CARBON CREDIT

From voluntary choice to strategic necessity

Accelerating regulations, supply chains demanding data, banks evaluating ESG profiles. Certified carbon credits transform a declared commitment into verifiable documentation.

What are carbon credits

A carbon credit represents the verified removal or reduction of one tonne of CO₂ equivalent from the atmosphere. It is issued by projects certified according to internationally recognized standards (VCS, Gold Standard, ICVCM) and registered on publicly traceable registries.

Companies purchase credits to offset residual emissions they cannot eliminate in the short term. The credit is then permanently "retired" in the name of the purchasing company, preventing its reuse.

The standards we use

VCS (Verra)

The most widely used standard globally. Verra manages the Verified Carbon Standard and the public registry where all issued and retired credits are tracked.

Gold Standard

Standard recognized for projects with social and environmental co-benefits. Particularly used for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

CCP-labelled ICVCM

The highest integrity standard currently available. CCP-labelled credits comply with the Core Carbon Principles of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market.

Why not all credits are equal

In the voluntary market, credit quality varies significantly. Helvetic Impact evaluates each credit according to rigorous criteria: certification standard (VCS, Gold Standard, CCP), additionality, permanence, documented co-benefits and issuance date. Selection is always calibrated to the client's specific objectives.

Additionality

Emission reductions must be demonstrated as additional to what would have happened without project financing. This is the most important criterion for credit integrity.

Permanence

Reductions must be lasting over time. Forestry projects include buffer pool reserves to cover potential losses from fires or extreme weather events.

Verifiability

Every tonne must be measurable and verified by accredited third parties (VVB). Results are public and consultable on international registries.

Co-benefits (SDGs)

Quality credits document the project's collateral benefits: biodiversity, local community development, energy access, gender equality. Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Project types

Carbon credits are generated by very different projects — by geography, technology and type of climate impact. We work with three macro-categories, each with specific characteristics in terms of cost, permanence and co-benefits.

Nature-based

Projects that leverage natural ecosystems to reduce or remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Among the most widespread in the voluntary market, with strong impact on biodiversity and local communities.

Reforestation and afforestation

Reforestation on degraded or abandoned land. Generate removal-type credits — active removal of CO₂ already present in the atmosphere.

REDD+ (forest protection)

Projects that prevent deforestation of tropical forests. High impact on biodiversity and local communities. Predominantly VCS certified.

Regenerative agriculture

Agricultural practices that restore soil fertility and increase carbon sequestration. Growing rapidly due to corporate demand linked to supply chain.

Blue Carbon

Protection and restoration of mangroves, seagrass meadows and coastal areas. Among the most efficient ecosystems in carbon absorption.

Energy

Projects that reduce emissions by replacing fossil sources or capturing climate-altering gases before they reach the atmosphere.

Renewable energy

Solar, wind or hydroelectric installations in developing countries replacing fossil sources. Often Gold Standard certified for documented social co-benefits.

Energy efficiency

Projects reducing energy consumption in industrial processes, buildings or distribution systems. Also include replacement of high climate impact refrigerants (HFC, SF6).

Landfill methane

Capture of methane produced by landfills or livestock for energy production. Methane has 80 times the climate-altering power of CO₂.

Technological

Technologies for direct carbon removal from the atmosphere or soil. Very high permanence, generally higher costs compared to nature-based credits. Rapidly developing and growing demand from institutional buyers with ambitious net-zero targets.

Biochar

Carbonization of plant biomass that traps carbon in soil for centuries. Contained costs compared to other CDR technologies, co-benefits for soil fertility.

Direct Air Capture (DAC)

Machines that capture CO₂ directly from air and store it geologically in permanent form. Maximum integrity and permanence — example: Climeworks plants in Iceland.

Enhanced Weathering

Acceleration of natural geological processes that absorb CO₂ through mineralization of silicate rocks in agricultural soil.

CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage)

Capture of CO₂ from high-concentration industrial processes (cement, steel, chemicals) and permanent geological storage. Mature technology with strong regulatory support in Europe and North America.

How retirement works

Retirement is the official act by which a credit is permanently removed from the market and associated with the purchasing company. It cannot be reused or resold.

Analysis of residual emissions

We calculate emissions that cannot be eliminated in the short term — the portion to offset with carbon credits.

Project selection

We identify the most suitable credits for the client's objectives: standard, type, geographic area, co-benefits, price range.

Purchase and official retirement

We proceed with certified retirement on the international registry (Verra or Gold Standard) in the client's name.

Nominative certificate

The client receives the official retirement certificate with their name, serial number of retired credits, project and date. Document publicly verifiable by anyone.

The retirement certificate

Every retirement produces an official nominative certificate issued directly by the international registry (Verra or Gold Standard). The certificate shows the company name, number and type of retired credits, specific project, date and unique serial number.

Anyone — a customer, bank, auditor, authority — can independently verify on Verra Registry or Gold Standard Registry that the retirement occurred and that the credits were not used twice.

This level of transparency is the basis of any credible and defensible environmental communication under European green claim regulations (EmpCo Directive).

Want to understand where to start?

Request a consultation