Carbon Neutral Certificates: Verify Your Favorite Company is Net-Zero

Whether you’re an eco-friendly business owner or a planet-loving consumer, there’s no question that a carbon neutral certificate sounds like a pretty good thing to have. But what is a carbon credit certificate, and does carbon-neutral even mean anyway?

In order to avoid the worst possible outcomes of climate change, scientists predict that we need to limit the rise in global temperature. This means reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and becoming Carbon Neutral Now. Unfortunately, not all companies have the capacity or technology to run their own carbon negative programs. But by purchasing climate credits and offsets, all companies have an opportunity to become carbon neutral.

Key Takeaways: Saving the Planet with Carbon Neutral Certificates

• Carbon emissions are measured in tCO₂e, which is a fancy way of saying “tons of carbon”.
• Companies, individuals, and organizations can fight climate change by modifying company protocol to become more climate neutral.
• A neutral certification is a valuable marketing tool for eco-conscious companies

With Carbon Neutral Certifications, What Does It Mean to Be Carbon Neutral?

A carbon neutral company is any organization that has completely negated both its direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

According to the EPA, direct GHG emissions (or “Scope 1”) include any gas emissions that are under direct control of the company. This includes fuel combustion, like in vehicles, furnaces, boilers, and equipment. Indirect GHG emissions (or “Scope 2) are any emissions that occur from the production of that company’s energy sources, like electricity and air conditioning.

When a company is able to offset (or “balance out”) the entirety of their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, they have become certified as a neutral business.

How Does a Company Become Carbon Neutral?

Here’s the thing: It’s almost impossible for a company to offset all of its GHG emissions with in-house green initiatives. That’s why eco-conscious companies purchase carbon certificates.

Carbon certificates are market-traded commodities that represent a specific, predetermined amount of carbon pollution. When a company “retires” a carbon certificate, they are “canceling out” the same amount of CO₂ from their overall carbon footprint.

Who Certifies a Company as Carbon Neutral?

Because global governments have been slow on the uptake when it comes to carbon neutrality, it has been up to private companies and small eco-groups to manage the business of net-zero certification. Versus Carbon Neutral is a group of professional scientists, analysts, and engineers who have come together to give companies the tools they need to achieve net-zero carbon neutrality. They also provide certifications that companies can use as a marketing tool.

Carbonfund’s Carbonfree Product Certification is a similar program, designed to certify specific eco-friendly products on the basis of their net neutrality. Product certifications can then be displayed on packages and in advertising, which can be a big marketing boon for any carbon-neutral businesses. Carbonfund is also one of the larger carbon offset companies, with a large catalogue of carbon projects to support.

How to Become Carbon Neutral & the Benefits of the Carbon Neutrality Initiative

There are three steps to becoming CO₂ neutral and supporting the carbon neutrality initiative:

1. Understand & Measure: The first step in the journey toward net zero carbon is understanding how CO₂ and GHG emissions are affecting our planet. Then, using this understanding, we can measure or estimate our actual carbon footprint, so we can take steps to correct it.
2. Reduce & Offset: Companies can find big emissions reductions by optimizing supply lines, investing in new equipment, or installing green energy technology on-site. But any GHG emissions that can’t be undone by these initiatives should be covered by a carbon offset or carbon credit.
3. Share & Inspire: The task of preventing our planet from runaway greenhouse effect is a big one, and we don’t stand a chance unless everyone gets on board. If you’re an individual or company who is striving to be carbon-neutral, tell your friends, family, and customers both why and how to achieve.