The ICROA Code of Best Practice: What It Is and Why It Matters
August 06, 2025
Climate Strategy & Policy, Alliances
As an ICROA-approved organization, FORLIANCE is committed to internationally recognized best practices in voluntary carbon market engagement. For companies aiming to take credible climate action, the ICROA Code of Best Practice offers a reliable benchmark for quality, transparency, and real environmental impact.
Raising the Bar for Market Integrity
The voluntary carbon market (VCM) plays a key role in enabling businesses to take responsibility for their climate impact. However, as the market has grown, so too have concerns over credit quality, inconsistent methodologies, and a lack of accountability. To address these challenges, the International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance (ICROA) was formed in 2008 by leading market actors. Its mission: to promote best-in-class practices that ensure the environmental and reputational integrity of carbon-related services.
At the core of ICROA’s work is its Code of Best Practice, which defines what high-quality, science-aligned carbon management looks like in a rapidly evolving landscape. Through this Code, ICROA has helped establish a widely respected foundation for trust in the VCM—one that FORLIANCE and other approved organizations follow closely.
At the core of ICROA’s work is its Code of Best Practice, which defines what high-quality, science-aligned carbon management looks like in a rapidly evolving landscape. Through this Code, ICROA has helped establish a widely respected foundation for trust in the VCM—one that FORLIANCE and other approved organizations follow closely.
“The ICROA Code of Best Practice was developed to set a clear and credible standard for service providers in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) who are committed to ethical conduct and sound business practices,” says Franco Sebastián D’Aprile, ICROA Programme Manager. “It not only promotes integrity and transparency but also helps providers demonstrate consistency and quality in their work. Over time, the Code has proven instrumental in helping these organisations build trust, attract and retain clients, and form lasting partnerships. Its relevance continues to grow as the market evolves and stakeholders increasingly seek assurance of high standards and accountability.”
This credibility is especially important in a dynamic and maturing market, where clear guidelines, external oversight, and demonstrable quality matter more than ever.
What the ICROA Code Covers
The ICROA Code of Best Practice is a practical framework that sets the standard for the development, use, and management of carbon credits. It applies to organizations offering services such as greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, emissions reduction planning, and carbon project development or brokerage.
Key Principles of the Code:
- End-to-End Carbon Management
ICROA-approved organizations must support clients in implementing comprehensive climate strategies. This includes measuring and disclosing emissions, setting reduction targets based on science, and using high-integrity credits only after internal mitigation options have been exhausted. The Code reinforces a clear hierarchy: reduce first, compensate for what remains. - High-Integrity Credits Only
Credits must come from ICROA-endorsed standards that guarantee additionality, permanence, and third-party verification. Each credit represents a real and measurable climate benefit. This is especially critical for nature-based solutions, where long-term environmental and social impact depends on credible methodologies and safeguards. - Transparency and Auditability
ICROA members are held to strict standards for transparency in reporting and credit retirement. All offset activities must be documented, traceable, and subject to independent annual audits. This robust oversight process helps clients avoid reputational risks and build trust with stakeholders. - Comprehensive Service Standards
The Code spans the full value chain — from initial footprinting and strategy to credit retirement and communication. It also includes internal governance requirements to avoid conflicts of interest, ensuring that advice given to clients serves environmental outcomes first.
Importantly, the Code is regularly updated to reflect advances in climate science, market regulations, and policy developments. This ensures that members like FORLIANCE remain aligned with the latest expectations and continue to deliver services that are both effective and future-proof.
Why It Matters for Business
For corporate decision-makers navigating the VCM, the ICROA Code of Best Practice offers clarity and assurance. Here’s why it matters:
- It Ensures You Work with Verified, Impactful Credits
Choosing a partner that adheres to the Code means every credit used in your climate strategy has passed stringent quality checks. This is particularly vital for nature-based projects such as reforestation, agroforestry, or mangrove restoration, where long-term outcomes hinge on sound project design and verification. - It Reduces Reputational Risk
With increasing scrutiny on environmental claims, there’s no room for low-quality offsets or vague reporting. ICROA’s audit and disclosure requirements help ensure companies avoid greenwashing accusations and remain accountable for the claims they make. - It Aligns with Global Frameworks
The Code reinforces alignment with global climate goals, including the mitigation hierarchy promoted by initiatives like the Science Based Targets. By supporting reductions first and compensation second, the approach contributes to meaningful progress toward science-aligned climate commitments. - It Builds Confidence
Clients, investors, regulators, and the public expect credible, transparent action. Working within ICROA’s framework demonstrates due diligence and positions your organization as a responsible leader, not just a participant, in climate action.
Strengthening the Market
Beyond individual benefits, broad adoption of the ICROA Code supports a more transparent, trustworthy, and impactful voluntary carbon market. This, in turn, encourages greater investment in high-quality projects around the world, especially in sectors like nature-based solutions, where climate mitigation is paired with biodiversity and community benefits.
FORLIANCE supports this vision. As an ICROA-approved organization, we integrate these standards across our services, from feasibility studies and project design to long-term monitoring and communication. For our clients, this means working with a partner who understands both the complexity of the VCM and the importance of doing things right.
A Commitment to Credibility
The ICROA Code of Best Practice is a commitment to responsible climate leadership. For businesses, it offers a clear path to credible action. For service providers like FORLIANCE, it is a guiding principle that ensures everything we do delivers value not just on paper, but on the ground.
In a market where trust is hard-won and easily lost, high standards are essential. That’s why we choose to hold ourselves to them and why the ICROA Code of Best Practice remains a cornerstone of our work in the voluntary carbon market.
