Introduction
The CarbonNeutral Protocol Purpose Principles Structure Development of The CarbonNeutral Protocol Other standards About Climate Impact Partners Acknowledgements Legal Awards
Core Requirements
Step 1: Define Step 2: Measure Step 3: Target Step 4: Reduce Step 5: Communicate
Technical Specifications and Guidance
Step 1: Define
1.1 Required GHG Emissions Sources 1.2 Certification specific requirements 1.3 Corporate value chain (Scope 3) accounting and reporting 1.4 Product-type certifications 1.5 Treatment of assets rented or leased to customers of CarbonNeutral® entities
Step 2: Measure
2.1 GHG Emissions quantification requirements 2.2 GHG Emissions Assessments 2.3 Quality assurance and verification 2.4 Energy use (gas and electricity) 2.5 Aviation 2.6 Materials consumption and waste 2.7 How to report GHG emissions from carbon neutral services within a corporate GHG inventory 2.8 Using environmental product declarations (EPDs) for CarbonNeutral® products
Step 3: Target
3.1 Approved emission reduction strategies and/or targets 3.2 Target and Reduce Form 3.3 Setting internal reduction targets 3.4 Net zero targets 3.5 Climate (or carbon, or net) positive
Step 4: Reduce
4.1 Approved Environmental Instrument Standards 4.2 Recognised non-carbon accounting standards 4.3 Evaluating internal GHG reductions 4.4 Elaboration on additionality and baselines 4.5 The use of carbon credits generated by projects which avoid, reduce and remove GHGs 4.6 Insetting 4.7 Excluded emission reduction project types 4.8 Corresponding Adjustments (CAs)
Step 5: Communicate
5.1 Use of the CarbonNeutral Certification logo 5.2 Communicating CarbonNeutral certification 5.3 Communicating 100% Renewable Electricity 5.4 Recommended disclosures and communication
Glossary of Terms
Reference Material
Attestation forms Cross-compliance Tables
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The CarbonNeutral Protocol Index

Since the Protocol was first published in 2002, Climate Impact Partners has worked with clients of all sizes and across all sectors to advise and support them on best practice for communications of carbon neutrality. In addition to ensuring accuracy of claims, we encourage clients to ensure compliance with any regulations regarding marketing claims, and to make full use of The CarbonNeutral Certification Logo Guidelines and support we provide to leverage and amplify their climate action in communications to stakeholders.

Upon successful completion of a CarbonNeutral certification, clients are licenced and encouraged to make use of the appropriate CarbonNeutral logo in their communications.

The logo is designed to enable companies with a CarbonNeutral certification to make a clear, transparent statement about their achievement. The accuracy and transparency of claims is important to protect and enhance the reputation of the certified business. Displaying the CarbonNeutral certification logo clearly demonstrates that a business has set and met a target for carbon neutrality. Such action is used to show leadership, differentiate from competitors, meet customer demand and engage stakeholders.

Logos are available for a variety of certifications including CarbonNeutral company, product, business travel, event, fleet, data centres and more, and in various languages upon request. Certification types are detailed in Table 2.

The CarbonNeutral Certification Logo Guidelines, which are sent to a client upon successful certification, govern the application of certification logos, providing clarity on how and where logos can be used as well as the statements that a certified company can make.

Key requirements:

  • To ensure no ambiguity about which company has achieved CarbonNeutral® certification, the certification logo can only be used by the licensee in their own communications and not those of their customers
  • The logo must match the certification achieved
  • Products or packaging may only carry a logo from CarbonNeutral product-class certifications. Certification types in the product-class are detailed in Table 2
  • As part of our quality assurance programme and to ensure consistent and accurate use of CarbonNeutral certification by all clients, all usage of the CarbonNeutral certification logo needs to be approved along with any written comments relating to a company’s CarbonNeutral claim or referring to Climate Impact Partners
  • The certification logo must not be edited or copied. If the certification logo is edited or changed in any way it will be invalid
  • If a certification logo is not used in accordance with these guidelines, Climate Impact Partners has the right to withdraw the logo licence and request the removal of the CarbonNeutral logo
  • Entities must be aware that there are regulations governing marketing claims relating to environmental actions and third- party certifications in countries (for example, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides and the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency or DEFRA’s Green Claims Guidance) and it is the responsibility of entities to ensure that their marketing and communications – including those relating to CarbonNeutral certification – are compliant with those regulations.

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