Net Zero Marketplace brings together carbon credit project providers, buyers, & third-party raters

CRM solutions provider Salesforce announced today the launch of Net Zero Marketplace, a new carbon market aimed at connecting buyers with environmentally-focused entrepreneurs, and making carbon credit purchases simple and transparent.

Demand for carbon offset projects that counteract the release of greenhouse gases, and related credits, is expected to increase significantly over the next several years, as companies and businesses increasingly launch net zero ambitions, and turn to offsets as a bridge to their own absolute emissions reduction efforts, or to balance difficult to avoid emissions.

The market for carbon credits, however, is challenged by problems including a lack of liquidity, and insufficient or inconsistent data to assess the effectiveness of the projects.

In order to help eliminate market uncertainty, the new marketplace will aggregate and publish third-party ratings, without requiring account registrations or adding paywalls. Salesforce announced that several third-party ratings companies have joined Net Zero Marketplace as inaugural partners, including Calyx Global and Sylvera. Salesforce Ventures was an investor in Sylvera’s recent $32 million financing.

Sam Gill, co-founder and COO at Sylvera, said:

“Sylvera and Salesforce share the same mission of bringing transparency and trust to carbon markets to drive real climate impact. Quality carbon projects are a powerful and necessary tool to fight climate change, but reliable data and investment is needed to unlock their full potential.”

The new marketplace was built on Salesforce’s ecommerce platform Commerce Cloud, and connects buyers with “ecopreneurs,” offering a range of projects supporting decarbonization. Projects can include forest conservation, tree planting, wind farms, solar cookstoves, or better farming methods.

The carbon credit projects go through a verification process, including a series of independent verifications against global standards, with buyers able to see project descriptions, alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and, for many, official third-party ratings.

The marketplace will launch for carbon credit purchases in the U.S. in October, with additional markets expected to be added in 2023. At launch, the marketplace will offer almost 90 projects across 11 countries.

Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce, said:

“The uptick in extreme weather events shows that no one is spared from climate change — we need smart climate solutions now. Businesses aiming to achieve long-term emission reductions can complement their efforts with high-quality carbon credits. Net Zero Marketplace brings together Salesforce’s values, technology, and commitment to ecopreneurs to accelerate climate action.”