Climate Impact Certification Standard

Toitū's purpose is to help organisations shift their impact on the climate and environment from negative to positive, at pace.

Toitū certification legitimises climate performance claims with a high degree of certainty against the applicable legal, regulatory and reputational frameworks, including independent certification in accordance with ISO 14064-1 and alignment with the GHG Protocol.

Organisations that achieve a Toitū Carbon Reduce, Net Carbon Zero or Climate Positive certification are able to make evidence-based claims that they are climate leaders on the road to net zero, and are aligned with local and global lead practice for their achievements and commitments.

The Toitū Climate Impact Certification Programme endorses organisations to:

Quantify your impact on the climate

Plan your science-aligned reduction pathway

Transition your operations to our changing world

Depending on the earned carbon mark, organisations may also be endorsed to:

Engage and collaborate across the value chain, sector and communities

Optionally offset your impacts during the transition

Ensure an overall positive impact with climate positive

Toitū Carbon Reduce certification focuses on reducing your impacts over time using targets and strategies in line with climate-science and lead practice.

Toitū Net Carbon Zero certification means reducing your impacts and we facilitate offsetting your remaining emissions through quality carbon credits to achieve a zero net emissions balance during the transition.

Toitū Climate Positive certification goes above and beyond to make a positive impact on society, on top of taking meaningful science-led action to decarbonise.

Our framework can be used for organisations, or you can also certify products, services, and more. Please contact Toitū if you would like to explore more.

Our programme enables organisations to:

• assess greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions and climate impacts for their organisation
• develop and carry out transition plans
• optionally offset impacts
• gain Toitū certification under one of the Toitū carbon marks

Once you register for the Programme, you’ll set up the project team and establish a structure and systems to govern climate action, as well as clearly defining boundaries and responsibilities.

From there, you will quantify all greenhouse gas emissions, assess risks and opportunities, set reduction targets, and develop plans to manage climate impacts in readiness for independent audit and assurance, including preparing an Inventory Management Report.

The audit results in assurance that a participant’s climate performance commitments and achievements are robust and reported in a consistent manner.

Certification is issued in three-year cycles, but subject to successful completion of annual maintenance audits. Participants are expected to show continual improvement over each certification cycle.

We provide impartial, independent, and transparent assurance and certification services. We will allow access to the Programme in a flexible, practical, and non-discriminatory manner.

We reserve the right to refuse certification to Participants where there is evidence that the organisation is not committed to proactive emissions reductions, or where the certification claim could damage the credibility and integrity of the Programme.

If you disagree with a certification decision, we will acknowledge and investigate your concerns. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right of appeal to the Programme and to the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ).

Find out more about our independence, impartiality and integrity.

Commitment

Taking action to understand and achieve science-based climate performance.

Continuous improvement

Aiming to meet or exceed relevant industry and international lead practice.

Assurance

Undergoing an assurance engagement by a qualified and independent assurance practitioner.

Disclosure

Disclosing sufficient and appropriate GHG-related information for stakeholders to understand the claims made.

Authenticity

Avoiding greenwash accusations with genuine claims based on specific and substantiated achievements and commitments

• Auditable and comparable, with clear criteria for success.
• Aligned with relevant international standards, industry best practice, and other frameworks.
• Accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JASANZ) against a range of GHG standards.
• Provided in accordance with the ICROA Code of Best Practice. We are members of the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and accredited by the International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Accreditation (ICROA).
• The Programme Rules and supporting materials will be reviewed regularly and updated where applicable. Updates typically have a transition period of two years for significant changes.