South Pole sets new quality benchmark for carbon portfolio management with KPMG assurance milestone

• South Pole has obtained KPMG reasonable assurance under ISAE 3000 over its Quality Management Framework, which governs how carbon projects are screened, assessed and continuously monitored.
• The independently assured framework goes beyond standard registry requirements, giving corporate buyers stronger confidence in the integrity, risk management and governance behind their carbon portfolios.
• Achieving reasonable assurance — the highest level of assurance — with zero exceptions in South Pole’s first audit cycle establishes an advanced benchmark for integrity and risk management in the market.

ZURICH, 2 September 2026: South Pole, a leading climate solutions provider and carbon asset developer, has successfully obtained reasonable assurance from KPMG for its Quality Management Framework under the ISAE 3000 international standard. For corporate buyers, this provides independent assurance over the controls South Pole uses to manage project quality and risk, helping them make better procurement decisions, reduce due-diligence burden and build more resilient carbon portfolios.

South Pole’s Quality Management Framework is designed to manage quality and risk across the full carbon project lifecycle. Building on the requirements from recognised carbon certification standards and the reviews from third party validation and verification bodies, South Pole’s Quality Management Framework provides an additional robust layer of integrity and risk controls across the full project lifecycle. Refined across 350+ projects globally, the framework is overseen by South Pole's independent, in-house Risk Team.

Attaining KPMG reasonable assurance – the highest level of assurance – with zero exceptions, on the company's very first audit cycle, marks a major milestone for integrity in the voluntary carbon market. This level of verification establishes an advanced benchmark for integrity and risk management in the market beyond compliance with methodology and labelling rules, providing corporate buyers with a more stringent quality screen than standard registry compliance alone.

KPMG independently reviewed the core controls within South Pole’s Quality Management Framework that govern how South Pole vets project partners, quality-checks projects for carbon integrity and environmental & social impacts, maintains ongoing oversight over time, and translates quality findings into client disclosures and sales practices. KPMG's assurance confirms that these controls are fairly presented, suitably designed and implemented as at 15 June 2026.

Leila Kamdem, Chief Risk Officer at South Pole said: “Corporate buyers require confidence that the quality, integrity and risks of their carbon portfolio are identified and actively managed over time. KPMG’s independent assurance confirms the strength of our internal controls and provides a higher-quality screening than standards alone. For clients, that means stronger confidence in procurement decisions, lower due-diligence burden and more resilient carbon portfolios that can withstand scrutiny”.

By combining independent internal risk management with external assurance from KPMG, South Pole is strengthening the governance behind how carbon portfolios are built and managed over time.

The result for buyers is clearer oversight, stronger risk management and greater confidence in the decisions underpinning their carbon portfolios.

Media contacts
southpole@h-advisors.global