Who We Are

In just a few short years, the Verified Carbon Standard has become the world’s leading voluntary greenhouse gas program. We were founded by a collection of business and environmental leaders who saw a need for greater quality assurance in voluntary carbon markets.

In 2005, our founding partners - The Climate Group, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and The World Economic Forum - convened a team of global carbon market experts to draft the first VCS requirements. World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) joined the effort soon after. These experts soon formed the VCS Steering Committee, which worked diligently to draft the first and subsequent versions of the VCS Standard. Many of the members of the original steering committee went on to be on our Board of Directors, which now has evolved into a body of 12 members that offers input and guidance to the organization.

By 2008, with the VCS Standard becoming more widely adopted, the Board of Directors named David Antonioli the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer. Soon after in 2009, VCS incorporated in Washington D.C as a non-profit NGO. Today, a growing professional staff with offices around the world manages the ongoing operations and development of the VCS Standard and Program.

This growing staff provides VCS with an unmatched ability to innovate and expand the international carbon market. We rely on expert committees to ensure existing and new requirements reflect state-of-the art knowledge and global best practice. We convene new committees of global experts on a regular basis to guide the development of fresh requirements. With input from our experts, we steadily expand the scope of the Program to respond to the need for new, innovative and trusted carbon accounting tools. 

Important Dates in VCS History