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Sustainability Professionals Guide to the Voluntary Carbon Market
Blackfeet Indian Nation Forest, USA
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Unlock the full potential of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM)
The transition to a net zero future requires
organizations to take responsibility for their carbon emissions while investing in impactful climate solutions.
The VCM enables companies to compensate for unavoidable emissions by supporting projects that deliver measurable climate, social, and biodiversity benefits.
However, navigating this complex landscape requires expert guidance.
Climate Impact Partners is a trusted partner in high-quality climate solutions, providing end-to-end support in selecting and managing portfolios to ensure measurable, science-aligned impact.
to deliver credible, long-term climate impact. This guide helps sustainability professionals effectively leverage the VCM while avoiding common pitfalls and aligning climate strategies to deliver long-term business value.
Table of contents
Mississippi Valley Reforestation, USA
01
Understanding the Voluntary Carbon Market
02
Developing a Science-Aligned Strategy
03
How to Buy Carbon Credits
04
How to Make the Business Case for Climate Action
06
Working with an Expert Partner
05
Communicating your Climate Impact
The VCM can seem complex, but at its core it is a global system that channels private finance into projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions. From forest protection and renewable energy to clean cooking and carbon removal technologies, these projects rely on the VCM to scale their impact.
Carbon credits are the unit of exchange within this system - each representing one tonne of carbon dioxide reduced or removed. They provide companies and organizations with a way to take responsibility for their emissions while supporting climate action beyond their own operations.
Understanding how the VCM works, and where carbon credits fit within it, is key to navigating this fast-evolving space with confidence.
One carbon credit represents one tonne of CO₂ avoided or removed.
The Role of Carbon Credits
They are not a substitute for reducing emissions but serve as an immediate way to address current emissions while working toward long-term decarbonization goals.
Setting an internal carbon price can guide decision-making and support investments in high-quality carbon credits.
Carbon credits channel finance to projects around the world that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions.
Ecopreneur Movement Miombo, Zambia
42% of companies explicitly state they will use carbon credits to meet a carbon neutral or net zero target, up from 40% last year (Fortune Global 500 research, 2024).
Carbon credits are an internationally recognized tool to take responsibility for unavoidable emissions.
Types of Carbon Projects
Each project type has varying benefits, complexity, and risks. Expert support is essential for selecting high-integrity projects that provide measurable climate benefits.
Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)
Sustainable Infrastructure
Health and Livelihood Projects
CDR technologies
Access our project brochure to find out more about each project type.
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Maximizing your Impact
Carbon projects can deliver far-reaching benefits beyond reducing or removing emissions. Many offer additional co-benefits that enhance their overall value and impact:
Biodiversity Conservation: Projects that protect and restore natural habitats, support species recovery, and promote biodiversity net gain.
Community Development: Projects that support local communities and Indigenous People, who are the least responsible for climate change but most impacted by it.
- Economic impacts: Creating job opportunities, supporting livelihood development, and attracting investment. Many projects are led by local communities or developed in close collaboration with them, which is essential as it ensures the projects are community-owned and rooted in local needs.
- Social impacts: Improving health and well-being, advancing education, and reducing inequality.
Ecofiltro Clean Water and Cooking, Guatemala
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Many carbon projects contribute to multiple SDGs addressing a range of global challenges, from poverty and inequality to climate action and environmental protection, while strengthening their overall sustainability impact.
Climate Impact Partners delivers some of the largest carbon projects and works with 600+ high-integrity carbon projects in more than 60+ countries.
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Market Standards for Quality
High-quality carbon credits are verified by independent third-party certification standards, ensuring their credibility and effectiveness. These internationally recognized standards apply rigorous methodologies to quantify emissions reductions accurately. They verify that the reductions claimed by projects are real, measurable, and result from proper implementation and monitoring in line with the required standards.
In addition, Climate Impact Partners is committed to delivering only the highest quality projects. Our 10-steps due diligence process ensures that every project meets the high-impact, high-integrity standards our clients expect.
