Purchase Offsets

Purchasing offsets will allow your business to compensate for any residual hard to abate emissions and reach net zero.

There are several global certified offset schemes. Projects must adhere to a rigorous set of criteria to be certified by these standards. Verra issues Verified Carbon Standard / Verified Carbon Unit (VCS/VCU), Gold Standard issues Voluntary Emissions Reduction (VER) and Certified Emissions Reduction (CER). If you are looking for Australian project, the Clean Energy Regulator issues Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Australian credit units are generally viewed as the top standard.

Businesses should look for offsets with co-benefits. Particularly where they align to business or employee values. An example of a co-benefit is where the offset project has additional benefits such as creating employment for local people.

Lastly, there are some common criticisms of offsets to be aware of, such as the permanence of projects or if they offer additionality. It’s best to do your research and where risk is identified employ expert support to purchase offsets.

Key resources

Offset your carbon

Offset your carbon

Carbon offsetting is an immediate and measurable way for your business to cut emissions.

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CitySwitch Signatory of the Year and New Signatory Awards - category judging criteria

  • Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 28 points)
  • Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
  • Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 10 points)
  • Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 10 points)
  • Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points).
Note, new Signatories submitting for New Signatory of the Year Award need only complete an indicative rating – all other submissions must be accredited.

CitySwitch Partnership of the Year Award - category judging criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Submitted projects should:

  • Involve more than one registered company 
  • Demonstrate that they are  innovative and over and above “business as usual”
  • Demonstrate that they catalyse “market transformation” and or “address a market barrier”
  • Deliver a reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions within the built environment 

Judging Criteria

  • Delivering outcomes as demonstrated by an improved or maintained current NABERS Energy rating and achieved energy savings* (up to 14 points)
  • Implementing one or more energy saving initiatives (up to 10 points)
  • Demonstrating leadership by undertaking innovative, creative or progressive office energy efficiency activities (up to 17 points)
  • Engagement of staff/ customers/suppliers and/or stakeholders to educate and create market transformation (up to 17 points)
  • Participation in CitySwitch local program activities (up to 10 points)
  • The submitting entity MUST be a CitySwitch Signatory
Note, Signatories submitting for the Partnership of the Year Award may submit an accredited NABERS tenancy, whole building or base building rating.

It’s easy and free to join the program. Your good-will commitment to the program is an acknowledgement of the business sector’s role in
contributing to environmental sustainability and your intention to reduce your own energy consumption and associated carbon emissions.

As part of this, Signatories to the program commit to achieve an accredited NABERS Energy tenancy rating (between 4 and 6 stars) and
work with CitySwitch to improve their tenancy’s environmental performance.

Find out more about how obtaining a NABERS Energy rating ensures you can benchmark your performance, better manage your progress
over time and promote your star rating achievement.