From certification to verification: a new era for SustainCERT
In 2018, we founded SustainCERT as the official certification body for the Gold Standard for the Global Goals. With just a handful of employees and a bold mission, we set out to bring credibility, rigor, and trust to climate action through innovative, digitally enabled certification services.
Certification was our starting point, but never our end goal. As our certification services have come to an end, we continue to develop our role in the carbon markets as a verifier. I believe in the power of markets to scale credible climate action that benefits people and nature. But for markets to succeed, they need accountability. Our role has always been to make sure carbon markets deliver on their promise to drive meaningful change.
Reflecting on our journey
Over the years, we grew in both scale and purpose. Our certification work helped define what credible climate action should look like. We certified 3,278 projects — from cookstoves to biochar — and conducted over 10,000 reviews, contributing to more than 254 million tons of CO₂ emissions reduction.
Every project tells a story of commitment and care — people and organizations coming together to make meaningful, lasting change.
Our work isn’t just about numbers; it is about purpose. Below, our dedicated team of certification officers reflects on their journey and their impact.
Annyta Luo reflected:
“What I’m proudest of is how our processes promoted transparency and accountability. Whether improving the SustainCERT Platform or revamping our certification timelines, we empowered clients to meet their sustainability goals more effectively. Knowing that I’ve contributed to this transformation gives me immense pride.”
As Yuriy Lozynskyy shared:
“Throughout the transition period we stayed focused — strengthening internal quality, reviewing conservatively, and upholding the highest standards of integrity in our work.”
For many, the most memorable moments were rooted in human impact. As Ayushi Gupta noted:
“Projects like water filters and biodigesters stood out for me — they created real, lasting benefits for vulnerable communities. These initiatives were not just about carbon credits — they were clean water and sustainable fuel for people who needed them.”
Zhiyue Wang, from our customer support team, added with a smile:
“Some clients joked that I was the robot behind the helpdesk — but it was because we knew each other so well. That connection, built on trust, meant everything.”
Prakash Sahu, who has been central to technical reviews, echoed this sentiment:
“Our biggest achievement? Establishing trust. We’ve built a reputation for integrity and rigor that sets high standards across the industry.”
These reflections aren’t just stories, they’re proof of what we built together: a certification body recognized for its impartiality, technical strength, and a deep respect for the people behind every project.
The challenges we embraced
Working as a certification body is no small feat. The pressure to maintain impartiality, the complexity of evolving methodologies, and the need to uphold the highest standards in a rapidly changing environment have all shaped our path. We are immensely proud of the integrity and care with which our team approached this work.
Gold Standard has played a crucial role in our journey and has allowed us to build the backbone of what SustainCERT is today. We are grateful for their support and excited about the future. Our mission to enable credible climate action continues, and we are just getting started.
From Certifier to Verifier
As we close this chapter, we do so with deep gratitude, to our certification team, our partners at Gold Standard, and the many clients who trusted us along the way.
To our certification team: thank you for your tireless work, your humor, your grit, and your heart. To Gold Standard, our clients, and every project developer we’ve worked with — your collaboration has been instrumental. While our certification services have come to an end, our mission carries forward with even greater momentum.
Looking ahead, SustainCERT is expanding our role as a Validation and Verification Body (VVB), delivering services under leading standards including Gold Standard, Verra, SD VISta, GCC, Cercarbono, and most recently, ICR (International Carbon Registry). This growing portfolio strengthens our capacity to support diverse climate projects worldwide.
Innovation remains at our core. We will continue to develop the SustainCERT Platform to unlock persistent market challenges—streamlining workflows, increasing transparency, and supporting the delivery of high-integrity carbon credits at scale.
Our goal remains unchanged: to enable credible climate action. Not only as a verifier, but as a trusted partner to all those working toward a more sustainable future.
Stay tuned in 2025. We’re just getting started.