DHARMA MERCHANT SERVICES WINS 2009 GREEN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARD

Payment Processing Firm Surprised to Win

SAN FRANCISCO, California – December 9, 2009 – Dharma Merchant Services, a provider of credit card acceptance accounts, was awarded the 2009 Green Business Leadership Award on November 12th at the annual Green Business Conference sponsored by Green America. Since 2003, the Green Business Leadership Award has been given in recognition of companies that exemplify leadership in the marketplace to build a more socially just and ecologically sustainable economy.

Dharma Merchant Services was among four nominees chosen by the 250 conference attendees, who are all leaders in the green business field. The award was presented by Dr. Karl Wald of Mr. Ellie Pooh (Brooklyn, NY), last year’s winner.

“We were honored just to be nominated by our peers, and didn’t expect to win. We are so moved by this award, and see it as a validation from the green community that a financial services company can be acknowledged not so much for what they do but for how they do it”, says Dharma Merchant Services president, Jeff Marcous. “We are especially grateful for the incredible work that Green America does to promote and connect sustainable business practices throughout the country”.

"We're thrilled to present the 2009 Green Business Leadership Award to Dharma Merchant Services," said Denise Hamler, Director of Green America's Green Business Network. "They are a leader in the financial industry in their use of renewable energy, green banking and their support of nonprofit organizations. All of the businesses nominated for the award maintain the highest social and environmental standards, so it says a lot that Dharma was selected as the winner by their peers."

Founded in 2006 and based in San Francisco, Dharma Merchant Services provides the accounts and equipment needed for businesses to accept credit cards. The company is a certified green business through the Bay Area Green Business program, has completed Green America’s screening process and is recognized as a B Corporation.

The other four nominees for the Green Business Leadership Award were Ecowood Displays (Mount Shasta, CA), Salazar Packaging (Plainfield, IL), and Vital Hemptations (Santa Monica, CA).
Green Business Network member Shasta Visions (Mount Shasta, CA) provided this year’s award, a blue earth marble made of recycled glass.

ABOUT GREEN AMERICA AND THE GREEN BUSINESS NETWORK

Green America is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1982, providing the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to address today’s social and environmental problems. Green America's Green Business Network is a vibrant community of over 4,000 businesses committed to creating a better world. Through the Green Business Network members connect with investors, partners, and new markets and share marketing strategies, business solutions and cost‐saving strategies for going green. www.greenbusinessnetwork.org

ABOUT DHARMA MERCHANT SERVICES

Dharma Merchant Services, as the name implies, is about right action, right intention and right livelihood. The company is uniquely devoted to helping their clients accept credit cards with low cost merchant accounts and in a manner which reflects the compassion, respect, and fairness that is at the core of their beliefs. As a socially responsible business, Dharma Merchant Services donates 10% of account processing revenues to the nonprofit organization of each client’s choice. As an environmentally conscious company, Dharma Merchant Services engages with sustainable partners and practices whenever possible. www.dharmams.com