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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the purpose of becoming a Greenhouse Gas Validation/Verification Body (V/VB)?
The purpose of becoming an ANSI Accredited V/VB is to demonstrate conformance with ISO 14065:2007, Greenhouse gases - Requirements for greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies for use in accreditation or other forms of recognition.
The purpose of GHG validation or verification accreditation is to give confidence to parties that rely upon a GHG assertion or claim (for example, regulators or investors) that the V/VBs providing the declarations are competent to do so, and have systems in place to manage impartiality and to provide the required level of assurance on a consistent basis.
ISO 14065 provides requirements for bodies that undertake GHG validation or verification using ISO 14064 or other relevant standards or specifications. The objectives of the ISO 14064 and ISO 14065 standards are to:
develop flexible, regime-neutral tools for use in voluntary or regulatory GHG schemes;
promote and harmonize best practice;
support the environmental integrity of GHG assertions;
assist organizations to manage GHG-related opportunities and risks, and
support the development of GHG programs and markets.
Currently ANSI provides accreditation to V/VBs that seek to provide verification for reporters and projects for the following GHG programs:
American Carbon Registry
Climate Action Reserve
The Climate Registry
Verified Carbon Standard
How do I learn more about how to become a V/VB?
Organizations interested in developing validation/verification programs can find more information through the following sources in addition to the GHG program links provided above (this is not intended to provide a complete list of references nor does it imply ANSI endorsement of the services provided by the organizations listed below):
GHG Management Institute
Canadian Standards Association
Trinity Consultants
Future Perfect
The WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Relevant ISO standards including ISO 14064 and ISO 14065
What is the cost to become an ANSI Accredited GHG V/VB
Please see [document not found].
What steps does the accreditation process follow and how long does it take to achieve accreditation?
The detailed steps of accreditation are listed HERE.
The amount of time that it takes for a V/VB to complete the accreditation process is dependent on a number of factors such as:
Scope of validation/verification services for which the applicant body seeks accreditation.
The V/VB's understanding and implementation of the requirements of ISO 14065:2007, ISO 14064-3:2006, as well as the requirements of the relevant GHG protocols or registries for which the applicant seeks accreditation.
On average, the process will take approximately one year to complete. However, many organizations achieve accreditation in less than six months time.
The accreditation process consists of the following steps:
Is a witness assessment required for accreditation and is a V/VB applying for ANSI Accreditation required to complete a witness assessment for each scope that it has applied for?
A witness assessment (ANSI observation of V/VB carrying out third-party validation/verification of GHG assertion) is required as a component of the accreditation process. The purpose of the witness assessment is to determine that the V/VB understands and is implementing its verification procedures as defined by ISO 14065:2007, ISO 14064-3:2006, the relevant GHG program or registry requirements, as well as the applicant's own internal procedures and processes for conducting GHG validation/verification.
A witness assessment for project verification will not serve as satisfactory completion of a witness assessment for the purposes of attaining verification as a inventory verifier and vice versa. In addition, for project validation and verification, multiple witness assessments may be required depending on the scope of the application. Witnesses for project validation will count toward accreditation for project verification. For more information, please see [document not found].
Questions can be addressed to:
Ann Bowles
Director, Environmental Accreditation Programs
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
1899 L Street NW, 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202.331.3620
E-mail: [email protected]
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