How We Review Carbon Projects
In fact, 38% of the carbon projects that apply to partner with us are not selected. From 2022 to today, we've carefully evaluated 666 projects and chosen only the best.
Circle Gas Smart Meters, Kenya
We have been awarded Best Offset Retailer in Environmental Finance’s annual Voluntary Carbon Market Awards for the 13 times, recognizing our focus on quality and building trusted partnerships with projects and clients.
Find out more about the award
Understanding the Voluntary Carbon Market
Lumin Afforestation, Uruguay
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A credible carbon strategy includes:
Balancing with High-Quality Carbon Credits
- Use avoidance and removals credits initially to address immediate climate impact, transitioning to removals over time as technology scales.
- Support innovation in engineered carbon removal solutions such as direct air capture (DAC) and enhanced weathering.
Investing in New Technologies or Solutions Beyond the Value Chain
- Help scale next-generation carbon removal solutions to achieve long-term net zero goals
- Secure long-term carbon removal capacity through forward contracts and innovative financing models.
- Fund innovative and scalable climate and nature solutions to achieve global net-zero by 2025, according to SBTi’s Beyond Value Chain Mitigation guidance.
Measuring and Taking Responsibility for Emissions
- Conduct a full Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions inventory to identify priority areas for reduction.
- Use carbon credits to compensate for unavoidable emissions while advancing in-house reduction efforts.
Our Pathway to Net Zero represents our commitment to meaningful and measurable climate action. The DWF Forest is a long-term investment in environmental stewardship, going beyond carbon removal to actively restore nature and biodiversity. As the sole investor in this project, we have direct oversight to ensure real positive impact, reinforcing our responsibility to conduct business sustainably and with integrity.
Sir Nigel Knowles, Senior Advisor DWF
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Our Pathway to Net Zero represents our commitment to meaningful and measurable climate action. The DWF Forest is a long-term investment in environmental stewardship, going beyond carbon removal to actively restore nature and biodiversity. As the sole investor in this project, we have direct oversight to ensure real positive impact, reinforcing our responsibility to conduct business sustainably and with integrity.
Sir Nigel Knowles, Senior Advisor DWF
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Reducing Emissions with Science-Aligned Targets
- Implement ambitious reduction plans aligned with existing frameworks, such as the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
- Prioritize operational efficiencies, renewable energy adoption, and supply chain engagement before relying on offsets.
Developing a Science-Aligned Strategy
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians IFM, USA
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When buying carbon credits there are three main options :
Pay as You Go, Forward Agreement, and Project Development.
Compare the different ways to purchase below:
Our recommended option is a multi-year agreement, which is a type of forward purchase contract that allows you to buy carbon credits from a specific project or portfolio over multiple years. multi-year agreement are ideal for companies seeking long-term impact, cost stability, and strategic climate planning.
In 2024, long-term offtake agreements for nature-based removals grew by 380% compared to 2023, as companies move to secure future credit supply today.
Why leading companies prefer multi-year agreements:
Supply Security: Secure access to high-quality credits from trusted projects.
Net-Zero Alignment: Match carbon credit delivery with long-term climate goals.
Read our Buyer’s guide, outlining the strategies, purchase methods, and portfolio structures that enable our clients to deliver real impact through the voluntary carbon market. You’ll find practical guidance on sourcing carbon credits as part of a long-term climate strategy.
At Freshfields we’d been offsetting on a pay-as-you-go basis for about 10 years. We’d experienced fluctuating prices, inconsistency in our portfolio, and an annual due diligence and contracting burden; all of these were contributing factors that drove us to make a long term commitment. A 10 year commitment is quite significant. But actually a strong supporter of the program was our CFO, and there's lots of reasons why that is the case, but one of them was price certainty. We locked in a good value price because we were willing to make that long-term commitment over the following 10 years.
Jake Reynolds
Head of Client Sustainability & Environment Freshfields
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Explore more about carbon credits
Project Stability: Provide projects with the financial certainty needed to support long-term climate solutions.
