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GOLDSTANDARD
OUR IMPACT
INTRODUCTION FOR PROJECT DEVELOPERS

A Higher Standard

For maximum impact, increased credibility and greater value

Maximise the impact, credibility and value of your project

This next-generation standard enables developers to design projects for maximum positive impact and quantify outcomes toward climate security and sustainable development in the most credible way. Standard requirements are tailored to your specific activity and new IT tools in development will simplify monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV). Gold Standard offers the ability to calculate the economic value created by your specific project and communicate this impact in compelling ways with dynamic data visualisation.

Why choose Gold Standard?

MAXIMUM IMPACT

 

Rigorous safeguards, stakeholder engagement, and methodologies maximise the climate and SDG impacts of your projects. For companies purchasing environmental commodities like carbon credits or RECs, this translates to more value created.

INCREASED CREDIBILITY, REDUCED COMPLEXITY

Gold Standard is developing SDG Impact Tools to standardise impact indicators and quantification approaches to allow for clear comparison of project performance. Supported by IT systems, SDG Impact Tools will minimise the burden of MRV while increasing the credibility of SDG claims.        

GREATER VALUE

Our NGO Supporter Network and strategic partnerships>> help Gold Standard remain the benchmark standard for climate and development initiatives. New impact reporting tools, including the shared value calculation and data visualisation, help differentiate your project to prospective funders. 

Why choose Gold Standard?

MAXIMUM IMPACT

 

Rigorous safeguards, stakeholder engagement, and methodologies maximise the climate and SDG impacts of your projects. For companies purchasing environmental commodities like carbon credits or RECs, this translates to more value created.

INCREASED CREDIBILITY, REDUCED COMPLEXITY

Gold Standard is developing SDG Impact Tools to standardise impact indicators and quantification approaches to allow for clear comparison of project performance. Supported by IT systems, SDG Impact Tools will minimise the burden of MRV while increasing the credibility of SDG claims.        

GREATER VALUE

Our NGO Supporter Network and strategic partnerships>> help Gold Standard remain the benchmark standard for climate and development initiatives. New impact reporting tools, including the shared value calculation and data visualisation, help differentiate your project to prospective funders. 

ARE YOU READY TO BE GOLD STANDARD?

The following principles are hallmarks of Gold Standard certified projects

1

Reduce emissions
+ deliver sustainable
development benefits

2

Conform to social,
economic and environ
mental safeguarding
principles

 

3

Include local
communities and
engage relevant
stakeholders

4

Demonstrate real
outcomes

5

Provide benefits

 

Gold Standard principles

If you've determined that your project aligns with Gold Standard principles, it's time to learn how to get certified.

ARE YOU READY TO BE GOLD STANDARD?

The following principles are hallmarks of Gold Standard certified projects

1

Reduce emissions
+ deliver sustainable
development benefits

2

Conform to social,
economic and environ
mental safeguarding
principles

 

3

Include local
communities and
engage relevant
stakeholders

4

Demonstrate real
outcomes

5

Provide benefits
beyond a “business as usual”scenario

 

Gold Standard principles

If you've determined that your project aligns with Gold Standard principles, it's time to learn how to get certified.

The certification process

The process is led by our partner SustainCERT, the official certification provider for Gold Standard for the Global Goals. It is geared to help you design your project for maximum positive impact and provide the necessary assurance that the project achieved what it intended. This includes hiring an approved third-party auditor, called a validation and verification body or VVB, who provides independent verification of your project design and project performance.

CERTIFY A PROJECT

You'll find that some steps are iterative, requesting clarifications or actions to ensure your project conforms to Gold Standard's rules. Requirements will vary depending on your activity type, scale, and objective. For example, safeguards for forestry are different from renewable energy projects. And if you wish to monetise your impacts through issuance of carbon credits, renewable energy certificates or other assets, there are requirements for demonstrating "additionality" or financial need that are not required if you simply want to credibly report on the impact delivered by your project, supply chain intervention, or fund.

The certification process

The process is led by our partner SustainCERT, the official certification provider for Gold Standard for the Global Goals. It is geared to help you design your project for maximum positive impact and provide the necessary assurance that the project achieved what it intended. This includes hiring an approved third-party auditor, called a validation and verification body or VVB, who provides independent verification of your project design and project performance.

CERTIFY A PROJECT

PLAN PROJECT AND HOLD STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION

Project Developers plan the project and carry out a stakeholder consultation on the proposed project design. 

