Who we are
Founded in Colombia, Cercarbono is one of the world’s leading environmental certification standards. We certify carbon, biodiversity, and circular economy projects with integrity, transparency and contextual insight.
Our Global South roots give us unique insight into the realities of ecosystems, land, and communities — shaping a global standard that is technically rigorous and grounded in real-world context.
Our story
Born in Latin America, Cercarbono was created to make environmental markets more accessible, accountable, and inclusive. What began as a regional initiative has grown into one of the world’s top voluntary carbon standards, with more than 200 projects registered across 20+ countries.
Our Latin American roots didn’t limit our reach — they sharpened it. Being close to tropical ecosystems, complex land tenure, and the communities on the frontlines of forest protection gave us an understanding that no desk-based standard can replicate.
We have never been content to certify the status quo. Cercarbono was the first standard to back carbon credits with insurance, giving buyers and developers protection against unforeseen risks. We built one of the earliest frameworks for voluntary biodiversity credits. We developed a certification programme for the circular economy. Each time, the goal was the same: turn a promising idea into a practical, trustworthy tool for climate and nature action.
And because trust must be earned through evidence, every stage of our certification process is traceable, verifiable, and publicly accessible — so that anyone, anywhere, can see exactly what we have certified and why.
Our vision
High-integrity environmental markets that direct finance to support a thriving planet.
Our mission
To accelerate impactful carbon, biodiversity, and circular initiatives that contribute to a climate-resilient future — setting a new benchmark for integrity, impact, and transparency.
Our values
- Integrity: every credit backed by rigour
- Accessibility: lowering barriers for project developers in emerging economies
- Inclusion: communities at the centre of climate and nature action
- Innovation: methodologies, tools, and safeguards that build trust
What we do
To ensure transparency and accountability, we partnered with EcoRegistry, a blockchain-enabled platform that makes every stage of certification traceable, verifiable, and publicly accessible. This digital-first approach has become a benchmark for openness in the voluntary carbon market.
Accessibility
Accessibility We make certification more accessible for project developers in emerging economies, creating fairer pathways while ensuring finance flows to the regions that need it most.
Credibility
Credibility We design methodologies rooted in local realities and aligned with Article 6, CORSIA, and ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles.
Efficiency
Efficiency Our streamlined process reduces unnecessary delays and costs, while maintaining full technical rigour and oversight.
Innovation
Innovation We develop new tools and methodologies – from insurance-backed credits to biodiversity and circular frameworks – that strengthen trust and usability.
Our impact
Cercarbono-certified projects protect forests, restore ecosystems, expand renewable energy, and pioneer new frameworks for biodiversity and circular economy credits. They channel climate finance into the regions that need it most, with integrity and transparency at every step.
Our team
Cercarbono’s team is made up of technical experts, scientists, and sustainability professionals from diverse backgrounds in government, academia, and industry. Together, we ensure every credit is developed with rigor, transparency, and trust.