CARBON NEUTRAL CERTIFICATION

What is the Carbon Neutral Certification?

A carbon neutral certification demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to decarbonisation as you cut your organisational or product footprint and neutralise any remaining emissions through the support of environmental projects.

The road to Net Zero

Businesses play a critical role in accelerating the Net Zero transition. In addition to the essential task of setting and delivering Net Zero trajectories, it is more important than ever to drive good quality avoidance offset generation through carbon neutrality. These offsets are a key present-day supplement to emissions reductions aligned to a 1.5˚C pathway.

What is a carbon neutral footprint?

A carbon neutral footprint is one where the sum of the greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) produced is offset by natural carbon sinks and/or carbon credits. Very importantly, it sets out requirements for quantification and reduction of emissions. 
Carbon neutral certification contributes to an organisation’s commitment to decarbonisation, and the neutralisation of remaining impact through the support of environmental projects. It is independently certified to the international PAS 2060 standard.

What is PAS 2060? 

PAS 2060 is the internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality and builds on the existing PAS 2050 environmental standard. It sets out the requirements for quantifying, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for organisations and products.
In order to achieve the certification, a company must: 

  • Measure the footprint within a clearly defined boundary.
  • Develop a qualifying explanatory statement (QES) including:
  • Statement of commitment 
  • Timescale for achievement
  • A carbon management plan and targets for GHG reductions 
  • Planned means of achieving ongoing emissions reductions
  • Offset strategy 
  • Purchase high quality carbon credits/offsets such as Gold Standard, VCS and Woodland Code UK to compensate for remaining emissions.

How does carbon neutrality enable global decarbonisation?

Carbon neutrality enables global decarbonisation by requiring commitments to decarbonise at company level and a willingness to offset remaining impacts – for example, there must be a carbon management plan and targets for GHG reductions in place.
It contributes to global decarbonisation efforts through investments in high quality carbon credits/offsets. The SBTi recommends that companies prioritize near-term science-based targets, followed by securing and enhancing carbon sinks to avoid the emissions that arise from their degradation. Examples include purchasing high quality carbon credits. 

Benefits of carbon neutral certification for your business 

  • Demonstrate your commitment to decarbonisation
  • Enhance your green credentials through an annual commitment
  • Differentiate yourself as an environmentally responsible and sustainable brand
  • Contribute to global decarbonisation efforts by supporting high-quality environmental projects
  • Align your business to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

How we can help

We certify organisations, products, and selected Scope 3 categories to PAS 2060.
Carbon neutral certification for organisations and sites

The ITC certifies organisations and sites when they have:

A robustly measured footprint,

A commitment to reducing year-on-year emissions evidenced in a carbon reduction plan, and

Offset their remaining footprint with verified carbon offsets.

Upon recertification, you must demonstrate the actual reductions made to retain a carbon neutral status. The organisational label can be used to help you communicate your sustainability credentials. 

Carbon neutral certification for products

The ITC certifies products as carbon neutral when they have:

  • A robustly measured footprint, 
  • A commitment to year-on-year emissions reductions evidenced in a carbon reduction plan, and
  • Offset their remaining product footprint with verified carbon offsets.

What is the difference between carbon neutrality and Net Zero?

Boundary

Carbon neutrality has a minimum requirement of covering Scope 1 and 2 emissions, while Scope 3 is encouraged. Net Zero must cover Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

Level of ambition: 

An organisation does not need to cut its emissions in line with a certain trajectory to be carbon neutral. However, to be Net Zero, an organisation must reduce its emissions along a 1.5˚C trajectory across Scope 1, 2 and 3.

Approach to residual emissions:

To achieve carbon neutrality, an organisation must purchase carbon offsets that either result in carbon reductions, efficiencies, or sinks. For Net Zero, an organisation must purchase GHG removals that either remove or store carbon.