# General Brand Guidelines

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The U.S. Green Building Council® (USGBC) owns trademarks for its brands, including words, phrases, designs, symbols, and other distinctive features associated with its programs and services. These trademarks are referred to as  a "mark" or the "marks" in the guidelines:
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### Do:

* Comply with our [Terms of Use](https://www.usgbc.org/resources/usgbc-legal-terms-and-conditions).
* Always use the ® or <sup>™</sup> symbol in connection with the mark’s first and most prominent usage[\[1\]](https://support.usgbc.org/hc/en-us/articles/11941118063891-USGBC-Trademark-Policy-and-Branding-Guidelines#one).
* Accompany the mark with an acknowledgment of USGBC ownership, either as a link to [http://www.usgbc.org](http://www.usgbc.org/) or another applicable URL, as a footnote next to the user’s copyright notice, or at the end of a printed document. For example:

*USGBC® and the related logo are trademarks owned by the U.S. Green Building Council® and are used with permission.*

### Dont:

* Use the marks as part of your organization's name, logo, domain name, brand name or similar content. The marks shouldn’t be used as a verb or be incorporated into another word[\[2\]](https://support.usgbc.org/hc/en-us/articles/11941118063891-USGBC-Trademark-Policy-and-Branding-Guidelines#two).
* Use the marks on products, labels, and packaging. This includes online resources, virtual products, educational offerings, LEED certification resources, etc.
* Use USGBC’s marks to suggest or imply partnership, sponsorship or endorsement by USGBC and LEED. USGBC does not review, certify, or endorse third-party products or services.
* Modify or alter any mark, including the color, shape, proportion, or orientation.
* Use the mark with any disparaging statements about USGBC, its products and services, or statements that otherwise reflect poorly on USGBC.
* Directly or indirectly attempt to re-sell, redistribute, syndicate or otherwise commercialize the marks.
