Criteria Checkmarks for Providers

Below is an explanation of the checkmarks shown for providers of carbon offsets:

• Project descriptions

  Does the provider give basic information on the projects that they support? The minimum includes a description and location for each project.

• Project operators*

  Does the provider list the operators of their projects, i.e. the local organizations who are responsible for carrying them out on the ground?

• % going to projects

  Does the provider state how much of the money paid for offsets goes towards funding the projects? Care should be taken when comparing this figure between providers, since the basis of the calculation may be different.

• Financial reports

  Does the provider offer full financial reports on their website, including a breakdown of annual revenues and expenses?

• Management team

  Does the provider's website give details of the people who are running it?

• Multiple projects

  Does the provider support more than one project? Supporting a range of projects offers protection against the possible failure of an individual project.

• Carbon quantified*

  Does the provider give information on the quantity of CO₂e offset by each project? This helps buyers understand if the project is large or small, and builds confidence that its emission reductions have been properly calculated.

• CDM/GS certification*

  Are the projects certified under the UN's Clean Development Mechanism or the Gold Standard? These independent bodies give projects an extra stamp of approval.

• On-grid power*

  Do most of the carbon credits come from reduced demand on the electricity grid? Renewable electricity generation is the key long-term challenge in wealthy countries.

• Non-reforestation*

  Does the provider focus on non-reforestation projects? Reforestation is a controversial source of carbon credits, since it depends on trees standing far into the future.

* An asterisk indicates that the criterion relates to individual projects, rather than the provider as a whole. The provider receives the checkmark if most of its projects fulfill the criterion.