Business Certification
The NoCO2 Program certification standards are outlined in the NoCO2 Program Guide, which we provide to our clients. The guide outlines the steps to achieving certification for each standard which are summarised below.
We are able to conduct face-to-face meetings via video conferencing and our desktop audits are based on the information you provide to us, therefore we do not need to visit your premises at any stage throughout the process.
We service clients globally from our head office in Sydney, Australia.
Who can get Certification?
Certification for positive climate action is available to businesses and organizations of all sizes and across various sectors.
Certification is available for:
- Organisations (NoCO2 Certification Standard and LowCO2 Certification Standard)
- Products (Carbon Neutral Product and Carbon Neutral Service Certification Standard)
- Business (Make it Carbon Neutral Certification Standard)
To attain carbon neutral certification for your organization, it is essential to align with the requirements. In broad terms, this entails measuring your emissions, implementing reduction measures when feasible, offsetting any remaining emissions, and transparently reporting on your accomplishments.
Where does your carbon offset money go, who does it help?
There are many different types of climate change mitigation projects which can achieve carbon savings and become registered carbon offsets.
The most common off-set projects involve:
- Renewable energy (including wind, solar, geothermal, landfill gas capture, biomass and hydro generation)
- Energy efficiency (lighting, cook-stoves)
- Forestry/revegetation (bio-sequestration)
CRI prefers to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects all over the world in preference to the traditional forestry/revegetation options. Carbon sinks, such as tree stocks, present risk whereby the emissions can be reversed back into the atmosphere.
CRI currently purchases wind, biomass, hydro generation and cook-stove carbon offsets in China, India, Kenya and Cambodia. Learn more about each of these carbon offset projects.
Once the project has gained verification from one of the main standards, all offsets must be electronically serialised and make their way onto one of the main registries. These are typically, the ‘Markit’ Registry and the ‘Gold Standard’ Registry.
From this point the offsets can be traded and sold between parties. The offsets, once sold and used towards a marketing claim must be retired from the market.
NoCO2 Certification Standard
The NoCO2 certification standard is for organisations that want to become carbon neutral. There are four steps that must be completed to achieve the NoCO2 certification standard. They are:
- Complete a comprehensive carbon audit of your organisation auditing your scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions. This audit is completed in compliance ISO 14064
- Reduce emissions that are avoidable; where the cost to do so is less than the cost of offsetting
- Offset all remaining emissions through the purchase of carbon credits, and
- Enter into a Certification Agreement with the Carbon Reduction Institute.
Carbon credits must be purchased; and certification fees must be paid; quarterly in advance for certification to commence.
LowCO2 Certification Standard
The LowCO2 certification standard is for organisations that want to reduce their carbon emissions over time; setting annual CO2 reduction targets.
The five steps that must be completed to achieve the LowCO2 standard are:
- Complete a carbon audit of your organisation measuring emissions from scope 1, scope 2 and employee business travel and waste disposal from scope 3. It covers all emissions under your operational control and is also ISO 14064 compliant
- Set targets for annual emissions reduction
- Implement emissions reduction strategies
- Offset all remaining emissions above the target level by purchasing carbon offsets, and
- Enter into a Certification Agreement with the Carbon Reduction Institute.
Carbon credits must be purchased; and certification fees must be paid; quarterly in advance for certification to commence.
Carbon Neutral Product and Carbon Neutral Service Certification Standard
The Carbon Neutral Product and Carbon Neutral Service certifications are for businesses that want to offer carbon neutral products and services. The three steps that must be completed to achieve the Carbon Neutral Product or Carbon Neutral Service certification standards are as follows:
- Complete a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in line with ISO 14040. A product LCA measures all emissions of the product being assessed including emissions generated from the extraction and transportation of raw materials, inputs into the product, manufacture and distribution of the product; and finally, disposal
- Commit to offset all emissions of the product or service assessed, and
- Enter into a Certification Agreement. The agreement contains a commitment to purchase carbon credits quarterly in arrears to offset the emissions of carbon neutral products or services sold for each quarter.
Carbon credits relating to the operational emissions of the business must be purchased; and certification fees must be paid, quarterly in advance for certification to commence.
Make it Carbon Neutral Certification Standard
Make it Carbon Neutral certification is for businesses that want to be able to offer their products and services as carbon neutral when requested by their customers. MICN is the perfect solution for businesses that want to offer carbon neutral products and services which aren’t expected to be initially traded in high volumes (below 500 tCO2e) or where a business wants to “test the waters” by offering carbon neutral products and services by customer request.
The following steps must be completed to achieve the Make it Carbon Neutral certification standard:
- Completion of the initial emissions calculations, including carbon offset options and costs, so that businesses are aware what their additional cost of sale is when offering a product or service as carbon neutral through the MICN service
- Commit to offset all emissions of the product or service assessed, and
- Enter into a Certification Agreement. The agreement contains a commitment to purchase carbon credits quarterly in arrears to offset the emissions generated by Make it Carbon Neutral products and services sold each quarter.
Certification fees must be paid, quarterly in advance for certification to commence.
Ready to apply?
We appreciate your commitment to taking action!
The carbon neutral certification process may vary slightly based on what you intend to certify.
To begin, the following information will assist you in getting started.
