Voluntary Carbon Markets

Carbon markets are developing rapidly, with growing demand for high-quality carbon credits alongside increasing expectations around integrity and transparency.

Companies face a rapidly evolving landscape with:

• Increasing expectations on integrity and transparency
• Complex standards, methodologies, and claims
• Uncertainty on how to engage credibly

Scaling markets is key to accelerate emission reduction, it requires:

• Stronger demand signals
• Increased investment
• Collaboration across the ecosystem

Companies are increasingly using carbon credits as part of broader climate and sustainability strategies. Early participation can help businesses build internal capabilities related to procurement, governance, accounting, and portfolio management while keeping pace with evolving market expectations and integrity frameworks.

Engaging early also allows companies to:

• Understand risks and credit types
• Secure long-term access to high-quality credits
• Strengthen stakeholder trust and credibility

WBCSD works with businesses and partners to accelerate credible, high-integrity approaches to carbon credits. The goal of this workstream is to help companies move from ambition to action through four areas of support:

• Capability building: Shared learning, webinars, and practical education on carbon markets, integrity developments, and emerging best practices.
• Business guidance: Tools and guidance to help companies navigate procurement, governance, claims, and portfolio approaches.
• Natural Climate Solutions Alliance, which conveys the voice of businesses, NGOs and solution providers on the need to mobilize a high-integrity demand for high-quality natural climate solutions.
• Shaping enabling environment: WBCSD’s role as a core partner of the Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets through the Business Advisory Group, engaging with policymakers, standard setters, and market initiatives to support credible and effective carbon market frameworks.

Through these efforts, WBCSD convenes businesses and partners across the ecosystem to help scale high-integrity carbon markets that complement deep emissions reductions and contribute to broader climate and nature goals.