Climate Active Certification & Carbon Neutral Verification

Achieving Government-Backed Climate Active Certification for Your Organisation

End-to-end support for Climate Active certification (organisation) from a registered consultant with proven multi-sector experience across Australia.

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Govt.
Backed Climate Active Programme
Registered
Climate Active Consultant for Organisations
Multi-Sector
Certification Experience
100%
Independent, Conflict-Free Advice

Certify Your Organisation

Becoming Climate Active certified is a structured process, not a leap of faith. Our team can walk you through eligibility, measurement and the reporting steps that get you there with confidence.

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About This Service

Climate Active Certification for Organisations: What It Is and Why It Matters

Climate Active certification (organisation) is Australia’s only government-backed carbon neutral certification programme for businesses and organisations. Administered by the Australian Government, it gives your organisation the right to use the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Certification Trade Mark, providing customers, investors and procurement teams with clear proof that your emissions have been measured, reduced and offset to a credible, independently validated standard.

At Aqualis Carbon Advisory, our team includes registered Climate Active consultants for organisations. We have delivered carbon neutral certification for organisations across multiple industry sectors, from professional services and financial institutions to property, government and infrastructure. We know exactly what the programme requires, where the common pitfalls sit, and how to get your application across the line efficiently and without surprises.

Whether you are beginning your certification journey for the first time or maintaining an existing certification, we manage the full process end to end, including carbon account preparation, emissions boundary setting, offset selection, independent validation coordination, public disclosure statement drafting and annual reporting support.

Programme Requirements

What Climate Active Certification for Organisations Requires

The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations is structured around five obligations. Each must be met annually to achieve and maintain a valid certification.

MEASURE

Calculate Your Carbon Account

Establish your emissions boundary using your ABN, set a base year and calculate Scope 1, 2 and relevant Scope 3 emissions across all activities within your organisational boundary. The boundary must be documented transparently and all significant exclusions must be justified.

REDUCE

Emissions Reduction Strategy

Develop and implement an emissions reduction strategy that identifies the measures you will undertake over a specified timeframe. Priority is given to energy efficiency, renewable energy uptake and supply chain improvements before offsetting residual emissions.

OFFSET

Purchase and Retire Eligible Offsets

Compensate for remaining emissions by purchasing and cancelling eligible offset units such as Australian Carbon Credit Units, Verified Carbon Units or other units approved under the Organisation Standard. All cancelled units must be reported transparently in your public disclosure statement.

VALIDATE

Independent Validation

Your carbon account must be independently validated at least once every three years by an accredited auditor. The base year carbon account must be validated before certification can be granted, and the validation report is submitted to the Australian Government as part of your application.

REPORT

Annual Public Disclosure

Publish an annual public disclosure statement covering your gross and net emissions, offset unit details, emissions reduction activities and any significant year-on-year changes. For certified organisations, this report is automatically published on the Climate Active website.

Why It Matters

Why Australian Organisations Pursue Climate Active Certification

Climate Active certification is one of the most tangible and credible steps an Australian organisation can take on its climate journey. The benefits extend well beyond the trade mark itself.

Strategic and Commercial Drivers

  • Demonstrate credible carbon neutrality to customers, investors and procurement teams with the backing of the Australian Government
  • Differentiate your organisation in tenders and ESG disclosures with independently validated carbon neutral status
  • Build brand authority and consumer confidence through use of the official Climate Active Carbon Neutral Certification Trade Mark
  • Align with the procurement requirements of major government and corporate clients who increasingly request certified carbon neutral suppliers
  • Support your net zero strategy by establishing a verified baseline and a structured annual reporting rhythm

Regulatory and Reporting Drivers

  • Climate Active certification provides a verified, government-recognised emissions framework that complements AASB S2 mandatory climate disclosure requirements
  • The certified carbon account aligns with GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 standards, making it consistent with existing sustainability reporting obligations
  • Annual certification reporting supports the transparency and data quality expectations of AASB S2 disclosures
  • Demonstrates credible action to regulators, shareholders and rating agencies assessing climate-related risk
  • Positions your organisation as a leader in the transition to a low-carbon economy ahead of tightening regulatory requirements
Our Methodology

How We Deliver Climate Active Certification for Your Organisation

We manage the entire certification process so your team can focus on the business. Our structured, five-stage engagement is designed to meet the requirements of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations efficiently and without unnecessary complexity.

01

Scoping and Boundary Setting

We define your organisational boundary using your ABN, select the appropriate control approach and establish your emissions boundary across Scope 1, 2 and relevant Scope 3 sources, with transparent documentation of any exclusions.

02

Carbon Account Preparation

We collect activity data from your operations, apply current National Greenhouse Accounts emission factors and calculate your complete carbon account for the base year, using methodology aligned with GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1.

03

Reduction Strategy and Offset Advice

We prepare your emissions reduction strategy and provide independent, unbiased guidance on selecting, purchasing and retiring eligible offset units to meet your remaining emissions balance.

