Meliora means better — for people and planet
We chose our company name as a symbol of our commitment to doing better business. Meliora, the Latin word for “better,” represents both the products we make and our values as a business. We recognize that as a company we have a responsibility to people and the planet, not just profit, which is why we joined the B Corp community and became a Certified B Corporation.
March is B Corp Month, a celebration of what is possible when businesses think beyond profit. Here are some of the ways we use business as a force for good.
We reinforce our commitments with third-party certifications
Everything we do is guided by our Core Values. We hold ourselves accountable to those values with certifications from reputable, knowledgeable organizations that ask us to continually measure, verify, and improve upon our performance.
B Corp Certification designates that a business meets “high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials”. In other words, it is a comprehensive assessment of a company’s commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
The rigorous certification requires companies to:
- Pass a B Impact Assessment
- Make information about their performance assessments publicly available
- Make a legal commitment to make their governance structure accountable to all stakeholders
Because B Corp Certification is so closely aligned with our values, we became certified in 2015 and have recertified in 2017, 2021, and 2024. We are currently working to recertify under the new B Lab Standards.
Living Wage for US is committed to advancing the living wage movement so that all workers can afford a decent standard of living. They help businesses like us better understand the cost of living and how to meet it with a living wage that provides adequate pay, bonuses, and benefits for all our employees. We achieved Pledged certification in 2025.
WBENC Certification is the most recognized and respected national certification for women-owned businesses. The certification process involves a rigorous vetting process, a site visit, and interviews with the female owner or owners. We have been certified since 2020.
MADE SAFE® Certification is the only human health and ecosystem-focused screening for non-toxic products. It is the strictest ingredient screening standard in the industry, screening for over 6,500 banned and restricted substances throughout the entire supply chain and manufacturing process — not just in the finished product. Our products have all been certified since 2016.
Leaping Bunny Cruelty-Free Certification is the highest standard for companies that are committed to using no animal testing across all stages of product development. We became certified in 2017.
We make safer cleaning products and disclose every ingredient
Since day one, we have listed every ingredient used in our products both on the packaging and online. It’s the right thing to do, and we’re proud of what’s in our products. They’re made from safer, effective ingredients like baking soda, washing soda, organic coconut oil, and organic essential oils. Plus, our ingredients and products are screened by reputable third parties like MADE SAFE®, Leaping Bunny, and EWG.
We believe everyone has a right to know what is in their home cleaning products, despite the fact that there’s still no federal requirement to disclose ingredients on cleaning products. But we’re excited to see some progress, including California’s Cleaning Products Right-to-Know Act requiring ingredient disclosure and New York’s Environmental Conservation Law limiting 1,4-dioxane levels. We’ve worked in support of all transparency legislation we’ve learned about and will continue to do so until every product across the country is required to tell you what they’re putting in your home.
We reduce waste and plastic use with responsible packaging
Our products are concentrated and packaged to minimize waste and environmental impact. Removing water as a primary ingredient makes a huge impact. Instead of liquid formulas that come packaged in bulky, single-use plastic jugs, we make dry powders and solid soaps. Concentrated products are super efficient: you can tackle a load of laundry with just a half tablespoon of Laundry Powder, or mix up a whole bottle of cleaning spray with a tiny All-Purpose Cleaner Tablet. They’re lighter and smaller than their liquid counterparts, making them easier to package, ship, and store. Most importantly, they can be packaged in recyclable paperboard and cardboard instead of plastic.
Since we started in 2013, we have prevented the production and use of over 3.5 million plastic bottles through our plastic-free cleaning products.
This chart shows the cumulative total of plastic bottles prevented in the millions by the end of each year listed. For example, we reached 3 million lifetime bottles prevented by the end of 2024.
We’re always looking for innovative ways to reduce waste even further, like offering refill bags for our Laundry Powder and Oxygen Brightener so you only have to buy the canister once. We also offer our Dish Soap and Bath & Body Bar Soaps completely package-free. Most exciting of all is our closed-loop, zero-waste bulk bucket returns program, which allows you to buy in bulk and send the empty bucket back to us to clean and reuse for the next person.
We work with partners who share our values
One of the first things we did when starting Meliora Cleaning Products in 2013 was to become a 1% for the Planet business member. We wanted to go beyond creating people- and planet-friendly cleaning products by supporting groups and organizations working on causes that are deeply aligned with our values. We commit to donate at least 1% of our annual revenue to nonprofit organizations focused on environmental, local, and social causes. Through this program, we’ve supported and worked closely with incredible organizations like Beyond Plastics and Plastic Pollution Coalition.
We also participate in coalitions and networks that align with our goals and values. This includes both local groups like Great Lakes Business Network and Coalition for Plastic Reduction in Illinois, and international coalitions such as The Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty and The Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty.
Our primary causes are ingredient disclosure and safety, plastic pollution, and extended producer responsibility:
Ingredient Disclosure and Safety
In addition to listing every ingredient used in our products, we support ingredient disclosure policies to make that practice standard across the industry.
We supported Weaving Voices for Health and Justice’s campaign to pass the Cleaning Products Right to Know Act (SB 258) in California.
Ending Plastic Pollution
We work to eliminate as much plastic from products and manufacturing as we can, and support regulation to reduce plastic pollution globally.
We’re working with coalitions to help shape the United Nations’ Global Plastics Treaty. We also work with nonprofits dedicated to ending plastic pollution.
Extended Producer Responsibility
We advocate for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills to hold companies responsible for the materials they use—especially single-use plastics.
We’re working with Beyond Plastics in support of the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (S4246-b/A5322-b) in New York.
We also strive to work collaboratively with suppliers and business partners. One of our favorite examples is our partnership with Century Sun Oil, which supplies the organic sunflower oil we use to make our Dish Soap, Foaming Hand Soap, and Bath & Body Soap. Based in our neighboring state of Wisconsin, Century Sun Oil has many sustainable practices, including sourcing only locally-grown organic seeds and ensuring that every component of their process is used by humans or animals. Knowing about their interest in zero-waste operations, we started an initiative to ship empty oil drums back to them to be refilled for the next order. This closed-loop program on the manufacturing side mirrors our bucket returns program.
We strive to continually innovate and improve our business
We’re proud of our products and the progress we’ve made as a business over the last decade, and we strive to keep getting better! From sourcing and product development to customer service and education, there are limitless opportunities for companies to make a positive impact on people and the planet.
We deeply value input from our community. If you have any questions about our products or business practices, please feel free to contact us!