Table 8 in the Certification Standard provides the definitive list of eligible OC investments. The following table is a supplement to the Certification Standard. It offers additional detail to support the Climate Transition Budgeting process.
Category | Examples |
Planning, Research, and Development |
|
Capacity-building & change management | - Sustainability team salaries or consulting fees specifically allocated toward planning or implementing climate projects |
Net-zero consulting services | - Consulting project to complete GHG measurement, conduct a custom LCA, or build a multi-year climate strategy for your company |
Software | - License fees for software tools to help you with carbon accounting, carbon management, or supplier engagement & data collection, including the BEE |
Market Transformation Initiatives |
|
Supplier engagement initiatives and collaborations | - OIA Co-Labs for decarbonization of operations and/or supply chains |
Climate policy advocacy | - Direct pro-climate lobbying |
Climate literacy initiatives | - Employee climate engagement & training |
Just transition initiatives | - Community based investments with clear climate benefit (e.g. public transportation, urban forestry, community solar) |
Capital for the Net-Zero Transition |
|
Investments in equity or debt at below market rates that accelerate clean energy deployment | - Below market lending for supplier decarbonization investments |
Examples of excluded project types:
Charitable contributions to general environmental organizations that are not tied to specific eligible categories under OC listed above
In-kind contributions, since these can be difficult to value and challenging to prove the “additional” climate benefit
General membership fees paid to industry associations. (Fees for participation in working groups focused on decarbonization are eligible.)