Become a Seller of Green-e Climate Certified Carbon Offsets
Green-e® Climate is a certification program for carbon offsets sold to voluntary buyers. Whether carbon offsets are sold standalone or with fuels like natural gas, Green-e® Climate certification ensures no double selling occurs and the customer knows what they are buying.
Utilities, competitive energy suppliers, and other retail sellers can develop and certify carbon offset programs with Green-e® Climate:
- Carbon offsets for residential consumers. Offer consumers high-quality carbon offsets to reduce carbon emissions associated with driving, home energy use, and other activities.
- Carbon Offsets for corporate sustainability commitments. Provide corporations with a credible way to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and establish environmental leadership.
- Carbon Offsets for natural gas & fuel use. Sell carbon offsets bundled with natural gas or other fuels as a simple, effective way to offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with fuel consumption.
- Carbon Offsets for green building standards. Help buildings meet green building certification standards like Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) and the International Living Future Institute's Living Building Challenge.
To Apply
To apply for Green-e® Climate certification, applicants must complete the following requirements. All program documents are available at Green-e Climate Documents.
- Review the Green-e® Climate Governing Documents and contact Green-e® Staff. Sellers should read the Green-e® Climate Code of Conduct and the Green-e® Climate Standard. Governing documents include requirements for carbon offset supply, sales, and customer disclosure.
- Complete program application process. Submit Green-e® Climate Certification and Logo Use Agreement, Appendix A: Green-e® Climate Certification Application, and develop disclosure materials. Third-party distributors complete the Green-e® Climate Third-Party Agreement.
- Submit Fees. See Green-e® Climate Fees to determine applicable fees.
Sellers of Green-e® Climate certified offsets are subject to ongoing monitoring and annual verification audit, annual marketing compliance review, continuous adherence to the Green-e® Climate Code of Conduct, and payment of annual certification fees.
If you have any questions, or to submit an application, please contact us. You can find the appropriate Green-e® representative for your location at Green-e® Staff.
Third-Party Distributors
A Third-party distributor is a company that sells Green-e® Climate certified offsets on behalf of a participating Seller. Third-party distributors cannot take ownership of the carbon offsets and must meet the stipulations of the Green-e® Climate Code of Conduct.
Annual Certification Procedures
Green-e® Climate Certification consists of two main elements, the annual Verification Audit and the twice-yearly Marketing Compliance Review.
Verification Audit
The Verification Audit requires providers of Green-e® Climate certified carbon offsets to complete an annual verification audit of their carbon offset supply and sales using an independent auditor. The Verification Audit confirms that 1) the Green-e® Climate participant purchased enough carbon offsets in terms of quantity and type to meet annual sales, 2) the carbon offsets were generated from a project verified by an Endorsed Program, 3) the information provided to customers was accurate, and 4) the carbon offsets are exclusively owned by the buyer and were not double sold. Verification submissions are due on the first business day of June.
Marketing Compliance Review
The yearly Marketing Compliance Review (MCR) is conducted by Green-e® staff, and ensures that participants are abiding by program rules, especially those outlined in the Green-e® Climate Code of Conduct. During this review, Green-e® staff ensures that participants are not making false or misleading statements about their carbon offset product and that they have made content, pricing, and contract disclosure to customers in a standardized format. MCR occurs in Autumn.