Price Certainty: Lock in pricing and avoid market volatility.
Budget Planning: Provide certainty to your finance team with long-term budget planning.
Reputation and Brand: Avoid the risk of falling short on climate targets and build credibility through clear, forward-looking action.
How Companies can Buy Carbon Credits
Community Energy Solutions, India
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Hear from our experts on how carbon credits can deliver business value:
How to Communicate to CFOs and Senior Leadership:
Establish an internal carbon price to inform decision-making and risk assessment.
Integrate sustainability into KPIs and decision-making frameworks.
Speak the CFO’s Language in terms of strategy, ROI, and peer pressure.
Showcase the benefits of ESG leadership in enhancing market differentiation and securing corporate partnerships.
Quantify cost savings from emissions reductions and energy efficiency initiatives.
Highlight value protection, risk reduction, and cost of inaction.
Link sustainable initiatives to brand, investor, and employee expectations.
Community Energy Solutions, India
Want to Dive Deeper?
Watch our webinar with Kearney and Schroders on how to secure CFO buy-in and make the business case for bold climate action or read the insight blog for key takeaways from their conversation.
Watch our webinar
Read Insight blog
It’s important to show how it contributes to the business strategy… and the actions you're going to take to reach those objectives. So, you’d want to frame it as: why are we doing this, how does it support business strategy, and what is the ROI or risks of inaction?
Madeleine Cobb, Global Head of Corporate Sustainability, Schroders
Read case study
It’s important to show how it contributes to the business strategy… and the actions you're going to take to reach those objectives. So, you’d want to frame it as: why are we doing this, how does it support business strategy, and what is the ROI or risks of inaction?
Madeleine Cobb, Global Head of Corporate Sustainability, Schroders
Read case study
Investing in carbon credits and emissions reduction strategies drives value by:
Mitigating climate risks and preparing for emerging carbon regulations and carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAMs).
Attracting investors increasingly focused on ESG-aligned business models.
Strengthening employee engagement and talent retention by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Enhancing brand reputation and meeting consumer expectations for climate action.
How to Make the Business Case for Climate Action
Ecopreneur Movement Miombo, Zambia
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Companies should:
Report emissions and reductions in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and other reputable frameworks such as Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), SBTi to ensure alignment with global best practices.
The DWF Forest: Planting a Living Legacy for Future Generations in the Scottish Borders
Companies Leading the Way
The LEGO Group partners with Climate Impact Partners to deliver further climate action through reforestation.
We work with leading organizations:
Through a long-term partnership with Climate Impact Partners, Freshfields has supported impactful carbon projects and employee engagement initiatives, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability.
Logitech made its entire portfolio of gaming products CarbonNeutral.
Carbon offsetting program helps Linklaters recruit and retain staff.
Tell a compelling story about climate action through sustainability reports, investor disclosures, and customer engagement campaigns.
Pursue certifications like:
- VCMI (Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative)
for credible claims and transparency. - Carbon Neutral® Certification on the path to net
- zero commitments.
How Schroders leverages high integrity carbon credits on their path to net zero. Hear from Madeleine Cobb, Global Head of Corporate Sustainability at Schroders, as she explains how the firm works with Climate Impact Partners to support their climate strategy.
Climate Impact Partners signs deal with Microsoft to deliver carbon removals from large-scale community-based project in India.
Climate Impact Partners and Deloitte join forces to unlock large-scale seagrass recovery financing. Read our case study on how we helped Deloitte deliver an innovative program aligned with SBTi’s Beyond Value Chain Mitigation framework.
Read about why climate change and the insurance section are so interconnected, how Aviva kickstarted its climate action, and the role of high-quality carbon credits in their climate strategy.
Stay Ahead in the Age of Climate Accountability
Our Client Hub provides up-to-date information on your carbon credits and Energy Attribute Certificates (EAC) purchases, helping you meet the growing demands of climate disclosure. You can also download a customized spreadsheet fully aligned with CDP questions to support your reporting process.
