2025 Certification Celebration
In 2025, the Culver City Sustainable Business Certification Program celebrated its 7th anniversary by certifying and recertifying 13 Culver City businesses, acknowledging the best management practices they implemented and the sustainable policies they adopted.
An awards ceremony to recognize these businesses was held on September 23, 2025 at Servicon Systems in Culver City. Mayor Dan O'Brien hosted the event and was joined by Vice Mayor Freddy Puza and Council Member Bubba Fish.
2025 Sustainable Business Certification Awards Event, Justin Han Photography
2025 Certified Businesses
Businesses Achieving Innovator Certification
Eco Dive Center (recertified to Innovator)
KFA Architecture (recertified)
Mithun (recertified)
Servicon Systems, Inc (recertified)
Soaring Towers
Businesses Achieving Certification
Arcana: Books on the Arts
Berliner Architects
Do it Now! Fitness Club
OFFICEUNTITLED
Maeving
OsteoStrong (recertified)
Rediscover Center (recertified)
Zambezi (recertified)
"We are very pleased that these 13 businesses were able to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the City and receive free, hands-on assistance to operate more sustainably. We celebrate the best management practices these certified businesses implemented and the sustainable policies and actions they adopted. Together, these businesses are improving the health of our natural environment and the overall well-being of their employees and customers and our community at large.”
Culver City Mayor Dan O'Brien at 2025 Sustainable Certified Business Award Recognition Ceremony on September 23, 2025
2025 Program Environmental Impact
Collectively these 13 newly certified/recertified businesses annually:
- Save 80,330 kWh of energy, equivalent to removing ten gasoline-powered cars off the road for an entire year
- Save 97,052 gallons of water, enough to fill five backyard pools
- Divert 76,318 lbs of waste from the landfill, reducing 110 tons of greenhouse gases and creating compost
- Avoid 72,473,423 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to planting one million tree seedlings over 10 years
One of this year’s certified businesses received a $1,000 Intuit mini grant through the California Green Business Network to cover costs associated with implementing the measures necessary to become certified.
Program Overview
Within the first seven years of the program, Culver City has already issued a total of 100 business certifications and have 70 currently certified businesses.
The Sustainable Business Certification Program includes two tiers.
- Certified businesses must complete a minimum number of measures in the areas of water use, energy conservation, clean energy, waste reduction, pollution prevention, and sustainable transportation.
- Certified Innovators are exemplary businesses that, in addition to meeting the “Certified’ criteria, provide their employees with living wages and benefits and demonstrate innovative practices in environmental preservation and community engagement.
Certification at both levels is valid for three years, after which businesses must recertify by implementing additional sustainability measures. Certified businesses receive City Council commendations, a framed certificate, and digital “certified” logos to proudly market and set themselves apart to customers as companies that prioritize running a sustainable operation.
Non-profit Sustainable Works and local consulting firm Balanced Approach developed and currently administer the Sustainable Business Certification Program for Culver City, which targets businesses in the retail, office, restaurant, grocery, school, lodging, and theater sectors.
Learn more about the Sustainable Certified Business Award program and how to apply.
Arcana: Books on the Arts, established in 1984, specializes in new, rare, and out-of-print books, catalogues, and ephemera on 20th and 21st century art, photography, design, architecture, fashion, cinema, music, and culinaria. Arcana is located in a 4,500-square-foot space in the Historic Helms Bakery building, where its dedicated owners and staff maintain deep knowledge of the books they offer and the topics they cover.
Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Dramatically reducing waste by reusing packaging materials for shipping orders
- Saving over 4,000 gallons of water annually by installing ultra-low-flow aerators in restrooms
- Supporting health and the environment by purchasing low-to-no-toxic cleaning products
- Conserving energy with ample natural daylighting, supplemented by efficient LED lights
- Saving trees with paperless transactions and reusing paper whenever possible
Founded in 1996, Berliner Architects has built a reputation for creating thoughtful, sustainable, and cost-effective design solutions. Their culturally diverse team unites planners, architects, designers, and artists dedicated to making a difference.
Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Supporting the health and the environment by establishing a sustainable purchasing guide for the office
- Conserving over 1,100 gallons of water each year with simple sink aerator retrofits
- Ensuring energy savings by replacing inefficient light bulbs with LEDs
- Championing car-free transportation by providing a bicycle for local errands
- Providing a healthy biophilic environment with natural lighting and indoor and outdoor plants
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Berliner Architects, Justin Han Photography
Do It Now! Fitness Club, a proud Black-owned business, is bringing fresh energy to Culver City and Mar Vista—not only by inspiring healthier lives, but by championing sustainability with every step.
Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Reducing landfill waste by reducing the use of disposable paper towels
- Protecting marine environments by choosing bleach-free cleaning products
- Conserving over 35,000 gallons of water annually with simple sink and shower retrofits
- Educating employees on the importance of recycling, safer cleaning products, and resource conservation
- Making recycling easy by setting up clearly marked recycling stations
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Do It Now! Fitness Club, Justin Han Photography
Eco Dive Center proudly holds the title of Southern California's Top Rated Scuba Center, offering the most affordable prices on scuba diving equipment, group dive vacations, local island boat trips, and certifications from beginner to instructor. Eco Dive Center is committed to being a good employer by honoring employees’ rights, providing competitive wages, and providing a safe work environment.
Recertified to Innovator
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Protecting the marine environment with an annual underwater cleanup dive
- Conserving energy by insulating exposed hot water pipes
- Reducing pollution by encouraging staff to bicycle, use public transportation, and carpool
- Preserving trees by using 100% post-consumer recycled content paper products
- Reducing harmful chemicals by choosing safer green cleaning products
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Eco Dive Center, Justin Han Photography
Since 1975, KFA is transforming the Los Angeles landscape with architecture, design, and master planning that spans affordable and special-needs housing, transit-oriented developments, campuses, hotels, and adaptive reuse projects.
Recertified Innovator
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Committing to net-zero buildings by signing the AIA 2030 Commitment
- Championing causes by serving on the boards of local nonprofits and volunteering
- Incorporating sustainable principles into every element of office design and operation
- Engaging staff with sustainability challenges and an active sustainability Slack channel
- Supporting health by purchasing environmentally safer cleaning products
Mayor Dan O'Brien with KFA, Justin Han Photography
Maeving, creator of classically designed electric motorcycles, has made sustainability a cornerstone of its Culver City operations. Maeving not only offers innovative electric mobility but also sets an inspiring example of leadership in advancing and incorporating sustainable practices in employee on-boarding and training.
Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Use of approved eco-friendly bike cleaning products that are Green Seal or EPA Safer Choice certified
- Repurposing and/or recycling bike parts and establishing energy-saving practices for shop equipment
- Developing a process for disposing of oil disposal containers and installing battery collection points
- Combining multiple service calls into efficient routes to reduce total driving time
- Negotiating with suppliers to prioritize eco-friendly products and packaging
- Conducting monthly sustainability training sessions for all staff
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Maeving, Justin Han Photography
Mithun is an integrated design firm where architects, landscape architects, interior designers, urban designers, and planners work in a wide range of typologies and scales with a focus on urban environments. Mithun is an internationally recognized leader in sustainability, combining exemplary design with a focus on building and site performance, human health, and social equity.
Recertified Innovator
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Planning ahead with a multi-year sustainability action plan
- Centering sustainability and equity in their mission statement and in new staff orientation
- Providing training to ensure staff remain at the cutting edge of sustainable innovation
- Reducing emissions with energy-efficient lighting and office equipment
- Minimizing landfill waste with a fully stocked kitchen of reusable dishware
OFFICEUNTITLED, an architecture and design firm, takes a holistic and collaborative approach to sustainability, embedding environmentally responsible practices into each phase of its work and operations. By promoting sustainability strategies early on with clients, consultants, and contractors, they ensure sustainability is understood, implemented, and monitored throughout their design process.
Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Increasing waste diversion by eliminating single-use plastics in the office and providing reusable water bottles, dishware, and flatware
- Offsetting energy use through natural ventilation, skylights, and garage doors
- Saving over 1,600 gallons of water annually by adjusting the flow of bathroom sinks
- Supporting staff professional development by reimbursing staff for LEED certification exam and education costs
- Contributing to cleaner air by encouraging staff to carpool, bike, or use public transit
Mayor Dan O'Brien with OFFICEUNTITLED, Justin Han Photography
OsteoStrong is an integrative wellness center that focuses on bones, joints, and muscles. Their proprietary technology increases bone and muscle density and reduces joint and back pain through a once-a-week program that works for people of all ages.
Re-Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Updating their Environmental Policy to reflect current measures
- Scheduling Employee Zero Waste Training to ensure proper recycling
- Providing reusable glasses for clients
- Purchasing only non-toxic and green certified cleaning products from Grove Collaborative and Force of Nature, companies that use electricity to change the chemical composition of salt, water, and vinegar into a powerful multi-purpose cleaner & deodorizer
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Osteostrong, Justin Han Photography
Servicon provides exemplary custodial, environmental, and maintenance services for complex facilities. Environmental responsibility is embedded in Servicon’s operations, from improving the performance of facilities and fleet to using resources more efficiently and responding to climate risks with purpose. These efforts support Servicon’s long-term sustainability commitment by reducing waste, cutting emissions, and helping protect the planet we all share.
Recertified Innovator
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Conserving 2,055 gallons of water annually with simple faucet retrofits
- Protecting human and environmental health by using 3rd party certified green cleaning products
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by achieving and maintaining Energy Star certification
- Improving air quality by adding electric and hybrid trucks to their fleet
- Championing social equity and sustainability by hosting community events at their LEED Platinum Certified building
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Servicon, Justin Han Photography
Soaring Towers provides IT management and cybersecurity for small to mid-sized businesses. By partnering with innovators, like Framework for reusable devices, and green champions, like Microsoft, Soaring Towers is tackling tech waste and driving real change toward carbon neutrality. Sustainability is built into their DNA.
Certified Innovator
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Installing smarter server setups
- Promoting remote work
- Ditching paper and teaming up with certified e-waste recyclers
- Reducing their carbon footprint by actively participating in the GreenSpark program
- Donating to environmental charities
- Encouraging staff to participate in green initiatives in their own homes by providing each with a $25 monthly stipend to act to offset their carbon emissions (e.g. costs for solar systems, premiums for electric food deliveries, collecting on-site rainwater for reuse)
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Soaring Towers, Justin Han Photography
Rediscover’s mission is simple and bold: give makers the tools, resources, and confidence to turn discarded materials into something extraordinary. They inspire creators of all ages to transform scraps into art, functional objects, and learning tools—proving that waste is just unused potential. At the heart of their work is a commitment to reducing and reusing. It’s creative reuse in action
Re-Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Securing a $1,000 Intuit mini grant through the California Green Business Network to fund a major energy upgrade
- Swapping all fluorescent tubes (64) facility-wide for LEDs, cutting energy use by 3,165 kwh a year
Mayor Dan O'Brien with Rediscover, Justin Han Photography
Zambezi is a proudly independent, women-owned agency that builds brands for businesses that are as high-performance as their products and services. Zambezi’s exceptional sustainability commitment continues with its relocation into a new building in Culver City.
Re-Certified
Notable sustainability efforts include:
- Reducing chemical use by replacing conventional cleaning products with low-to-non-toxic products
- Improving waste diversion by establishing clearly marked recycling areas
- Demonstrating commitment by enrolling in a K-Cup recycling program
- Increasing energy conservation with “lights off” signage and taking advantage of natural daylighting
- Promoting sustainable consumption by supplying staff with reusable kitchenware and bulk snacks