1. Calculation
Establish your baseline by calculating your organisational, product, or service carbon footprint within defined boundaries.
- Organisation: Scope 1 & 2 CO₂eq + non-attributable Scope 3 CO₂eq.
- Product: Attributable Scope 3 CO₂eq + proportional Scope 1 & 2 CO₂eq.
- Service: Determined via intake.
For products, this includes a Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) or Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Ensure permitted calculation methods and approved data sources are used.
(Ref: Standard, Criteria 2 & 3, p.15–22)
2. Reduction
Set an Annual Reduction Target based on your baseline footprint:
- Organisations: 55% reduction by 2030,
- Products: 25% reduction by 2030,
- Services: Target confirmed at intake.
Develop a quantified Internal GHG Reduction Plan, specifying activities across short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. Tools include:
- Defining measures (e.g. renewable energy, sustainable mobility, energy efficiency),
- Assigning planning, budgets, ownership, and expected CO₂eq savings,
- Using templates such as the Reduction Calculation Tool, Reduction Plan Template, and Sector Benchmark.
(Ref: Standard, Criteria 4.1–4.4, p.22–23)
3. Offsetting
Compensate for remaining emissions with high-quality carbon credits. Over time, reliance on offsetting should decrease as reductions take effect.
Projects must comply with standards endorsed by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), such as Gold Standard, VCS, PURO, or ACR.
Consider:
- SDGs your organisation wishes to support,
- Regions within your supply chain,
- Projects that deliver climate, nature, and social benefits.
For product certification, the Standard allows insetting – investing in reduction or removal projects within your own supply chain, such as regenerative agriculture or carbon farming.
(Ref: Standard, Criterion 4.5, p.24)
4. Certification
Embed the Standard within your organisational strategy, supported by leadership and secured through governance systems (e.g. a Climate Policy Document and a Quality Management System).
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- Conduct a pre-assessment or use the self-assessment checklist to confirm readiness.
- Request quotes from accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) and schedule the Verification Audit.
- Deliver all required documentation ahead of time.
Audits are carried out annually (mix of on-site and desk reviews). In exceptional cases – such as a very small footprint or outstanding decarbonisation performance – audit frequency may be reduced.
5. Communicate
After a positive audit outcome, you are authorised to use the Climate Activator Certified label and make on-pack and off-pack claims in line with the Trademark and Claims Policy.
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- Claims must be transparent, credible, and approved before the Verification Audit.
- For on-pack claims, approval is required before packaging goes to production.
- Post-certification, your organisation will be listed on the Climate Activator website.
- After year one, you will report progress using a simple annual disclosure template.
This transparency ensures compliance with regulations such as the EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive and builds trust with your stakeholders.
