What is it?
Meta-framework issued or operated by Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative.
Regulatory recognitionVoluntary; endorsed by governments incl. UK, France, Singapore, Peru, Panama; reference point for greenwashing policy
Standards & schemes · Meta-framework
VCMI Claims Code of Practice
Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative
Which version is current?
Profile version 2. Official information last verified 24 August 2026.
Who and what does it cover?
- Geography
- Global
- Sectors
- All sectors (corporate use of carbon credits)
- Scope
- Company claim
What does it require?
Demand-side rulebook for credible credit use: Silver/Gold/Platinum Carbon Integrity Claims covering 20–<60%, 60–<100% and ≥100% of remaining emissions after science-aligned action, gated by four Foundational Criteria (inventory, targets, trajectory, disclosure). Current version v3.1 (Aug 2025), with the standalone Scope 3 Action Code of Practice (Apr 2025).
What it does not demonstrateThe framework provides principles or alignment guidance; it does not by itself certify performance or establish legal compliance.
How is conformity assessed?
Claims require independent third-party assurance under the MRA Framework v1.4 before publication
Grievance mechanism—
Who makes the decision?
Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative
Assurance arrangementClaims require independent third-party assurance under the MRA Framework v1.4 before publication
Chain of custody
Not specified in this profile
ISEAL membership—
Conditional relationships
Claims it may support
A relationship does not mean that the standard proves or validates every use of a claim.
Carbon neutral productProvides evidence for · Alignment with the framework is relevant evidence; frameworks define process, not outcomes — claim wording must not imply certification.see standards.last_verifiedWe offset all our emissionsProvides evidence for · Alignment with the framework is relevant evidence; frameworks define process, not outcomes — claim wording must not imply certification.see standards.last_verified
Legal context
Laws referencing it
No reviewed law references are published.
Dictionary
Dictionary concepts
Version record
What has changed
- Version 2Initial profile published after recorded site-owner/editor review of the complete standards batch.
- Version 1Initial private editorial draft imported from the reviewed standards handover.
Last verified 24 August 2026. This neutral profile is informational and does not recommend, rank or endorse the standard.