First and foremost, a verification body must follow all applicable Reserve program rules and adhere to guidance laid out in its project protocols and program manuals to be eligible to perform verification activities. A verification body must always demonstrate ethical conduct, competence and exercise due professional care throughout the verification process and be in line with the other verification principles.

In addition to Reserve rules, the verification bodies under the Reserve have certain duties and obligations. The Reserve also has the discretion to exercise certain powers.

Verification body obligations include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Compliance with any guidelines or policies notified to them by the Reserve in writing.
• At a minimum have two Lead Verifiers on staff to enable the appropriate management of the verification program and the separation of powers and responsibilities between the role of Lead Verifier and the role of independent Senior Internal Reviewer. The Reserve does allow for the use of subcontractors. A list of individual verifiers is available here: Individual Verifiers. Note that if the verification body wishes to use a subcontracted verifier from outside their organization, they must submit to the Reserve and updated Verification Staff Reporting form and disclose the individual on all NOVA/COI documentation for the particular project verification(s).
• Ensure that all of its Lead Verifiers are competent, and have undertaken internal training and successfully completed general and protocol specific training required by the Reserve.
• Ensure that a Lead Verifier directs, supervises and leads the undertaking of the verification services, including signing all written reports and statements.
• Ensure that the Senior Internal Reviewer is an active Lead Verifier as defined by the Reserve, has been trained on the relevant protocol and is able to demonstrate continued competence and appropriate continuing professional development.
• Ensure that all verification body personnel working on project verification activities have agreed to be bound by confidentiality obligations, including that the verification body accepts liability for any breach of confidentiality by its employees, agents or subcontractors.
• Submit a signed and duly executed Verification Policies Acknowledgment and Agreement to the Reserve/ Verification Staff Reporting Form. As staff and roles fluctuate over time, the verification body must ensure that updated information has been submitted and is on file with Reserve.
• Provide the Reserve with a Notification of Verification Activities and Conflict of Interest (NOVA/COI) Form a minimum of 10 business days before the commencement of work, so that the Reserve has an opportunity to review and address any potential conflicts and to observe any part of the verification activities it chooses.
• Agree not to enter into any agreement or participate in any activity that could create a conflict of interest with a verification client without first notifying the Reserve in writing so that it may evaluate and mitigate any potential risks.
• Maintain professional liability insurance with a reputable insurer to the level of at least $4 million for any number of claims arising out of a common nexus of facts or circumstances.  The policy must provide coverage of damages and defense costs for any actual or alleged error, omission, neglect, misstatement or misleading statement, or breach of duty relating to verification activities undertaken by the verification body and have the Reserve named as an additional insured. The coverage territory for the insurance must include all geographic regions where the verification body operates and does business under the Reserve’s program.
• Retain records in line with protocol requirements, or for at least seven years from the date the Verification Report is accepted, following the end of the crediting period (whichever is longer). Records to be retained shall include all relevant evidence to support that Report.
• Provide full and free access to the Reserve to obtain all records, documents, accounting and other information maintained by the verification body in relation to Reserve projects.

These obligations are laid out in further detail in the Reserve additional accreditation requirements for verification.

The Reserve has certain powers that at any time and at its sole discretion it may employ, including (but not limited to):

• Direct the verification body and the project developer to refrain from entering into any agreement that may amount to a conflict of interest, and the verification body must comply with any such direction
• Determine that a verification of a Reserve project should not proceed, or that a person should be removed and/or suspended as a Lead Verifier or key personnel
• Conduct a performance review, audit or oversight activities and send its staff, partners, or consultants to attend and oversee verification activities
• Determine that a verification body should be suspended and/or require them to retire CRTs
• Compel the project developer or the verification body to submit all project documents in relation to the GHG assertions made to the Reserve
• Amend these rules as it deems necessary