A partnership for banks, investors, and insurers. Bridging the financial sector with credible carbon compensation.
What is PCAF?
The Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) is a global initiative that provides a standardized and transparent methodology for the financial sector to measure and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The PCAF Standard is built on the principles of the GHG Protocol and specifically focuses on the Scope 3 category, i.e., indirect emissions from lending and investment activities.
Connection to the GHG Protocol
The GHG Protocol is the globally accepted foundation for corporate and project-based emissions accounting.
The PCAF Standard is an extension of this framework, specifically tailored to the unique needs of financial institutions.
This means that while OurOffset’s projects and carbon credits are verified according to the GHG Protocol Project Standard and international offset standards, our financial partners can seamlessly integrate them into their portfolio reporting in alignment with PCAF.
Who does OurOffset recommend this partnership for?
OurOffset Nonprofit LLC recommends PCAF-aligned integration to stakeholders for whom credible, comparable, and auditable carbon footprint reporting is essential:
Banks and credit institutions – for accurate calculation of emissions from their lending portfolios.
Investment funds and asset managers – for tracking portfolio carbon intensity and transparent ESG reporting.
Insurers – for risk assessment and climate strategy development.
Corporate finance departments of large enterprises – for accurately measuring and reporting Scope 3 impacts related to their financing structures.
The Role of OurOffset
Verification and Compatibility: Carbon credits and projects issued by OurOffset comply with the GHG Protocol, allowing partners using PCAF to report them directly.
Transparency: Our public registry and standards reduce the risk of greenwashing.
Uniqueness: The innovative credits offered by OurOffset (e.g., QFPC – Quality Family Planning Credit) align with forward-looking biodiversity and social impact approaches, which are becoming increasingly important for the financial sector.
Why is this partnership important?
Together, carbon footprints calculated under the PCAF framework and OurOffset’s credible carbon credits ensure that the financial sector can:
- work with comparable and verifiable data,
- avoid accusations of greenwashing,
- credibly demonstrate progress toward its net-zero commitments.
