Changeblock & Martello: Preventing 'Phantom Credits

CARBON ATTEST program provides multi-level authentication of projects by combining Changeblock’s IoT approach with Martello’s ‘boots-on-ground’ expertise

London, 7 February 2023 – Changeblock, a global technology company that develops technologies for creating and trading offsets, today announced a strategic partnership with Martello Risk called CARBON ATTEST. The new partnership enables multi-level authentication of carbon offsetting projects, providing buyers of credits the comfort of knowing their credits are legitimate, meet projected offsetting targets, and are compliant with regulations. The partnership combines Changeblock’s expertise in innovative technology and reliable, verifiable data, with Martello Risk’s experience in supply chain sustainability and risk management.

Carbon Attest will provide businesses with a range of services, including boots-on-the-ground investigations and audits, enhanced due diligence, supply chain sustainability and verification of projects meeting their carbon offsetting goals, as well as ensures compliance with anti-slavery and child labor regulations. Carbon Attest will also provide. strategic and competitor intelligence, social, environmental, and impact assessment, litigation support, and reputation management.

“We believe that the carbon offsetting industry needs to be more transparent, accurate and verifiable in order to combat climate change effectively,” said Billy Richards, CEO of Changeblock. “Changeblock uses IoT and remote sensing technologies to ensure the quality of the emission offsetting assets on its platform. With the addition of Martello Risk’s expertise in supply chain sustainability and risk management, we can provide businesses with a comprehensive multi-level authentication solution. This is a win-win for both originators and buyers of credits as all parties will be able to transact in the knowledge that their credits have been thoroughly verified to be meeting their emission reduction objectives, as well as ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices.”

“We are excited to be working with Changeblock to ensure the trading in carbon offsets achieves the highest levels of transparency, legitimacy, compliance and effectiveness,” said Caspar Fithen, CEO of Martello Risk. “With more than 50 years of combined experience working on the political economy of extractive industries in conflict-affected areas, we can follow supply chains all the way to the source, up to farms and mine sites deep in the African bush or the rainforests of Latin America and Asia. While this is a new market for us, the principles are the same: verification of compliance through boots-on-the-ground, but now further enhanced through Changeblock’s technology stack.”

About Changeblock

Changeblock creates global markets that make the creation and trade of environmental assets for individuals, businesses, and governments easy, affordable, transparent, secure, and environmentally responsible. The company is led by professionals with deep expertise in technology and environmental credits with proven track record of building and delivering solutions that work in the real world, including members of the team that created the first carbon credit, and come from top global organisations.

About Martello Risk

Martello Risk is a business intelligence, litigation support and natural resource audit company that works with companies around the world to ensure supply-chain sustainability and help them meet their corporate social responsibility (CSR) targets. The organisation offers a wide range of services for investigations and audits, litigation support, reputation management, due diligence, and regulatory compliance. Martello Risk is based in the UK and is privately held.