The Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity Initiative (VCMI), a leading climate action organization, has taken a significant step forward in its mission to promote credible climate-conscious efforts by introducing the Early Adopters Program (EAP).
The program, launched on November 8, 2023, aims to facilitate the integration of VCMI’s Claims Code of Practice (Claims Code), a rulebook for credible voluntary carbon credits, among corporate clients looking to address their CO2 footprint.
The Claims Code serves as a critical tool in bringing integrity to the demand side of voluntary carbon markets, offering companies a set of clear directions for the reliable, voluntary use of carbon credits and associated claims on the pathway to net-zero.
Relevant: VCMI Launches Claims Code For Verifiable Use Of Voluntary Carbon Markets
The Early Adopters Program aims to assist organizations in understanding and implementing the Claims Code, ultimately allowing them to confidently and accurately communicate their procedures for climate action.
By extending this kind of support to corporate climate leaders, the initiative has already attracted companies such as Bain & Company, BCG, Better Drinks, Natura, and Sendle as its first members.
As part of the Early Adopters program, VCMI is collaborating closely with these companies to provide hands-on assistance on understanding the Claims Code requirements, facilitating peer-to-peer exchange and knowledge sharing, and offering tools and materials to aid communications about climate action claims.
This assistance push also provides corporate participants with the opportunity to receive additional guidance as they navigate the complexities of the voluntary carbon markets.
The additional help resource, named the MRA Framework, will offer participants a structured approach to monitoring and reporting on their corporate sustainability projects, as well as providing assurance on the accuracy and reliability of their data.
The program, scheduled to run from October to December 2023, is part of VCMI’s continuous efforts to engage with the market and gather feedback. While not all participating companies may make a claim at the end of the process, the organization will still utilize their input in shaping the Claims Code and recognizing its pivotal role in advancing climate action.
Read more: ICVCM and VCMI Partner To Operationalize High-Integrity Carbon Market
