How to Become an Accredited Verification Body

How It Works

How to Become an Accredited Verification Body

The Climate Action Reserve and several other greenhouse gas (GHG) programs and registries have partnered with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to accredit independent third party Validation and Verification Bodies under ISO14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006 and the International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF) Mandatory Document for the application of ISO 14065:2007. This coordinated effort will help streamline the accreditation process for GHG Verification Bodies in North America and create consistency with international practice in relation to GHG emissions verification. Only Verification Bodies currently accredited or those involved in the ANSI accreditation program may provide verification services to Reserve project developers. The Reserve is no longer accrediting new Verification Bodies but in the future could partner with other organizations to provide accreditation services.

ANSI is currently accepting applications for the GHG accreditation program. For more information or to request an application, please visit ANSI’s website for details on how to apply. Accreditation reduces the risk to GHG programs by assuring them that verification bodies are competent to carry out the work they undertake. It also provides criteria for assessing and recognizing the competence of verification bodies, allowing for a consistent comparable scheme across GHG programs.

To successfully gain approval to conduct verification activities for the Climate Action Reserve, verification bodies must meet the following criteria for both verification body Requirements and Individual Verifier Requirements.

REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM PROJECT VERIFICATION
UNDER THE CLIMATE ACTION RESERVE
VERIFICATION BODY REQUIREMENTS INDIVIDUAL VERIFIER REQUIREMENTS
A company or organization is eligible to conduct project verification activities under the Climate Action Reserve if it has met the following criteria:
  • Accredited under ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006, and IAF MD 6: 2009, and all accreditation requirements
  • Accepted in the ANSI accreditation program and filed a full application for ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006, IAF MD 6: 2009. However, the Reserve staff will oversee all new verifications and Climate Reserve Tons (CRTs) will not be issued to the project developer until applicants receive their full accreditation.*

No later than December 31, 2010 the Climate Action Reserve will require all verification bodies to become accredited under ISO 14065: 2007, IAF MD 6:2009 and ISO 14064-3: 2006 for specific project sectors in accordance with ANSI Scoping Policy GHG-PR-706.

See the Reserve Verification Program Manual and relevant ANSI Policies, Procedures and Forms or ANSI Notices and Announcements for further information on accreditation requirements.

A company or organization seeking to be qualified and eligible to conduct project verification activities must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Climate Action Reserve Project and Verification Protocols.
  • Have a minimum of two staff members designated as Lead Verifiers
  • Lead Verifiers are REQUIRED to have successfully completed training as specified by the Reserve.
  • Meet the Reserve’s accreditation additional sector specific requirements.
 Any individual is qualified as a “Lead Verifier” and eligible to conduct verification activities under the Climate Action Reserve, if he/she has met the following criteria:
  • Be employed or subcontracted to one of the accredited verification bodies under ISO 14065:2007 and ISO 14064-3: 2006, IAF MD 6: 2009
  • Attend and successfully complete REQUIRED training under the Climate Action Reserve protocols and manuals (receive a Certificate of Completion for each course). Current required training is as follows:
    • All Lead Verifiers must successfully complete a sector specific protocol training within each industry sector they wish to perform verifications.
    • All new Lead Verifiers must also successfully complete the “General Project Verification” training course. All verifiers that sucessfully completed sector-specific training courses prior to 2010 are exempt from taking the new general training course.
  • Meet internal training requirements, following proper processes and procedures under his/her ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006 and IAF MD 6: 2009 accredited verification body.
  • Be identified as “Lead Verifier” in the Designated Staff, Roles and Responsibilities form submitted by his/her verification body to the Reserve at reserve@climateregistry.org.

For any key personnel to undertake verification activities under the Reserve, he/she must meet the following criteria:

  • Be employed or subcontracted to a Verification Body accredited under ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006, and IAF MD 6: 2009. Meet internal training requirements, following proper processes and procedures under his/her ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006, and IAF MD 6: 2009 accredited verification body or already approved verification body under the Reserve.
  • Be identified as “Lead Verifier” in the Designated Staff, Roles and Responsibilities form submitted by his/her Verification Body to reserve@climateregistry.org

Additionally, a verification body must follow all applicable Reserve program rules and adhere to guidance laid out in its sector-specific project protocols and manuals to be eligible to perform verifications and to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the emissions reductions within the Reserve.

* Those that already have achieved the full ISO 14065: 2007, ISO 14064-3: 2006 and IAF MD 6: 2009 accreditation may proceed without this prerequisite. Contact the Reserve Programs Team (213) 891-1444 ext.3 for questions or assistance in locating projects for witnessing purposes.