SustainCERT approved as a Validation and Verification Body for Gold Standard

We are happy to announce that SustainCERT has been officially approved as a Validation and Verification Body (VVB) for by Gold Standard for the Global Goals under the new assurance model.

Following the Gold Standard change in their assurance model in November 2024, SustainCERT announced the end of new Certification reviews. We will now continue supporting project developers in a VVB role with careful restrictions to manage potential conflicts of interest with ongoing certification reviews.

As an active and approved VVB, we are now authorized to conduct independent assessments across various sectors, ensuring that projects adhere to Gold Standard's rigorous requirements and achieve their intended outcomes. Our services are currently limited to the following sectorial scopes: 

• Energy industries (renewable & non-renewable) 
• Energy distribution 
• Energy demand 
• Manufacturing industries 
• Construction 

Our expert team will conduct rigorous evaluations to ensure that every project meets Gold Standard criteria and achieves the intended impact. The audits are supported by the SustainCERT Platform, streamlining document management and ensuring seamless workflows between auditors and project developers.

About Gold Standard

Established in 2003 by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and other international NGOs, Gold Standard serves as a benchmark for high-integrity environmental projects. The certification process involves independent third-party verification to maintain the integrity of projects and confirm their compliance with established standards. This process is crucial for the issuance of credible carbon credits and the realization of sustainable development benefits.

Compliance and Conflict of Interest (COI) Measures

To prevent conflicts of interest, SustainCERT shall not provide Validation and Verification services for GS4GG certification to Project Developers/ Coordinating/Managing Entities (CMEs) who are in the transition period and therefore still under review with the SustainCERT Certification services. This restriction applies until the transition period for the Gold Standard assurance model concludes on April 30, 2025.