What it offers:
Live data about past carbon credit and EAC transactions, including vintage and retirement status.
Purchase certificates and proof of retirements.
All resources are downloadable in CSV format.
The Client Hub enables companies to showcase your climate impact with confidence.
Request a live demo of the hub
Orb Rooftop Solar, India
Project details, including downloadable assets such as photo content, and links to registry webpages
Communications guidance, tools and resources.
This is incredibly useful, [we] really appreciate all the detail included. I’ve now integrated this into [our] CDP response.
Kane Rabanal-Hunt,
Sustainability Manager, WPP,
a £10+bn revenue creative transformation company
Communicating Your Climate Impact
Blackfeet Indian Nation, USA
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The VCM is complex, and choosing high-quality projects requires rigorous due diligence. Working with an experienced partner like Climate Impact Partners ensures:
Confidence in project quality – Verified, high-impact projects aligned with leading standards and frameworks such as the Gold Standard and Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).
End-to-end portfolio management – Selection, monitoring, and reporting support to maximize climate impact and ensure compliance with corporate sustainability goals.
Assurance of impact – Tangible climate, social, and biodiversity benefits verified through robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) methodologies.
Strategic alignment – A credible, net zero-aligned carbon strategy that integrates with existing sustainability initiatives and meets stakeholder expectations.
Mississippi Band Of Choctaw Indians IFM, USA
What to Ask when Choosing a Trusted Provider?
When evaluating a provider, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure credibility, transparency, and alignment with your sustainability goals. Here’s what you should ask:
Verification, standards and integrity:
What methodologies do you use to verify carbon savings and ensure project integrity? Do you adhere to certifications or established standards (e.g., Verra, Gold Standard)? If so, provide details.
Please describe your due diligence and risk management structure and processes. What proportion of the projects you handle pass your integrity criteria?"
Role and process in carbon supply chain:
What is your role in the carbon supply chain, and how does this help align with the buyer's needs?
What is your process to ensure you provide those credits from the market that best meet the buyer's various preferences?
Risk management and capacity:
What services do you provide to help address risks such as those associated with a delivery shortfall or failure from a project?
Can you provide long-term capacity for multi-year agreements?
Transparency and reporting:
Can you provide transparency on the typical breakdown of fees, including the proportion of remuneration going to the credit service provider versus the project supplier/developer, for your range of projects.
What project-level reporting do you provide in addition to the basic documentation required by the standards?
Client Support and alignment with strategy:
What arrangements do you have in place to support clients in the event of negative media attention?
Where applicable, do the offsetting projects align with the requirements of the business's Net Zero Strategy and targets
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Company and background and expertise:
Provide details on your company history, experience and expertise, including experience with clients our sector.
Provide details of your capacity, experience and expertise related to carbon offset projects, including standards, project types, and mitigation types you can offer
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Partner with Climate Impact Partners
With more than 27 years’ experience, Climate Impact Partners is equipped with the resources and expertise to help our clients maximize their carbon programs. We work with a global portfolio of 600+ high-quality carbon projects across 60+ countries – tailored to meet your climate and sustainability goals.
Achieving net zero requires immediate action. Climate Impact Partners ensures you:
Select high-integrity projects vetted for real climate and social impact
Deliver measurable and verifiable emissions reductions
Build a robust, science-aligned carbon strategy with long-term credibility
Communicate your climate action to relevant stakeholders with clarity and confidence.
Ready to take action?
Book a meeting with our global experts and start your carbon strategy today.
“The collaborative working approach we have had with Climate Impact Partners has been key to setting up a successful program and meeting our goals. We have really appreciated being able to tap into the team’s expertise, not just on delivering carbon projects, but also on messaging communications and amplifying the impact more broadly.”
Molly Kampmann,
WorldClimate Head of Partnerships, Deloitte North & South Europe
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Why Work with an Expert Partner?
Sabah Rainforest Rehabilitation, Malaysia