The Diamond Standard
A framework built on one principle: environmental credits must represent work that was actually done. We only originate credits from genuinely new sequestration — never from forests that already exist, never from deforestation that might have happened.
If you didn't create it, you can't credit it.
The voluntary carbon market has been plagued by credits that represent nothing more than a promise that something bad might have happened. Diamond Standard rejects this entirely. Every credit we issue corresponds to a discrete, measurable, additional environmental action — trees we planted in degraded land, biochar we physically produced and buried, water systems we actively restored.
What We Will and Won't Do
New Sequestration Only
Every credit originates from carbon or water we actively removed from the atmosphere or restored to the environment — trees we planted, biochar we produced, water systems we rehabilitated.
No Avoided Deforestation
We do not issue credits for forests that were never threatened. "Protecting" a forest that was never at risk is not sequestration — it is an accounting fiction.
No Existing Forest Credits
Standing forests are not credits. Credits must represent measurable, additional, and permanent environmental work — not the preservation of what already exists.
Defensible in Any Forum
Diamond Standard credits are structured to withstand scrutiny from regulators, auditors, journalists, and investors. If it cannot be defended publicly, we do not issue it.
Diamond Standard vs. Industry Standards
Verra VCS and Gold Standard are the two largest voluntary carbon registries. Here is how our framework compares.
| Criterion | â—† Diamond StandardMarillionEx | Verra VCSIndustry Standard | Gold StandardIndustry Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additionality Standard | Strict — new activity only | Moderate — baseline projections | Moderate — baseline projections |
| Existing Forest Credits Allowed | Never | Yes — REDD+ included | Yes — some categories |
| Avoided Deforestation Credits | Excluded | Included (REDD+) | Limited inclusion |
| Biochar Credits | Fully supported | Limited methodology | Not supported |
| Water Restoration Credits | Native asset class | Not a primary asset | Not supported |
| Greenwashing Exposure | Minimal — new activity only | High — REDD+ scrutinised | Moderate |