 

PRELIMINARY REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews draft documentation and requests clarifications where required.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN APPROVAL

Approval by SustainCERT results in “GOLD STANDARD PROJECT LISTED” status, giving the project the green light to move forward.

THIRD-PARTY VALIDATION

Independent assessment conducted by an accredited validation and verification body (VVB), including a desk review and field visit.

PROJECT DESIGN REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews documentation and requests clarifications and resolutions of corrective actions where required.

DESIGN CERTIFICATION

Approval by SustainCERT results in “GOLD STANDARD DESIGN CERTIFIED” status

PROJECT MONITORING 

Project Developer monitors project according to the monitoring plan approved in project design review.

THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION 

Independent assessment conducted by an accredited validation and verification body (VVB), including a desk review and field visit.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews documentation and requests clarifications and resolutions of corrective actions where required.

PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION

Approval by SustainCERT results in “CERTIFIED GOLD STANDARD PROJECT” status and Gold Standard issuance of certified products and/or impact statements.

You'll find that some steps are iterative, requesting clarifications or actions to ensure your project conforms to Gold Standard's rules. Requirements will vary depending on your activity type, scale, and objective. For example, safeguards for forestry are different from renewable energy projects. And if you wish to monetise your impacts through issuance of carbon credits, renewable energy certificates or other assets, there are requirements for demonstrating "additionality" or financial need that are not required if you simply want to credibly report on the impact delivered by your project, supply chain intervention, or fund.

The certification process

The process is led by our partner SustainCERT, the official certification provider for Gold Standard for the Global Goals. It is geared to help you design your project for maximum positive impact and provide the necessary assurance that the project achieved what it intended. This includes hiring an approved third-party auditor, called a validation and verification body or VVB, who provides independent verification of your project design and project performance.

CERTIFY A PROJECT

PLAN PROJECT AND HOLD STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION

Project Developers plan the project and carry out a stakeholder consultation on the proposed project design. 

 

PRELIMINARY REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews draft documentation and requests clarifications where required.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN APPROVAL

Approval by SustainCERT results in “GOLD STANDARD PROJECT LISTED” status, giving the project the green light to move forward.

THIRD-PARTY VALIDATION

Independent assessment conducted by an accredited validation and verification body (VVB), including a desk review and field visit.

PROJECT DESIGN REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews documentation and requests clarifications and resolutions of corrective actions where required.

DESIGN CERTIFICATION

Approval by SustainCERT results in “GOLD STANDARD DESIGN CERTIFIED” status

PROJECT MONITORING 

Project Developer monitors project according to the monitoring plan approved in project design review.

THIRD-PARTY VERIFICATION 

Independent assessment conducted by an accredited validation and verification body (VVB), including a desk review and field visit.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW BY SUSTAINCERT

SustainCERT reviews documentation and requests clarifications and resolutions of corrective actions where required.

PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATION

Approval by SustainCERT results in “CERTIFIED GOLD STANDARD PROJECT” status and Gold Standard issuance of certified products and/or impact statements.

You'll find that some steps are iterative, requesting clarifications or actions to ensure your project conforms to Gold Standard's rules. Requirements will vary depending on your activity type, scale, and objective. For example, safeguards for forestry are different from renewable energy projects. And if you wish to monetise your impacts through issuance of carbon credits, renewable energy certificates or other assets, there are requirements for demonstrating "additionality" or financial need that are not required if you simply want to credibly report on the impact delivered by your project, supply chain intervention, or fund.

The certification process

The process is led by our partner SustainCERT, the official certification provider for Gold Standard for the Global Goals. It is geared to help you design your project for maximum positive impact and provide the necessary assurance that the project achieved what it intended. This includes hiring an approved third-party auditor, called a validation and verification body or VVB, who provides independent verification of your project design and project performance.

You'll find that some steps are iterative, requesting clarifications or actions to ensure your project conforms to Gold Standard's rules. Requirements will vary depending on your activity type, scale, and objective. For example, safeguards for forestry are different from renewable energy projects. And if you wish to monetise your impacts through issuance of carbon credits, renewable energy certificates or other assets, there are requirements for demonstrating "additionality" or financial need that are not required if you simply want to credibly report on the impact delivered by your project, supply chain intervention, or fund.

Costs of certification

The final costs for project implementation and certification vary according to project type, scale, and complexity. Fees paid to Gold Standard include an issuance fee on products (environmental assets like carbon credits or water benefit certificates) plus a flat fee for tracking on our public registry.

