UPDATED 12 March 2024

We are all about impact

Gold Standard’s mission is to accelerate progress toward climate security and sustainable development for all by catalysing finance and maximising its impact. Since our founding by WWF and other international NGOs in 2003, we have demonstrated how taking action to eliminate climate pollution can also catalyse clean energy access, thriving natural ecosystems, better health, gender equality, and economic opportunity for communities the world over.

It starts with raising ambition. We advocate for ambitious strategies for governments, companies and investors aligned with global Net Zero and the Sustainable Development Goals.

 

See Ensuring safeguards and assessing sustainable development impacts in the voluntary carbon market, Oeko-Institut e.V report, March 2022, page 15 We develop the tools to assure impact. Our standard allows projects, funds, and other impact investments to manage, measure and maximise their impact toward climate mitigation, adaptation, and across the Sustainable Development Goals. Gold Standard for the Global Goals and its wide range of methodologies are independently recognised as the highest integrity for activities as varied as clean cooking, safe water access, nature based solutions, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

 

We support users of our standard through capacity development. We appreciate that following leading practices can require resources, user-friendly tools, guidance and training. This is why we are increasingly investing in capacity development efforts that help ensure equitable access to carbon markets and impact finance.

 

We operate with excellence. We are backed by a broad NGO network and the only climate-focused standard to reach ISEAL code compliance for good governance of standard setting, assurance and oversight. We are committed to continuously improve our standard and how we support our stakeholders.

OUR VISION

Climate security and sustainable development for all.

OUR MISSION

To catalyse ambitious climate action to achieve the Global Goals through robust standards and verified impacts.

 Strategic objectives

Our Values

Strategy renewal

After 20 years in operation Gold Standard’s ambition continues to grow. To be more responsive to the global urgency of climate change and sustainable Development, we are currently undertaking a review of our strategy.

By setting our strategic direction and vision to 2030, we will enable our work to recognise and respond to changes in the environment in which we operate. With this new strategy we aim to strengthen Gold Standards global influence in encouraging highest integrity and maximized sustainable development impact. Gold Standard will continue to expand its activities to set the best practices and develop capacity for corporates, investors and governments to manage, measure and maximise their impact.

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Value created by certified projects

See how is a Shared value calculated Independent reports evaluated the economic value delivered by the sustainable development contributions of a variety of Gold Standard-certified projects. The dollar values below indicate the average value created for each carbon credit issued by project type.

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