CASE STUDY
Repositioning USGBC for a New Era of Market Leadership
Challenge
After two decades of global success, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) faced a pivotal challenge—how to evolve from defining “green building” to leading measurable progress on climate, health, and equity.
The organization’s message needed to shift from certification to performance, reaffirming USGBC’s relevance in a rapidly changing sustainability landscape.
Approach
While serving on USGBC’s marketing team, Bold Branch Collective’s founders, along with our partner Futerra, led stakeholder interviews, leadership workshops, and message testing to define what USGBC stood for in the next era of sustainability.
We developed a new purpose-driven narrative positioning USGBC as a catalyst for accountability and measurable progress across the built environment.
Outcome
The repositioning established a unified voice and narrative across more than 400 staff and global partners. It informed the launch of LEED v5, strengthened USGBC’s thought leadership positioning, and reintroduced the organization as a trusted catalyst for measurable market transformation.
A brand architecture aligning all USGBC programs under a shared vision of “proving what’s possible.”
A messaging framework built around the values of trust, verification, and measurable impact. A refreshed communications strategy that bridged the technical and human sides of sustainability, connecting performance data to stories of health, equity, and resilience.
Internal tools and message guides to ensure alignment across leadership, staff, and global partners.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| Focused on certification | Focused on verified performance and progress |
| Spoke primarily to professionals | Connects with broader market audiences |
| Program by program messaging | Unified purpose-driven narrative |