Gold Standard

Applications of the Standard

Robust Design, Versatile Application

Gold Standard for the Global Goals is comprised of numerous methodologies, guidelines, requirements and rules, used to measure and report on the positive impact of climate and development initiatives, to ultimately receive Gold Standard Certification. With the fundamental goal of directing sustainable finance to where it is most needed, our innovative impact standard - as robust as it is versatile - brings market leading tools to support both climate action project developers and impact investment funds.

Mitigation Project Development

The standard supports the development of high-impact sustainable development projects that can be supported through financial mechanisms, such as the carbon market. With a holistic yet robust offering, the standard increases credibility whilst reducing complexity, allowing projects to easily identify impacts and effectively drive finance where it is needed.

Application of the Standard Scheme

Benefits of applying Gold Standard for the Global Goals

  • Scale climate action with integrity: Aligned with the Paris Agreement, the Standard ensures markets mechanism are positioned to scale with integrity, mobilising finance for much-needed, high-impact climate action while minimising the risk of inadvertently undermining ambition.  
  • Ensure impacts are maximised: Rigorous safeguards, stakeholder engagement, and global methodologies maximise climate and SDG contributions - ensuring the greatest impact delivered for every dollar invested.
  • Verified impacts for credible claims: Certification against the Standard assures the impact data with accurate monitoring, rigorous data collection, third-party verification, and transparency throughout the process.
  • De-risk investments: Activities must follow best practice design, manage environmental and social risks, engage local communities and deliver multiple development benefits – all verified by an independent third party - giving funders confidence that investments are accomplishing as much as possible, while proactively addressing and managing any project risks.
  • Reduced complexity: Simple, intuitive tools, minimise the burden of measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) while ensuring claims are credible. Standardised impact indicators and quantification approaches allow for clear comparison of project performance and to track progress to climate targets + 2030 Agenda.

Visit the Project Developer pages for more information.

Project Developers

Impact Fund and Portfolio Design

The standard enables investors to measure, report, and verify (MRV) climate and sustainable development impact at a fund and portfolio level using our pilot portfolio requirements. The management system enables consistent evaluation measures that ensure claims are credible and generate quantifiable social and environmental impacts alongside financial returns.

Benefits of applying Gold Standard for the Global Goals

  • Maximise sustainable development impact alongside financial returns
  • Claim best in class practices – today and as expectations evolve
  • Stay ahead of regulation by being a thought leader and therefore manage environmental regulatory risks
  • Avoid greenwashing and make robust and credible claims of progress towards impact targets

Please visit the Investor pages for more information.

INvestors

Adaptation Project Development

Losses due to climate-related events and stresses are increasing, with those in low-income countries being particularly vulnerable. Gold Standard's Pilot Adaptation Framework, developed in partnership with Resilient Cities Catalyst (RCC), offers a comprehensive roadmap for project developers to design and implement projects while proactively addressing future climate risks and minimising losses.

Benefits of applying Gold Standard for the Global Goals

  • Align with global best practice to define and monitor quantifiable harms and attribute loss reduction strategies to specific adaptation investments.  
  • Leverage stakeholder engagement to develop high-quality local adaptation and resilience projects that are investment ready.
  • Accelerate the transformation of adaptation plans into a pipeline of high-quality adaptation projects

Please visit the Investor pages for more information.

INvestors

Verified and Credible Positive Impact

Any initiative certified under Gold Standard for the Global Goals is assured to have made meaningful, verified contributions to a more climate-secure and sustainable world. This creditability creates meaningful trust with current and potential supporters and investors of such initiatives.

Gold Standard for the Global Goals meets the varying needs of many actors wanting to contribute towards climate security and sustainable development.  

Project Developers – Best-in-class methodologies and requirements enable project developers to quantify, certify and maximise the positive impact created by their climate and sustainable development initiatives, producing credible impact claims and/or carbon credits, which in turn can be monetised to finance the project.  

Investors – The Impact Portfolio Requirements (pilot) under the standard enable the certification of investment funds, increasing credibility of claims for impact reporting, unlocking and attracting finance for climate and sustainable development investments.

Governments –  Support in delivering and enabling national climate objectives, to certify climate impacts under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Companies – Purchasing high-quality carbon credits created by Gold Standard-certified projects brings security of knowing the climate initiatives they contribute towards are of high integrity and credibility.

Individuals – Gold Standard-certified carbon credits offer individuals the chance to support initiatives that reduce Greenhouse gas emissions and positively impact real lives through sustainable development co-benefits.

Next Certification Process

Gold Standard Newsletter Subscription

Stay updated on our latest news and more.