Carbon Offsetting

Criteria

• Business level emissions across scopes 1 & 2, as well as Scope 3 upstream emissions must be measured
• Offsets must be verified by a reputable organisation (e.g. Gold Standard)
• Offsets must remove an amount of carbon that is equal to or greater than 20% of the total footprint
• Please ensure that your carbon offsetting partner has invested in carbon removal projects rather than carbon avoidance projects
• Carbon avoidance credits can be used beyond the 20% threshold
• Offsets must have been made in the last 12 months

Additional Product Criteria

• To be surfaced at the product level the company must have measured the specific product's carbon footprint (for example using an LCA)

Publication Requirements

• Publish the business's carbon footprint and the percentage offsetted
• Specify the project(s) used to offset emissions and a breakdown of whether they are carbon removal or carbon avoidance schemes

Accepted Evidence

Evidence should strongly support the claim and will be made publicly available

• Proof of purchase of offsets with the name and location of the offset project, and the methodology or calculation

Accepted Verifiers

Verifiers are third parties who can confirm the validity of a given Proof Point

• Offsetting partner

Additional Resources

Greenhouse Gas Protocol

What is the difference between Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and what are companies doing to cut all three?

Other Proof Points in this category

The business has…	calculated its carbon footprint	implemented initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint	purchased credits to compensate all or part of its emissions	achieved a reduction in absolute carbon emissions
Reducing Carbon Emissions	No	Yes	No	No
Carbon Measured	Yes	No	No	No
Carbon Offsetting	Yes	No	Yes	No
Reduced Carbon Footprint	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Net Zero	Yes	Yes	Yes - maximum 10% of total footprint	Yes