04

Validation Coordination

We coordinate with an accredited independent validator to complete the base year validation required for your application, preparing all supporting documentation and responding to any queries raised during the process.

05

Application and Annual Reporting

We prepare your Public Disclosure Statement and application package for submission to the Australian Government, then provide ongoing annual reporting support to maintain your certification.

Why Aqualis

Why Choose Aqualis Carbon Advisory for Climate Active Certification

We are an independent Australian climate advisory firm, and our team includes registered Climate Active consultants for organisations. We have delivered carbon neutral certification across multiple industry sectors in Australia and we bring the same technical rigour to every engagement, regardless of organisation size or sector.

Registered
Climate Active Consultant for Organisations
Govt.
Backed Programme Knowledge and Experience
Multi-Sector
Delivery Track Record
100%
Independent and Conflict-Free Advice

Our credentials include:

Registered Climate Active consultant for organisations on the Australian Government’s consultant register
Proven track record delivering Climate Active certification across corporate, government, property and professional services sectors
Carbon account methodology aligned with the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and ISO 14064-1
Deep knowledge of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations, including offset integrity requirements and validation obligations
Independent offset unit guidance with no commercial relationships with offset suppliers
Integrated capability spanning GHG inventories, AASB S2 disclosures, net zero strategy and life cycle assessment
Our Services

Our Full Range of Services

Climate Active certification is one step on a broader sustainability journey. Aqualis offers complementary services to help you measure, disclose, reduce and verify your environmental performance across your entire value chain.

AASB S2 Reporting Prepare mandatory climate-related financial disclosures
Climate Active Certification (Organisation) Current page
GHG Emissions Inventories ISO-aligned Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon footprint measurement
Life Cycle Assessment Quantify cradle-to-grave environmental impacts of products
Environmental Product Declarations Publish independently verified product sustainability data
Climate Active Certification (Products & Services) Certify your products or services as carbon neutral
Net Zero Strategy Build a credible, science-aligned pathway to net zero
Carbon Offsets Guidance Independent advice on sourcing, evaluating and retiring high-quality carbon offsets
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about the Climate Active certification process for organisations? Here are the questions we hear most often from Australian businesses considering certification.

The timeline depends on the size and complexity of your organisation and the availability of your emissions data. For most small to medium-sized organisations with reasonably organised financial and operational records, the process from initial scoping to submission of your application typically takes three to five weeks. This includes base year carbon account preparation, emissions boundary documentation, independent validation and drafting of your public disclosure statement. Larger or more complex organisations, or those with limited existing data systems, may require six to nine weeks. We provide a clear project timeline at the start of every engagement.
The Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations requires you to include all relevant emissions sources within your organisational boundary, defined using your Australian Business Number. At a minimum, this includes all Scope 1 emissions from stationary energy and fuel use, all Scope 2 emissions from purchased electricity, and any Scope 3 emissions that pass the Climate Active relevance test. The relevance test assesses whether an emissions source is likely to be large relative to your energy emissions, whether it contributes to your greenhouse gas risk exposure, and whether it is expected by your stakeholders. We conduct this assessment as part of our boundary-setting process and clearly document all inclusions and exclusions in your carbon account.
Only offset units listed in Appendix A of the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations are eligible. These include Australian Carbon Credit Units issued by the Clean Energy Regulator, Verified Carbon Units from the Verified Carbon Standard and Verified Emissions Reductions from the Gold Standard, among others. All cancelled units must have a vintage year later than 2012. We provide independent, unbiased guidance on selecting offset units that suit your organisation’s values, budget and timeline. We do not sell or broker offsets, so our advice is entirely objective.
Yes, the Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard for Organisations requires you to develop and implement an emissions reduction strategy as a condition of certification. The strategy must identify specific measures your organisation will undertake to reduce emissions over a defined timeframe. There is, however, no mandatory requirement to achieve a specific level of reduction before your first year of certification. The standard expects you to follow a carbon reduction hierarchy, prioritising energy efficiency and renewable energy uptake before turning to carbon offsetting for your residual emissions. We help you develop a practical, credible reduction strategy that reflects your operations and is proportionate to your emissions profile.
Maintaining Climate Active certification requires an annual cycle of obligations. Each year, you must submit an annual report including an updated carbon account and a public disclosure statement. Independent validation of your carbon account is required at least once every three years, though it may be required more frequently if significant changes occur in your operations or emissions profile. Aqualis offers annual certification maintenance packages to manage this cycle on your behalf, so your certification stays current and your reporting obligations are met on time.
Get Started

Ready to Pursue Climate Active Certification? Let’s Talk.

Getting started is straightforward. Fill in the form below and one of our registered Climate Active consultants will be in touch within one business day to discuss your requirements, outline the certification pathway and provide a fee proposal. There is no obligation and the initial consultation is free.

Get Your Free Climate Active Certification Consultation

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