Greenhouse Gas Validation/Verification Accreditation under ISO-14065

GHD completes validations and verifications in accordance with ISO 14064-Part 3 for programs under ANAB oversight, and other programs and registries that follow the ISO 14064-Part 3 standard or other standards.

GHD's Greenhouse Gas Assurances Services (GGAS) Group is in charge of projects conducted under ISO 14064-Part 3.

GHD's accreditation includes the following ten Organization Level sectors and all of the sub-sectors included within each sector:

• Group 1: General
• Group 2: Manufacturing
• Group 3: Power Generation
• Group 4: Electric Power Transactions
• Group 5: Mining and Mineral Production
• Group 6: Metals
• Group 7: Chemical Production
• Group 8: Oil and Gas Extraction, Production, and Refining including Petrochemicals
• Group 9: Waste
• Group 10: Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU)

GHD's accreditation includes the verification of CORIA assertions in the airline industry:

• Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)

GHD's accreditation includes the validation and verification of the following Project Level sectors:

• Group 1: GHG Emission Reductions from Fuel Combustion
• Group 2: GHG Emission Reductions from Industrial Processes (non-combustion, chemical reaction, fugitive and other)
• Group 3: Land Use and Forestry
• Group 4: Carbon Capture and Storage
• Group 5: Livestock
• Group 6: Waste Handling and Disposal

GHD’s accreditation includes the verification of applications and reports under the Canadian Clean Fuel Regulations, including:

• Group 1: Fossil Fuels
• Group 2: Renewable/Bio/Low-CI Fuels
• Group 3: Electricity
• Group 4: Green Hydrogen

GHD provides validation and verification services for voluntary and mandatory greenhouse gas programs under ANAB oversight, including:

• American Carbon Registry (ACR)
• Alberta Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction Regulation(TIER)
• British Columbia Greenhouse Gas Emission Reporting Regulation
• British Columbia Greenhouse Gas Emission Control Regulation
• Climate Action Reserve (CAR)
• Environment and Climate Change Canada Output-Based Pricing System and Clean Fuel Regulations
• Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
• Gold Standard Foundation
• Massachusetts Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program
• New Brunswick Output-Based Pricing System
• Newfoundland Management of Greenhouse Gas Reporting Regulations 
• Ontario Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Quantification, Reporting and Verification Regulation
• Province of Nova Scotia, Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations
• Province of Saskatchewan Greenhouse Gas Reporting Regulations
• Quebec Greenhouse Gas Reporting and Cap & Trade Regulations
• The Climate Registry (TCR)
• Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)

GHD also provides validation and verification services for the following programs that follow ISO 14065 and/or other validation and verification standards:

• California Regulation for the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions promulgated pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act
• California Cap on Greenhouse Emissions and Market Based Compliance Mechanisms to Allow for use of Compliance Instruments Issued by Linked Jurisdictions
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Oregon Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program
• CSA Group Carbon Neutral, Clean Start, and Clean Projects Registries

GHD may consider conducting verification and validation services for other programs or registries.

GHD's two key roles/responsibilities are to validate and/or verify GHG assertion in accordance with ISO 14064 Part 3.

To meet the requirements of an accredited validation and verification body under ISO 14065, GHD has established the Greenhouse Gas Assurance Services (GGAS) Group to manage all greenhouse gas assurance projects.

GHD will make publicly available any information about its validation and verification activities under ISO 14064 - Part 3 as required by ISO 14065.

GHD has defined procedures for the completion of verification and validation services. GHD’s validation and verification process adheres to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standards 14064-3:2019, ISO 17029: 2019, ISO 14065:2020, and ISO 14066:2011. The verification process generally includes the following key activities: evaluating independence and impartiality; establishing the scope, criteria, level of assurance and materiality; executing a contract or agreement; conducting planning and risk assessment activities; completing sampling and data review, including a site visit if necessary; communicating findings and issues; completion of a verification report; and issuing an opinion.

Comments, complaints or appeals from clients, project stakeholders, or Program entities should be submitted to GHD's GGAS Management Team. To register a complaint or appeal, please download and complete GHD's Complaints and Appeals Form and email completed forms to DG-NA-GGASManagement@ghd.com.

Comments and complaints will be handled by GHD’s GGAS Management Team. GHD will provide an initial response to comments and complaints within 10 business days. GHD will provide progress updates throughout the comment and complaint handling process, including information about whether a comment or complaint resulted in a non-conformance and corrective action. If a complainant does not accept GHD’s resolution to their complaint, the complainant may file an appeal. Appeals will be managed by GHD’s Canada Leadership Team (CLT). All information related to the comment, complaint or appeal will remain confidential. Formal notice of the outcome of a comment, complaint or an appeal will be provided to the complainant.

Where required by a GHG program or registry, GHG validation and verification reports are made available on this web page. The reports may include information on baseline methodologies, monitoring reports, additionally, and information related to the environment.

GHD is committed to conducting its validation and verification services in an impartial and transparent manner, free of conflicts of interest. GHD completes a thorough conflict of interest check before proposing to provide validation or verification services for a greenhouse gas claim (e.g. a client's report or offset). GHD does not provide greenhouse gas consulting and verification services for the same claim. GHD will not accept any engagement that may create a threat to impartiality or a potential or actual conflict of interest. GHD encourages feedback from any party, client, stakeholder, or members of the public regarding any matter that may be construed as a threat to GHD's impartiality in provision of its services.

Clients shall not use GHD’s environmental information statements, opinions, reports, marks, logos, or labels in a manner that could mislead intended users or impair the reputation of GHD. Any of GHD’s opinions or reports of factual findings made public by a client must: be communicated in their entirety; use the language in which they were issued; reference the date of issuance; and reference the program for which the verification/validation was conducted.

It is not permitted to use the GHD’s mark on environmental information statements which contain information that has not been validated or verified.

Please send any questions or comments to DG-NA-GGASManagement@ghd.com.