The Institute of Sustainability & Environmental Professionals (ISEP) announced the launch of a new multi-tier Register of Carbon Accountants and Auditors (RCAA), aimed at providing a professional benchmark for communicating the qualifications and expertise of carbon accounting professionals.
According to ISEP, the new register comes as demand for robust carbon data grows and reporting requirements become more widespread, as organizations respond to increasing pressure to measure and reduce their emissions, and standardized climate reporting systems such as the ISSB expand, while approaches and levels of professional expertise have varied.
ISEP CEO Sarah Mukherjee said:
“As organisations look to decarbonise and reduce their environmental footprint, it is essential to have access to independently assessed, high-quality data and advice.”
Developed in collaboration with the Carbon Accounting Alliance (CAA), the register is intended to give organizations, regulators and reporting schemes greater confidence in the qualifications and experience of carbon accounting professionals, according to ISEP.
The RCAA will encompass four professional tiers, including the already-launched entry-level Technical Associate which recognizes foundational knowledge, two newly introduced levels, Registered Practitioner and Principal Carbon Accountant, reflecting progressively greater responsibility, technical expertise and experience, and a Registered Carbon Accounting Auditor grade that is planned for the future.
ISEP said that by setting up the register, it hopes to promote effective carbon accounting practices by establishing high-quality standards based on the knowledge and experience of professionals in the field, and to enhance the professional credibility of registered carbon accountant or auditors, as well as to provide defined a career pathway for carbon accountants offering opportunities for growth and recognition.
Andrew Griffiths, Co-Founder of Carbon Accounting Alliance, said:
“With all three levels of professional registration for Carbon Accountants fully launched, our industry finally has a robust and transparent approach to formal qualification of credible carbon foot-printing expertise that can give practitioners and users of data confidence in the skills of the individuals undertaking the calculations.”
