Security through certification
Verifiable compensation
through high-quality certification
Carbon offsetting through reforestation is one of the most important contributions to climate protection. It is essential for a transparent and high-quality offsetting process that the climate protection effects of reforestation are certified and regularly monitored according to strict guidelines.
As a pioneer for forest climate protection projects and provider of carbon offset solutions through reforestation, BaumInvest attaches great importance to high-quality certification. For many years, our reforestation projects have therefore been certified according to the renowned Gold Standard for the Global Goals.
With strict guidelines, the Gold Standard ensures that projects not only reduce carbon, but also have a positive social and environmental impact on the ground. This demand for transparency, quality and integrity has made it a benchmark in climate protection and development work.
Verifiable compensation
through high-quality certification
Carbon offsetting through reforestation is one of the most important contributions to climate protection. It is essential for a transparent and high-quality offsetting process that the climate protection effects of reforestation are certified and regularly monitored according to strict guidelines.
As a pioneer for forest climate protection projects and provider of carbon offset solutions through reforestation, BaumInvest attaches great importance to high-quality certification. For many years, our reforestation projects have therefore been certified according to the renowned Gold Standard for the Global Goals.
With strict guidelines, the Gold Standard ensures that projects not only reduce carbon, but also have a positive social and environmental impact on the ground. This demand for transparency, quality and integrity has made it a benchmark in climate protection and development work.
What is the Gold Standard?
The Gold Standard was launched in 2003 by the WWF and other international NGOs and has since established itself as one of the most important certification systems for climate protection projects and high-quality carbon credits (CO2 certificates).
Originally focussing on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, the Gold Standard has continued to evolve over time.
Since 2013, its certification spectrum has also included land use activities and nature-based solutions, such as reforestation projects and climate-friendly agriculture. With its stringent requirements, the Gold Standard sets the highest standards to ensure that carbon reduction projects maximise environmental performance while contributing to sustainable development.
Gold Standard – Advantages
The Gold Standard is characterised by the fact that it is supported and critically monitored by over 80 NGOs (non-governmental organisations) worldwide. The integrity and credibility of this standard and the products and impacts certified in accordance with it are of paramount importance.
In addition, the Gold Standard has always attached great importance to the fact that the certified climate protection projects also make concrete contributions to sustainable development. In recent years, these contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become an integral part of the Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG):
Projects that are certified according to the Gold Standard therefore go beyond mere CO2 reduction and also support the local population by, for example, creating jobs and combating poverty, improving health and education, increasing access to clean water and renewable energy or achieving other positive social, economic and environmental impacts.
Sustainable Developement Goals (SDGs)
What is the Gold Standard?
The Gold Standard was launched in 2003 by the WWF and other international NGOs and has since established itself as one of the most important certification systems for climate protection projects and high-quality carbon credits (CO2 certificates).
Originally focussing on renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, the Gold Standard has continued to evolve over time.
Since 2013, its certification spectrum has also included land use activities and nature-based solutions, such as reforestation projects and climate-friendly agriculture. With its stringent requirements, the Gold Standard sets the highest standards to ensure that carbon reduction projects maximise environmental performance while contributing to sustainable development.
Gold Standard – Advantages
The Gold Standard is characterised by the fact that it is supported and critically monitored by over 80 NGOs (non-governmental organisations) worldwide. The integrity and credibility of this standard and the products and impacts certified in accordance with it are of paramount importance.
In addition, the Gold Standard has always attached great importance to the fact that the certified climate protection projects also make concrete contributions to sustainable development. In recent years, these contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have become an integral part of the Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG):
Projects that are certified according to the Gold Standard therefore go beyond mere CO2 reduction and also support the local population by, for example, creating jobs and combating poverty, improving health and education, increasing access to clean water and renewable energy or achieving other positive social, economic and environmental impacts.
Sustainable Developement Goals (SDGs)
Security through strict guidelines
Trust is important, but quality requires verification: with strict guidelines and multi-stage control mechanisms, the Gold Standard ensures that projects meet their intended carbon reduction targets.
