Verra sets the world’s leading standards for climate action and sustainable development.
→ We build standards for activities as diverse as reducing deforestation, to improving agricultural practices, to addressing plastic waste, and to achieving gender equality.
→ We manage programs to certify that these activities achieve measurable high-integrity outcomes.
→ And we work with governments, businesses, and civil society to advance the use of these standards, including through the development of markets.
Everything we do is in service of increasingly ambitious climate and sustainable development goals – and an accelerated transition to a sustainable future.
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- Photo courtesy of DelAgua. DelAgua Clean Cooking Grouped Project in Rwanda (Verra Project 4150)
The Organization
Verra was founded in 2007 by environmental and business leaders who saw the need for greater quality assurance in voluntary carbon markets. We now manage the world’s leading voluntary carbon markets program, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, as well as a suite of other programs, incubate new ideas to generate meaningful environmental and social value at scale, and advance the use of these programs worldwide.
The strategic direction of Verra is set by Verra’s Board of Directors and staff. Our staff work globally, with headquarters in Washington, DC.
Verra is registered as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC, USA) and is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Governance
The Articles of Incorporation contain basic structural information, organizational objectives, and a statement of our tax-exempt purpose. They also establish that the organization shall be governed by a Board of Directors appointed or elected under the rules provided by the Bylaws.
Important Policies
Additionally, the following key policies govern various aspects of Verra’s operations:
Verra maintains conflict of interest policies and requires compliance by all Board members and staff members. Board members are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest at each meeting of the Board and to recuse themselves as appropriate. Staff members are required to disclose all actual or perceived conflicts of interest on an annual, and ongoing basis as they arise.
Verra provides a Grievance Redress Policy that applies to all standards and programs managed by Verra.
This policy relates to best practices that Verra follows around protecting human rights.
This policy relates to Verra’s practices regarding anti-corruption (including anti-bribery) issues.
This policy describes Verra’s compliance practices relating to anti-money laundering and sanctions issues.
Advisory Committees
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- Photo by VeryNile Nile River Cleaning Plastic Offsetting Program, #4017