Terminology Update

20th February 2025

To better reflect conventions in climate science, changes in European legislation, and consumer interests, we are updating some of our terminology for 2025.

From February 2025 we will be phasing-out the use of certain phrases in favour of alternative, clearer language.

Carbon Offsetting will become Carbon Balancing. Whilie continuing to support Gold Standard climate action programmes through the purchasing of carbon credits, the term “balancing” more accurately portrays that fact that initial emissions have still occurred, and cannot be un-done, but the magnitude of those emissions has been accounted for and reflected in the support of climate action projects.

Carbon Neutral will similarly become Carbon Balanced.

Plastic Offsetting and Neutrality will similarly be reflected in terms of Plastic Balancing.

Net Zero is not synonymous with Carbon Neutral or Carbon Balanced; Net Zero emissions are a specific state in which an entity’s emissions have been absolutely reduced by over 90% of baseline emissions, with only the residual <10% emissions balanced through atmospheric carbon removals.

Our “Carbon Neutral” and “Net Zero Carbon” certifications will remain valid while the standards are updated, and these changes will not affect the validity of any active certifications.