Additional costs come from project implementation, third-party reviews from validation and verification bodies (VVBs), which differ depending on project design and which VVB you choose, and certification review fees paid to SustainCERT, the official certification provider for Gold Standard for the Global Goals.

Estimate certification fees

You can calculate anticipated fees for project certification using this fee calculator. Note, these are estimates only and will vary depending on final project design, scale and complexity. 

 

FEES LISTING

registry fees
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
All, VVB Annual Registry Account Fee $1,000 per account
All, VVB Account Reactivation Fee $2,500 per suspension

 

Certification Review Fees
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
Microscale CarbonPreliminary Review$500 per project
LUF CarbonPreliminary Review$3,500 per project
All otherPreliminary Review$900 per project
VER CarbonProject Design Review$0.15 per credit minus Preliminary Review Fee
GS CER CarbonProject Design Review$0.05 per credit minus Preliminary Review Fee
Renewable Energy LabelsProject Design Review$1,500 per project
ADALYs, Black CarbonProject Design Review$4,500 per project
Microscale CarbonPerformance Review$650 per project
LUF CarbonPerformance Review$1,500 per project
ADALYs, Black CarbonPerformance Review$4,500 per project
All otherPerformance Review$1,000 per project

 

Fees for First Year of Issuance
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
Carbon Gold Standard VER (Cash Fee and SOP) $0.15 per credit minus Performance Review fee paid
Carbon Gold Standard CERs (Cash Fee and SOP) $0.05 per credit minus Performance Review Fee
ADALYs --- To be determined
RECs --- $0.10 per certificate
LUF Carbon --- $0.30 per certificate

 

Subsequent Issuances
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
Carbon Gold Standard VER Cash Fee Structure $0.30 per credit minus Performance Review fee paid
Carbon Gold Standard CER Cash Fee Structure $0.10 per credit minus Performance Review fee paid
Carbon Gold Standard VER SOP Fee Structure $0.10 per credit + 2% of issuance minus Performance Review fee paid
Carbon Gold Standard CER SOP Fee Structure $0.02 per credit plus 1.5% of issuance minus Performance Review fee paid
ADALYs --- To be determined
RECs --- $0.10 per certificate
LUF Carbon --- $0.30 per certificate

 

Microscale Validation and Verification Fund Fees (Standalone & Programme)
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
CarbonStandalone - Validation Fee$5,000 per project
CarbonStandalone - Annual Verification Fee$2,500 per project per year
CarbonProgramme - Validation$20,000 per programme
CarbonProgramme - 1st VPA Validation Fee$2,500
CarbonProgramme - Inclusion/Validation Fee$2,500 per additional VPA
CarbonProgramme – Annual Verification Fee$1,500 per VPA

 

Other Services
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
CarbonAdditional Rounds of Review$50 per hour
CarbonCrediting Renewal Period Fee$0.15 per credit (annual average)
CarbonDesign Change FeeThe greater of $500 or $0.10 per credit, plus any applicable issuance fee
CarbonExpedited Review Fee$2,500
CarbonMethodology Approval FeePlease contact Gold Standard
LUF CarbonSoil Review Fee$500

 

Conversion Fees
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
Carbon Gold Standard CER to Gold Standard VER Dependent upon any required certification reviews (please contact Gold Standard)
Renewable Energy Labels (for RECs)  Gold Standard VER/CER to Renewable Energy Label $750 per project

 

VVB Accreditation Fees
Project Types/Party Fee Type Fee
VVBApplication review fee(valid for 36 months)$2,500 per entity/1 scope$4,600 per entity/2 scopes
VVBApplication renewal fee(every 36 months)$1,500 per entity
VVBAnnual accreditation fee(covers 5 auditors)$1,500/1 scope$2,800/2 scopes
VVBAnnual fee per additional lead auditor$500 per person/1 scope
VVBFee per additional training$500 per person

 

Standard requirements and other documents

Gold Standard for the Global Goals documents are grouped by scope and purpose, and are customised to what your project aims to achieve.

 

1
Principles and Requirements

Applicable to all projects

2 3
Activity Requirements

Specific to project type and context (eg, community based or urban)

3 4 6 2 1 2 2 2 8 8 4 6 6 6 6 3
SDG Impact Methodologies

Specific to project and technology type and desired relevant SDG impact

Product Requirements

Specific to assets issued (eg, carbon credits or renewable energy labels)

Product Requirements

Specific to assets issued (eg, carbon credits or renewable energy labels)

1
Product Requirements

Specific to assets issued (eg, carbon credits or renewable energy labels)

2 3