“Over the years we’ve invested significantly in our field data team - focusing on producing trusted ratings. While this ensures the accuracy of our Ratings, it doesn’t allow the scale across the thousands of projects that buyers are considering.”
For more information on carbon credit procurement trends, read our "Key Takeaways for 2025" article. We share five, data-backed tips to improve your procurement strategy.
One more thing: Connect to Supply customers also get access to the rest of Sylvera's tools. That means you can easily see project ratings and evaluate an individual project's strengths, procure quality carbon credits, and even monitor project activity (particularly if you’ve invested at the pre-issuance stage.)
Book a free demo of Sylvera to see our platform's procurement and reporting features in action.
The Regulation, which came into force on 2 July 2026, introduces formal oversight for providers of ESG and sustainability-related ratings operating in the EU. It sets requirements around governance, independence, conflicts of interest, and the transparency of rating methodologies - establishing, for the first time, a common regulatory standard in the EU for how ratings in this space should be produced and disclosed.
We've always believed that ratings which influence real-world decisions should be produced under independent, accountable governance. This is why we were the first carbon ratings agency to push for regulation, and the first to apply the UK's voluntary code of conduct for ESG ratings providers.
The ESMA regulation was not designed with carbon ratings in mind, but through engagement with the ESMA team it's become clear that it still affords us the opportunity to formally, for the first time, demonstrate what we've built from the outset: ratings produced with the highest levels of independence, transparency, rigours, security and engagement.
Independence
Oversight of our methodologies and framework activity sits with a dedicated Ratings Oversight Committee and Technical Ratings Committee, independent of commercial operations. We have never sold carbon credits, and both we and our investors hold no financial stake in the outcome of any rating.
Transparency
We publish and keep current a Conflicts Register, so how potential conflicts are identified and managed is visible rather than assumed. The same applies to our methodologies: rating frameworks are designed to be deterministic so that the same evidence produces the same rating regardless of who applies it, with any changes and deviations documented.
Rigour
Our methodologies are peer-reviewed and version-controlled, keeping judgement bounded by process. We monitor rated projects on an ongoing basis and update ratings to reflect material new information rather than leaving them static once published, to ensure the market can work from a current picture.
Security
We hold ISO 27001 certification for our information security practices - an internationally recognised standard, reflecting a high bar for data protection and governance across the business.
Engagement
We were the first carbon ratings agency to voluntarily adhere to the ICMA Code of Conduct for ESG Ratings and Data Products in 2024, We have participated in and contributed to multiple related consultations with the FCA, IOSCO and other bodies as these frameworks have developed.
Applying for authorisation doesn't change how we work with our customers and partners. We'll share updates as our application progresses.
