Verra is pleased to announce that it will launch a publicly usable version 0.9 of its Scope 3 Standard (S3S) Program by the end of 2025. The S3S Program builds on Verra’s flagship Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program to deliver an innovative suite of harmonized requirements and guidance for addressing Scope 3 emissions, filling a current critical market gap.
With the publication of version 0.9 of the program, project proponents will be able to pipeline list their Scope 3 interventions on the Verra Registry using an initial tranche of Scope 3-adapted VCS methodologies, which include VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management and VM0043 CO2 Utilization in Concrete Production. Publicly listing interventions will allow proponents to detail their intervention plans to attract investment and prepare for future validation. A subsequent tranche of VCS methodologies adapted for use with the S3S Program will be released after the launch of v0.9 and may include methodologies currently being adapted by a secondary tier of pilot projects.
The publication of version 0.9 will also coincide with a second public consultation on updated program documents released during the first public consultation, as well as additional key program documents such as the Program Fee Schedule and Registration and Issuance Process.
The first public consultation on the S3S Program ran from March 6 through April 21, 2025, and resulted in over 30 individual stakeholder responses. Verra sincerely thanks all stakeholders for their interest and valuable feedback, which the Scope 3 team will incorporate into version 0.9 of the program to ensure it meets users’ needs and supports this nascent market.
Toward Versions 1.0 and 2.0
Following the second public consultation in late 2025, Verra will incorporate additional feedback into version 1.0 of the S3S Program, which it expects to release in Q2 of 2026. Version 1.0 will provide all the needed foundations for measuring and assessing high-quality value chain interventions by enabling the validation and registration of pipeline-listed interventions, as well as the verification and issuance of Intervention Units (IUs) to proponents. Each IU represents a verified tonne of CO2e reduced or removed by an intervention, analogous to a Verified Carbon Unit (VCU) in the VCS Program.
Version 1.0 will be restricted to Scope 3 Standard Program sponsors and projects that have piloted the adaptation of VCS methodologies (in a primary and secondary tier). This phased rollout will allow for robust testing of the initial version of the program before it opens more widely.
Additionally, Verra is working in parallel to develop version 2.0 of the S3S Program, with a goal of releasing it by the end of 2026. Version 2.0 will make the S3S Program fully operational by including updated program documents and a framework to establish companies’ right-to-report (R2R) by demonstrating a clear supply chain link to the impacted product in the intervention. With R2R established, reporting companies at different tiers in the value chain can be issued Scope 3 IUs (S3IUs), which will enable co-investment in and co-claiming of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals, one of the keys to tackling Scope 3 emissions.
Appreciation for Support
Verra is grateful for the many collaborators who have supported the development of the S3S Program, including the Scope 3 pilot projects, members of the Scope 3 Standard Program Development Group, and partners such as SustainCERT.
What Are IUs and S3IUs?
IUs represent verified tonnes of CO2e reduced or removed by an intervention and are issued to intervention proponents.
Subsequently, reporting companies can opt to establish a R2R by demonstrating a feasible supply chain connection to the intervention. This is done by assessing the equivalence of a product in their supply chain to the impacted product in the intervention. Once verified, S3IUs, which are based on IUs, are issued to reporting companies after review and approval by intervention proponents.
As a result, one IU can result in issuance of multiple S3IUs with safeguards in place to prevent over-issuance and over-claiming.
Get Involved
Verra welcomes further collaboration with corporates and other entities and is actively seeking additional sponsors (PDF) to help launch this impactful program and unlock meaningful investment in corporate climate action.
To learn more about the S3S Program, please visit the program overview webpage and review the recently updated set of FAQs (forthcoming). Verra will host a webinar in the coming months with further details on how to participate in the development and testing of the S3S Program. Please contact scope3@verra.org for further information.