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Carbon Credits FAQs

Are your carbon credits suitable for Net Zero claims?

The aim of our (and any credible) Net Zero programme is to reduce our emissions to as close to zero as possible. However, most organisations are unlikely to be able to reduce to absolute zero, so for them achieving Net Zero will involve the purchase of carbon credits to neutralise their "residual emissions" (the emissions that are left once all carbon reduction options have been exhausted).

We follow the guidelines of the Science-Based Targets Initiative, which state that Net Zero Neutralisation must be done by removing a quantity of CO2 equivalent to a company's residual emissions and locking it away in permanent storage. 

Technologies for carbon removal are under development so we keep this constantly under review. Currently our recommended approach is through the planting of trees, which absorb CO2 as they grow, via the Woodland Carbon Code.

Are your carbon credits suitable for Carbon Neutral claims?

We no longer recommend Carbon Neutrality as a desired outcome. However, if this is something you want to do, we believe our managed portfolio is the best approach. We use a combination of carbon credits and tree planting to maximise your impact.

Gold Standard Carbon Credits	Tree planting with 9 Trees CIC
Each credit represents 1 tCO2e that has been reduced or avoided by someone else. All our carbon credits are independently certified by the Gold Standard, to deliver both carbon and social benefits, and retired in a public registry to prevent double counting.	Our tree planting programme is managed by our partner 9 Trees CIC. It is carefully designed to promote native wildlife and sustainable woodlands whilst creating much needed countryside jobs.

Why do you no longer recommend Carbon Neutrality?

Carbon Neutrality is a goal that we have previously promoted, and when done well it can be beneficial to the global effort to combat climate change. So why do we no longer recommend pursuing Carbon Neutrality as a desired outcome? Our key reasons are as follows:

• Since COP26 in 2021, the “gold standard” climate commitment has increasingly become to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed for most experts this is now the only commitment that has a meaningful and credible scientific basis, so all businesses should be on a journey towards achieving it.
• There is considerable confusion between the terms "Net Zero" and "Carbon Neutral" (with many reputable organisations continuing to conflate the two terms as if they mean the same).
• The most important distinctions between the two terms are:
• 1. Net Zero requires the achievement of a deep reduction in your carbon footprint (of at least 90%) so the focus is on reducing your emissions, whereas Carbon Neutral only requires a reduction plan to be in place.
  2. Net Zero requires the inclusion of your complete carbon footprint, whereas the standards for Carbon Neutral allow you to pick and choose how much of your carbon footprint to include.
• Carbon Neutrality is intrinsically linked with the concept of "offsetting" emissions. In our view, the offsetting concept is problematic as it can inadvertently encourage a "job done" mindset that discourages businesses from striving for every possible emissions reduction. At its most extreme this mindset can view offsetting as a "licence to pollute", excusing businesses from taking any measures to reduce emissions at all.
• Whilst high quality Carbon Neutral schemes are available and many organisations making claims are honestly well-intentioned, in our view, the concept of Carbon Neutrality has been somewhat discredited by organisations and certification schemes exploiting the loop-holes above (by either enabling companies to continue growing their emissions or by excluding the vast majority of their emissions from their claims). As an example of this, the EU Commission is proposing to ban Carbon Neutral claims based on offsetting from 2026.

Members of our previous programme will have a grace period during which they can continue to attain Carbon Neutral certification (Note: Our Carbon Neutral certification requires ongoing carbon reduction and includes the complete carbon footprint).

Members of the Road to Net Zero programme are still very much encouraged to invest in carbon credits as a way to contribute to the global effort to combat climate change. However we no longer refer to these purchases as "offsetting", instead they will be recognised on your certificate as a "Contribution to wider impact" (see Certification page for details).

We acknowledge that this is a change in our position, but we think that it is more important to reflect current best practice than to hold onto an outdated method for the sake of avoiding potential embarrassment.

How will our Carbon Credits purchases be recognised?

If you are a member of the Road to Net Zero programme, any carbon credits you purchase will be recognised on your certificate as a "Contribution to wider impact" or, in the case of Woodland Carbon Code PIUs, as a "Contribution to future impact" (see Certification page for details).