how to get the
Product certification
A 3-step processes aimed at verifying compliance with Climate Neutrality Standards
STEP 1
Submit annual product emissions
SME: 1-2 weeks
Large Brands: 1-3 months
Submitting a product carbon footprint and a total amount of emissions produced by the line of product in the year are the essential first step.
The methodologies to be followed will be GHGP, ISO 14041 and ISO 14067. You can find more information in the restricted area.
Although measurement may seem complex and expensive, it is probably cheaper than you might think. In most cases, you can use free tools or seek support from less expensive services.
Indirect emissions always seem the hardest obstacle, but do not let perfection be the enemy of good. Indirect emissions always seem the hardest obstacle, but do not let perfection be the enemy of good.
We know you have to take various assumptions, but focusing first on the most important operations in your value chain will help you unpack upstream and downstream processes.
Free tools, specialized consultants, and our team can certainly help in the process.
It is not necessary to have your product carbon footprint certified. If you have a certified carbon footprint it is definitely better but let’s stick to the principle of ” Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good”.
Certifying a carbon footprint costs a lot of money and you should spend that budget on doing emission management (offsetting and reducing).
You will have the chance to improve your carbon footprint year after year.
No need, we will provide you with all the preset files to fill out. It will be easier for you to fill everything in and for us to analyze the data through our automated process and identify any missed data.
STEP 2
Offset annual emissions
SME: 1-2 weeks
Large Brands: 1-2 weeks
You must offset 100% of the emissions produced by your product during the year through the purchase of specific certificates, called “carbon credits,” that are eligible and of high quality.
To define yourself as “climate neutral,” you must purchase 1 carbon credit for every ton of CO2 produced during the past year. The carbon credits used for this step must meet specific requirements to be eligible, such as coming from registries of recognized auditing bodies.
This process is not lengthy but you must take care to purchase high-quality credits as most low-cost credits have no real positive climate impacts. It is good to seek support from our team or specialized consultants to ensure that you do not fall into greenwashing.
Each carbon credit represents 1 metric ton of CO2e removed from the planet.
Simply put, carbon credits allow you to invest money in climate change solutions. With carbon credits, we support tree planting, combat deforestation, restore ecosystems, help generate more green energy in developing countries, and develop technologies that absorb CO2 from the air.
The requirements are divided into 4 demands:
1) Credits must be certified by international bodies such as Verified Carbon Standard, Gold Standard, PlanVivo or PuroEarth.
2) Credits must be from projects located in developing countries (as defined by the IMF), with the exception of long-term carbon removal projects.
3) Credits from “avoided or reduced emissions without storage” projects must have been issued for up to 4 years, while up to 7 years in other cases.
4) Credits from “emissions avoided or reduced without storage” can offset up to 50 percent of total emissions.
No, as a certification body, Climate Standard does not sell or trade carbon credits.
However, the team can help you identify green projects that best suit your brand.
If your brand decides to purchase the credits on its own, Climate Standard can make its accounts available on the reference registries to “retire the credits,” that is, remove them from the registry and use them in this way for offsetting.
STEP 3
Pledges to reduce future emissions
SME: 1-2 weeks
Large Brands: 1-2 weeks
Planning for future emission reductions is an essential step. You must submit formal pledges to reduce future emissions.
Each Pledge (or commitment) targets a category of emissions and must indicate how many emissions will be reduced, through which strategy and within how many months (12, 24 or 36 months).
Brands with annual revenues of more than 50 million euros are also required to indicate reduction Pledges for indirectly produced emissions.
These Pledges must be concrete and reflect the steps your team is prepared to take. It may sound complex, but a good carbon footprint can highlight which categories should receive priority for action. Our team is here to help brands with advice, guidelines and templates.
Pledges (or commitments) are specific, measurable, assignable, realistic goals with a date by which they must be implemented.
An example of a SMART Pledge is: “We will switch to 100% renewable energy use within 24 months through the purchase and internal production of green energy, thereby cutting nearly 100% of the emissions associated with energy use and 30% of total emissions.”
To achieve this certification, Pledges must target the 5 product emission categories (materials, production, distribution, use, and end-of-life), as described in the certification guidelines.
For brands with annual revenue of less than 50 million, identification of at least 2 emission reduction targets in one or more of the 5 emission categories are required.
For brands with annual revenue greater than 50 million, identification of at least 1 emission reduction target in each of the 5 emission categories is required.
As an alternative to this file, the brand can upload in the private area of the platform a Science-Based Target initiative certification.
Get certified!
Apply for certification
SME: 1-2 days
Large Brands: 1-2 days
If you do not yet have the requirements, we can help you figure out how to get them and, if needed, point you to the best consultants in your area to support you in carrying out the application.
If you already have all the requirements, ask us your unique credentials and proceed with the submission of the documentation by following the steps indicated just inside the private area.
If everything is in order, our validation system will give us a “green light”, at which point one of our team will review the application and give you an answer within a few hours.
If so, with the signing of a license to use the Climate Standard mark and label, you will be able to report that you have been certified. The team will help you understand how to create maximum value through corporate communications.
In addition, you don’t have to worry about tedious and costly unplanned on-site audits. From Year 2, however, we will ask you to participate in periodic interviews to understand how your emission reduction Pledges are progressing.
Your status lasts for 1 year after the approval.
At the end of the year, the process will have to be repeated. It will be up to the brand to re-apply and adjust to any changes in certification requirements.
Max reliability for customers
We are very serious about transparency.
After validation, we create a web page dedicated to the brand’s product certified to publicise how the brand has achieved climate neutrality. You can see examples on our website.
This means maximizing transparency, reducing risks and engaging your stakeholders.
We are very serious about transparency.
After validation, Climate Standard creates a web page dedicated to the product’s brand to publicise how the brand has achieved climate neutrality. You can see examples on our website.
