ICR Secures ICROA Endorsement, Reinforcing Commitment to High-Integrity Carbon Credits

REYKJAVIK (ICELAND), January 31, 2025 – The International Carbon Registry (ICR), a global organisation dedicated to combating climate change, has achieved a significant milestone by receiving unconditional endorsement from the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). This endorsement solidifies ICR’s position as one of the leading carbon standards in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), highlighting its commitment to transparency, integrity, and high-quality carbon credit issuance.

Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Iceland, ICR offers a streamlined platform for designing, validating, and issuing carbon credits. Leveraging cutting-edge public blockchain technology, the registry ensures unparalleled transparency and traceability, helping partners achieve their sustainability goals while delivering real and measurable environmental impact.

ICROA, a globally recognised authority on best practices in carbon markets, ensures that endorsed greenhouse gas (GHG) programmes meet rigorous standards across governance, registration, validation, and verification. The endorsement process involves a stringent third-party assessment of a programme’s adherence to ICROA’s criteria, which include environmental and social impact, independence, and stakeholder engagement.

Notably, ICR is only the second organisation to receive full endorsement under ICROA’s updated guidelines, which were revised last year to include stricter requirements such as conflict-of-interest management and enhanced transparency. ICR completed the endorsement process in less than 12 months, demonstrating its efficiency and dedication to best practices.

Antoine Diemert, ICROA Approval and VCM Policy Director at the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), praised ICR’s achievement: “ICROA is pleased to add ICR to its list of endorsed crediting programmes. ICR’s work incentivises and accelerates the transition to a circular and sustainable industry, and their standard has successfully met all of ICROA’s criteria.”

ICR currently lists 121 projects on its platform, spanning nature-based and technology-driven climate solutions across all continents. These projects are supported by 20 Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs), ensuring compliance with ICR’s stringent requirements for carbon credit registration and issuance. The registry builds on ISO standards as its foundation, while incorporating additional robust criteria to safeguard environmental and socio-economic integrity.

Innovation and Integrity in Carbon Markets

Gudmundur Sigbergsson, Founder and CEO of the International Carbon Registry, emphasised the significance of the endorsement: “Receiving ICROA’s endorsement is a major milestone for ICR. This recognition validates the integrity of our programme and reinforces our belief that innovation and integrity can coexist in the carbon markets. Most importantly, it enhances the credibility of the climate projects registered with ICR, building trust in the quality of our credits globally.”

The endorsement places ICR among an exclusive group of carbon crediting programmes recognised for their high standards. It provides assurance to companies and stakeholders relying on carbon credits that ICR’s credits are additional, measurable, permanent, real, certified, and aligned with sustainable development goals.

With this endorsement, ICR continues to lead the way in driving high-integrity carbon markets, fostering trust and credibility in the voluntary carbon market. The organisation remains committed to its mission of creating real and measurable impact, helping partners worldwide achieve their sustainability objectives while advancing the global transition to a low-carbon economy.