Rigorous verification: To be certified according to the Gold Standard, projects must undergo a rigorous verification process carried out by both the Gold Standard’s own technical experts (SustainCert) and an independent external certification body. This process includes regular on-site visits and ensures that projects fulfil the requirements of the Gold Standard and truly achieve what they claim.
Transparency and credibility: The Gold Standard has established strict rules for monitoring, reporting and verification to ensure the transparency and credibility of the certified projects and the resulting carbon credits.
On-site audit at our new site in Colombia (July 2023)
Initial certification
The initial certification ensures that each Gold Standard carbon offset project fully fulfils the demanding and far-reaching criteria of the Gold Standard.
Based on scientifically sound models and conservative calculations, the quantity of carbon credits that a project may sell after successful completion of the initial certification is also defined.
In the case of reforestation projects, these are initially PERs (Planned Emission Reductions) for the first 5 years, which are then verified as part of a review audit (Performance Certification).
Performance certification
The Performance certification is a periodic review audit (at least every 5 years) carried out by the Gold Standard and an independent external certification body. This involves checking and measuring on site whether the expected emission reductions (PERs) have actually been achieved through the growth of the trees and whether all other Gold Standard criteria have also been met. Only the emission reductions or carbon credits verified in this way are then converted from PERs into VERs (Verified Emission Reductions).
These regular review audits ensure the continued effectiveness of the project over the entire project duration of 40 years.
Certification process over 40 years
Security through strict guidelines
Trust is important, but quality requires verification: with strict guidelines and multi-stage control mechanisms, the Gold Standard ensures that projects meet their intended carbon reduction targets.
On-site audit at our new site in Colombia (July 2023)
Initial certification
The initial certification ensures that each Gold Standard carbon offset project fully fulfils the demanding and far-reaching criteria of the Gold Standard.
Based on scientifically sound models and conservative calculations, the quantity of carbon credits that a project may sell after successful completion of the initial certification is also defined.
In the case of reforestation projects, these are initially PERs (Planned Emission Reductions) for the first 5 years, which are then verified as part of a review audit (Performance Certification).
Performance certification
The Performance certification is a periodic review audit (at least every 5 years) carried out by the Gold Standard and an independent external certification body. This involves checking and measuring on site whether the expected emission reductions (PERs) have actually been achieved through the growth of the trees and whether all other Gold Standard criteria have also been met. Only the emission reductions or carbon credits verified in this way are then converted from PERs into VERs (Verified Emission Reductions).
These regular review audits ensure the continued effectiveness of the project over the entire project duration of 40 years.
Certification process over 40 years
Pioneer for high-quality forest climate projects
All BaumInvest projects in the Gold Standard Impact Registry
Program of Activity (POA)
In addition to the certification of individual projects, the Gold Standard also offers the option of bundling several fundamentally similar projects under a framework certification, a so-called ‘Programme of Acitivity’ (PoA).
Since May 2022, this option has also been available for reforestation projects for the first time and the new ‘BaumInvest Forest Landscape Restoration Programme’ (GS11707) was successfully certified at the end of 2022 as the first Gold Standard PoA worldwide in the area of land use and forestry.
The advantages of the framework certification are that all future BaumInvest reforestation projects that fulfil the criteria defined in the PoA can be certified more quickly, easily and therefore more cost-effectively.
The Gold Standard ‘Programme of Activity’ at a glance
On-site audit as part of the PoA certification in Costa Rica (2022)
On-site audit at our new site in Colombia (July 2023)
Program of Activity (POA)
In addition to the certification of individual projects, the Gold Standard also offers the option of bundling several fundamentally similar projects under a framework certification, a so-called ‘Programme of Acitivity’ (PoA).
Since May 2022, this option has also been available for reforestation projects for the first time and the new ‘BaumInvest Forest Landscape Restoration Programme’ (GS11707) was successfully certified at the end of 2022 as the first Gold Standard PoA worldwide in the area of land use and forestry.
The advantages of the framework certification are that all future BaumInvest reforestation projects that fulfil the criteria defined in the PoA can be certified more quickly, easily and therefore more cost-effectively.
The Gold Standard ‘Programme of Activity’ at a glance
On-site audit as part of the PoA certification in Costa Rica (2022)
On-site audit at our new site in Colombia (July 2023)