What is Gold Standard?

SECTIONS

• What is Gold Standard?
• Why was Gold Standard created?
• How is Gold Standard funded?
• How is Gold Standard governed?
• What does Gold Standard work on?
• What’s the difference between Gold Standard and Gold Standard for the Global Goals?
• Can I use the Gold Standard logo?
• How can I contact Gold Standard?

What is Gold Standard?

Gold Standard was established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs as a best practice standard to ensure projects that reduced carbon emissions featured the highest levels of environmental integrity and contributed to sustainable development.

All Gold Standard-certified projects and programmes accelerate progress toward the Net-Zero ambition of the Paris Climate Agreement while catalysing impact toward the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our standard, Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG), allows climate and development initiatives to quantify, certify and maximise their impacts toward climate security and sustainable development. Certification against the standard provides the confidence that these results are measured and verified, enabling credible impact reporting.

ISEAL Code Compliant and backed by a broad NGO Supporter Network, Gold Standard has 4000+ projects underway in over 100 countries, creating billions of dollars in shared value from climate and development action worldwide.

You can read more about our mission and values on our website.

Why was Gold Standard created?

In 2003, representatives of environmental and human rights organisations convened in Brussels to discuss their concerns that carbon markets could become a ‘race to the bottom’ in relation to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

The group highlighted the need for a system that could identify and encourage well-designed activities as the sources for credible greenhouse gas reductions that maximise wider sustainable development outcomes. At this meeting, the concept of the Gold Standard was born.

The Gold Standard certification process was developed through close collaboration between technical and policy experts from civil society, governments, multilateral organisations and the private sector. A non-profit Swiss foundation was established to house a full-time secretariat for the standard, and to further develop tools to achieve its mission.

With the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement and the SDGs, we launched a best practice standard for climate and sustainable development interventions, GS4GG, to maximise impact, creating value for people around the world and the planet we share.

Gold Standard has now become the global benchmark for the highest integrity and greatest impact in climate action and sustainable development initiatives.

How is Gold Standard funded?

Approximately 85% of our funding comes from the income generated by our certification activities - this pays for the work of our Secretariat.

The remaining proportion comes from grant funding and donations that support our on-going research and development projects. For more information, please see our Annual Reports.

How is Gold Standard governed?

Gold Standard's day-to-day activities are run by the Secretariat and overseen by the Foundation Board who provide financial oversight and strategic governance.

Technical oversight is provided by our Technical Governance Committee. Our Technical Advisory Committee, comprising experts focused on thematic areas e.g. Energy, Land Use, is responsible for ensuring rigour and integrity in all our work.

Advocacy and regional support is provided by our NGO Supporter Network.

To view our governing structure, visit our Governance webpage.

What does Gold Standard work on?

Gold Standard seeks to accelerate progress toward the Paris Agreement and SDGs through robust standards and verified impacts. We do so by:

Raising Ambition

We advocate for ambitious strategies for governments, companies, and investors aligned with global Net Zero and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Developing the Tools to Assure Impact

Our standard allows projects, funds, and other impact investments to manage, measure and maximise their impact toward climate mitigation, adaptation, and across the SDGs. GS4GG and its wide range of methodologies are independently recognised as the highest integrity for activities as varied as clean cooking, safe water access, nature based solutions, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

Supporting Users of our Standard Through Capacity Development

We appreciate that following leading practices can require resources, user-friendly tools, guidance and training. This is why we are increasingly investing in capacity development efforts that help ensure equitable access to carbon markets and impact finance.

Operating with Excellence

Gold Standard is backed by a broad NGO network and the only climate-focused standard to reach ISEAL code compliance for good governance of standard setting, assurance and oversight. We are committed to continuously improve our standard and how we support our stakeholders.

Details of the work that we do to support these objectives is available on our website:

• For project developers
• For companies
• For investors
• For governments
• For individuals

What’s the difference between Gold Standard and Gold Standard for the Global Goals?

Gold Standard is the commonly used name of our organisation, The Gold Standard Foundation. Since 2003, our scope has broadened to accelerate progress toward climate security and sustainable development for all by catalysing finance and maximising its impact.

Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG) is the name of our standard – a set of rules and requirements which allow climate and development initiatives to quantify, certify and maximise their impacts toward climate security and sustainable development. Certification against the standard provides the confidence that these results are measured and verified, enabling credible impact reporting.

Can I use the Gold Standard logo?

Organisations are welcome to download the Gold Standard logo on agreement to the Terms and Conditions. Please fill in this form with your request.

The Gold Standard logo must be used in reference to a certified project activity and not against carbon footprint or carbon neutrality claims. We do not certify or advocate any specific third-party schemes or programmes that sell carbon credits.

Information on how best to use our logo and other brand assets is included in our brand manual.

How can I contact Gold Standard?

To contact us, please fill in this form giving as much detail as possible on your enquiry. We aim to respond within 2 working days. Alternatively, you can also contact us by email at help@goldstandard.org.

For media enquiries, please contact Jamie Ballantyne at jamie.ballantyne@goldstandard.org.