What Are Verified Carbon Offsets?

Verified carbon offsets are officially certified carbon credits that represent a real and measurable reduction or removal of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Businesses purchase these offsets to compensate for the emissions they cannot eliminate.

Each verified carbon credit equals one metric ton of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) that has been avoided, reduced, or removed from the atmosphere.

But buying offsets is not just a transaction, it is a strategic decision that reflects your climate commitments, brand integrity, and ESG credibility.

If you're wondering how to buy verified carbon offsets for your company, this guide will walk you through every step.

Why Businesses Buy Carbon Offsets?

To meet net zero or carbon neutrality goals
To complement internal emission reduction efforts
To comply with regulatory frameworks or industry standards
To strengthen ESG reporting and investor confidence
To support global decarbonization efforts and community co-benefits

Offsets are especially helpful for covering Scope 3 emissions, those from your value chain, suppliers, and product usage, which are often difficult to reduce directly.

Step-by-Step Guide to Buying Verified Carbon Offsets

1. Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

Before you offset, you must measure your emissions. This includes:

Scope 1: Direct emissions (e.g., fuel use)
Scope 2: Indirect emissions (e.g., electricity use)
Scope 3: Value chain emissions (e.g., shipping, procurement, employee travel)

Knowing your footprint helps you decide how many credits you need, and which areas you want to prioritize.

Need help calculating? See our guide: How to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint

2. Set Clear Offsetting Goals

Decide how you want to use offsets:

Cover only unavoidable emissions?
Offset a specific business activity (e.g., travel, events, product lifecycle)?
Reach carbon neutral or net-zero status?
Support climate justice or community impact projects?

Define your objectives so your offset strategy aligns with your ESG and brand values.

3. Choose Verified Project Types

Select offset projects that match your goals and values. Common types include:

Reforestation and forest protection
Renewable energy generation
Methane capture from landfills and agriculture
Clean cookstove or water purification projects
Blue carbon and coastal ecosystem restoration
Carbon removal technologies (e.g., biochar, DAC)

Explore project types in detail: Types of Carbon Offset Projects

4. Pick a Trusted Certification Standard

Only buy offsets certified by recognized verification bodies. The most credible carbon standards include:

Verra (VCS)
Gold Standard
Climate Action Reserve (CAR)
American Carbon Registry (ACR)
Plan Vivo

These certifications ensure that your offsets are:

Additional (would not have happened without funding)
Measurable
Permanent
Independently verified
Publicly traceable in registries

Learn more: Carbon Offset Certifications

5. Select a Reputable Provider or Platform

You can buy verified carbon offsets through:

Offset Project Developers

Work directly with organizations that create and manage carbon offset projects.

Examples: South Pole, ClimatePartner, Wildlife Works

Offset Marketplaces and Brokers

These platforms offer a curated selection of certified credits across project types and locations.

Examples:

Patch
Cloverly
CarbonFuture
Gold Standard Marketplace
Verra Registry (via broker)

Sustainability Consultants

If you need help integrating offsets into your ESG strategy, consultants can help calculate your footprint and recommend offset solutions.

6. Review Key Purchase Details

Before purchasing, ask for:

Verification documentation (certification body, methodology used)
Registry link and serial number (for traceability)
Project impact summary (carbon reduction + co-benefits)
Location and timeline of the project
Whether the credits will be retired in your company’s name

Some platforms offer bundled purchases (e.g., 100 credits from multiple projects) or allow you to buy credits per month.

7. Retire the Credits Properly

Once purchased, the credits must be retired, meaning they are taken out of circulation and assigned to your organization.

Retirement ensures that:

The same credit cannot be sold again
Your company can officially claim the climate benefit
You meet ESG audit and reporting standards

Always keep a record of retirement confirmation, usually available through public registries or platform dashboards.

8. Report and Communicate Transparently

In your ESG or sustainability reporting, include:

Total tCO₂e offset
Type and location of offset projects
Certification body used
Registry links or retirement proof
How offsets align with your overall climate strategy

This builds stakeholder trust and helps you meet disclosure frameworks like CDP, TCFD, or CSRD.

Tips for Buying High-Quality Carbon Offsets

Avoid unverified or speculative credits
Prioritize projects with clear co-benefits (e.g., biodiversity, community health)
Understand if the offset is avoidance, reduction, or removal
Diversify your offset portfolio across regions and project types
Monitor performance if working with multi-year agreements

Final Thoughts

Buying verified carbon offsets is a powerful way to support climate action and meet your ESG goals, but only when done with care and transparency.

By following a structured process, choosing certified projects, and aligning offsets with your sustainability goals, your company can reduce its carbon footprint and make a meaningful global impact.

Stay Ahead with OneStop ESG

Looking for verified carbon offsets that align with your brand’s mission and ESG strategy?

OneStop ESG helps you connect with trusted offset providers, choose certified projects, and build a transparent carbon strategy.

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Because offsetting carbon is more than a purchase, it is a commitment to progress.

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