With a successful Preliminary Review, the Project will obtain ‘Listed’ status in the Gold Standard Registry. This means that the Key Project Information, draft Project Design Documentation, and supporting documentation are made publicly available, and the Project Developer may promote the Project according to the Claims Guidelines as appropriate for ‘Listed’ status Projects.

 

The Project may then proceed to the Validation step. Validation may start after a project has achieved Listed status, the Project Developer has contracted an eligible, approved Validation and Verification Body (VVB), the Project Developer has submitted full Project Documentation and Supporting Documents to the VVB, and the Project Developer has notified Gold Standard of the commencement of Validation and the indicative date for completion and submission.

 

Validation includes a site visit by a VVB who assesses the up-front design and monitoring plan for a Project against applicable Requirements. 

 

The Project should complete Validation (defined as the date of submission of Validation Report by the VVB) within two years of successful listing ofthe project.

 

Design Review may start after a positive final Validation Report has been submitted for Gold Standard Review (or in the case of Internal Validation, a project is successfully validated) and the required fee is paid by the Project Developer. Design Review lasts for a minimum period of 4 weeks and is concluded when all CARs/CLs are successfully closed.

 

A positive conclusion of the Design Review results in Gold Standard Certified Design status, which means that the Project becomes eligible for Performance Certification.

 

Performance Certification includes a site visit by a VVB who assesses the following against all Gold Standard Requirements including applicable Activity Requirements, Gold Standard Methodology, and Product Requirements (Monitoring Report, including any updates in Annual Reports, and all supporting evidence and documents included by the Project Developer to demonstrate conformity).

 

Verification must occur at least once during the five-year Certification cycle with the first Verification completed within two years of project Implementation Date or Design Certification, whichever is later. 

 

The performance review starts after a positive final Verification Report is submitted for Gold Standard Review (or in the case of Internal Verification, a project is successfully verified), and the required fee is paid by the Project Developer. The Performance Review period lasts for minimum period of 3 weeks and is concluded when all CARs/CLs are successfully closed.