New register sets professional standards for carbon accountants

12 / 10 / 2026

By Marwa Nassar - -

The Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) has opened applications for two new professional registration levels under its Register of Carbon Accountants and Auditors (RCAA), seeking to strengthen confidence in carbon accounting expertise as emissions reporting requirements expand.

Register sets professional standards:

Developed in collaboration with the Carbon Accounting Alliance (CAA), the register aims to help businesses, regulators and reporting schemes assess the qualifications and experience of carbon accounting professionals.

The carbon accounting sector has grown rapidly as organizations face mounting pressure to measure and reduce emissions, while professional expertise and methodologies have varied. Meanwhile, International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards are now being used in more than 40 jurisdictions, covering 60% of global GDP.

The RCAA establishes a four-level professional pathway. The Technical Associate level recognizes foundational knowledge, while the newly opened Registered Practitioner and Principal Carbon Accountant levels reflect increasing levels of technical expertise, experience and responsibility. A separate Registered Carbon Accounting Auditor grade is scheduled to launch at a later date.

Initiative targets greater confidence in emissions data:

The register is designed to help businesses distinguish qualified practitioners and strengthen confidence in the quality of emissions data used for corporate reporting, decision-making and decarbonization strategies.

“As organizations look to decarbonize and reduce their environmental footprint, it is essential to have access to independently assessed, high-quality data and advice,” said Sarah Mukherjee MBE, CEO of ISEP.

Andrew Griffiths, co-founder of the CAA, said the launch marks a significant step toward establishing professional standards in a rapidly developing sector.

“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,” Griffiths said.

As carbon accounting becomes more integral to corporate reporting and decarbonization plans, the register seeks to provide a clearer framework for assessing professional competence and building trust in the emissions data underpinning climate action.