NatWest Group has begun piloting carbon removal credit purchases as part of an effort to broaden its climate strategy, acquiring 500 Carbon Dioxide Removal Certificates, or CORCs, from Scottish climate technology firm The Carbon Removers.
The pilot purchase, executed under Puro.earth’s Carbonated Materials methodology, represents an early test by a major bank of durable, verifiable carbon removal in its sustainability portfolio.
CORCs are generated by capturing and safely storing biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2)—carbon absorbed by plants that is then permanently locked into building materials—a process verified by the Puro.earth registry to meet criteria for permanence, additionality and transparency.
The experiment is intended to explore how long-term carbon removal can fit into NatWest’s net-zero offsetting approach and to help foster a market for high-integrity removal credits.
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The move reflects growing corporate interest in credits that represent actual extraction and storage of atmospheric carbon, rather than avoidance or reduction alone.
According to Milap Mishra, NatWest’s climate solutions lead, the CORCs offer a promising and scalable approach to capturing industrial and commercial carbon emissions and binding them with incinerator waste to form stable carbonated materials.
Sanjay Parekh, chief commercial officer at The Carbon Removers, added that the collaboration demonstrates how responsible organizations can help advance carbon removal markets.
In early 2026, the Scottish firm plans to launch a large-scale storage facility in the Danish North Sea capable of permanently sequestering 50,000 metric tons annually.
NatWest’s pilot arrives amid rising global demand for durable removal solutions as corporations seek credible pathways to meet net-zero commitments.
Demand for such high-integrity instruments is expected to grow alongside broader voluntary and compliance market development.
Read more: Massive Investments Needed To Scale Carbon Removal: AlliedOffsets Report
