WASHINGTON – Oct. 6, 2026 | Verra has approved the first carbon credits under its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodology for reducing food loss and waste. The credits were generated by the Brightly – Reducing Food Loss and Waste project, which has avoided about 720,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by rescuing surplus food and getting it to people before it reaches landfills.

The methodology, VM0046 Methodology for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, v1.0, sets out how to measure the greenhouse gas emissions avoided when food that would otherwise be lost or wasted is kept in the human food system.

The Brightly – Reducing Food Loss and Waste project (Verra Project 4711) is based in the United States and was developed by Boston-based company Brightly, which works with 29 independent food rescue organizations across the United States, including Feeding America. Between March 2020 and December 2023, participating organizations rescued 15.3 billion pounds of surplus food.

“Food waste is one of the most overlooked sources of methane, and preventing it is one of the most solvable issues. This first issuance under VM0046 proves that keeping food out of landfills can be measured with integrity, and that carbon markets can move finance to the organizations making it happen. It also shows why Verra keeps broadening its methodology portfolio: there are many ways to cut emissions, and each one needs a credible pathway to carbon finance."

Mandy Rambharos, CEO, Verra

Brightly CEO Andy Levitt said: “This issuance transforms the extraordinary work of our food rescue partners into verified climate impact and a new source of funding to help them do even more.”

SCS Global Services served as the validation/verification body for this project.

Media Contacts

Erdem Koch, Verra | media@verra.org

About Verra

Verra is a global leader helping to tackle the world’s most intractable environmental and social challenges. As a mission-driven nonprofit organization, Verra is committed to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards programs and tools that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits.

LinkedInBlueskyChatGPT