificates of Merit) will automatically be granted the title of HKGO.
Route 2: Criteria (1) + (2) + (3)
Organisations / functional units should meet criteria 1, 2 and 3 shown in Table 1 below simultaneously.
Route 3: Criterion (4) + Charter launched / supported by the Government + Certificate under the HKGOC
Organisations / functional units should meet criterion 4 (either (4a), or (4b)) in Table 1 below, have simultaneously signed any one of the environment-related charters launched / supported by the Hong Kong SAR Government and possessed any one of the valid Certificates under the HKGOC.
Table 1: Criteria for obtaining the title of HKGO at the time of application
| Criterion 1 | (1) Possess a valid Wastewi$e Certificate. | |
| Criterion 2 | Possess one of the following: (2a) A valid Energywi$e Certificate; or (2b) A valid Carbon Reduction Certificate*. |
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| Criterion 3 | Achieve one of the following: (3a) Possess a valid IAQwi$e Certificate; or (3b) Possess a Participation Certificate of the HKAEE; or (3c) Completed the Stage of Detailed Assessment of the Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards; or (3d) Signed any one of the environment-related charters launched / supported by the Hong Kong SAR Government. |
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| Criterion 4 | (4a) Possess a valid ISO 14001 / ISO 20121 certificate; or (4b) Awarded the commendation “Hong Kong – Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners (Manufacturing)” of the Hong Kong – Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners Recognition Scheme. |
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| Examples of environment-related charters launched and/or supported by the Hong Kong SAR Government include Carbon Reduction Charter, Food Wise Charter, Energy Saving Charter on Indoor Temperature, Energy Saving Charter on “No ILB”, Use Less, Waste Less in My Hands, Waste Check Charter, Charter on Proper Operation of Refuse Collection Vehicles, Charter on External Lighting, Energy Saving Charter, 4Ts Charter and Glass Container Recycling Charter, or any charters accepted by the Organisers. | ||
* The Carbon Reduction Certificate (CRC) scheme under the Hong Kong Green Organisation Certification (HKGOC) has been suspended starting from 1 September 2025.
Applicants via Route 1 are granted the title of HKGO automatically and shall contact the Technical Consultant if no notification is received. Applicants via Route 2 and Route 3 shall complete the Application Form below and submit the relevant documents for verification.
Recognised by other Environmental Protection Award Programmes and Schemes
| Programme | Benefits for IAQwi$e Certificate Holders |
|---|---|
| BOCHK Corporate Low-Carbon Environmental Leadership Awards 2023 | 1 bonus point on top of the full marks of the BOCHK Corporate Environmental Leadership Awards. More Details |
| Caring Company Scheme | Eligible to earn designated points in the Environmental Sustainability section of Form B under the Caring Company Scheme. More Details |
| Green Office Awards Labelling Scheme (GOALS) | Recognised as having fulfilled two Green Office Best Practice Criteria under the Green Office Awards Labelling Scheme (GOALS). More Details |
| CLP Smart Energy Award | 5 points in the CLP Smart Energy Award. More Details |
Enjoy Discounts on other Green Mark and Label Schemes
| Scheme | Discount offered to IAQwi$e Certificate Holders |
|---|---|
| Hong Kong Green Mark Certification Scheme | Discount on application fee and quarterly surveillance fee for each first application for the Hong Kong Green Mark Certification Scheme. More Details |
| Hong Kong Green Label Scheme | Discount on application fees for each first application for the Hong Kong Green Label Scheme. More Details |
How long is the HKGO title valid for?
The title of HKGO is valid for two years and can be renewed if the requirements as set out above are met.