In 2026, ACR began developing a Co-Benefits Certification program to verify additional environmental, social or economic benefits associated with carbon projects. The development process will be designed to ensure consistent application of the certification across the portfolio of projects using ACR methodologies, practicality of use, and rigor of outcomes as aligned with international frameworks and corporate ESG reporting.

The Co-Benefits Certification program is a response to buyer demand for certified co-benefits reporting across an array of environmental, social and economic values. Spanning multiple sectors – forestry, super pollutants, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) – the program will be developed with the following considerations in mind:

• It will be applicable to all projects using an ACR methodology.
• It will be optional.
• It will be an additional certification for projects registered with ACR. It will not be a new type of credit.
• Credits that receive the certification will be labeled on the registry.

To be successful, the overall value of credits with verified co-benefits must be sufficient to warrant the work required to earn certification. To achieve this key objective, ACR will prioritize stakeholder engagement during development of the program, to ensure the resulting certification meets market needs. To ensure the resulting certification meets market needs including commonly used reporting programs.

This work will be led by ACR Director of Co-Benefits Certification, Margaret Williams, PhD. If you are interested in staying updated about ACR’s Co-Benefits Certification program, subscribe to the ACR newsletter, below.