Citizen Capital divests SustainCERT to TÜV SÜD

SustainCERT joins TÜV SÜD to accelerate digital carbon verification worldwide

Luxembourg, July 23, 2026 – SustainCERT today announced its acquisition by TÜV SÜD, one of the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification companies. The acquisition marks a major milestone in SustainCERT’s mission: scaling digital verification and accelerating credible climate action, across both carbon markets and corporate value chains.

By combining SustainCERT’s pioneering digital verification platform with TÜV SÜD’s global assurance expertise, extensive auditor network and international client base, the two teams are ideally positioned to deliver the next generation of digital verification services at global scale.

Scaling digital verification for a fast-growing market

Carbon markets are entering a new phase of growth, as governments and companies increasingly rely on high-quality carbon credits to meet their climate targets. At the same time, demand is rising for faster, more transparent and more scalable verification. Capturing this opportunity requires both technological leadership and global execution capacity.

SustainCERT is at the forefront of this transformation. As an accredited validation and verification body (VVB), the company pioneered dMRV technologies and recently completed the sector’s first digital MRV pilot project for renewable energy projects under the Verra standard, enabling high-frequency credit issuance through automated data collection and digital workflows.

« Digital leadership combined with global scale is essential to open the next chapter of climate verification », says Marion Verles, CEO of SustainCERT. « Over the past decade, we built the sector’s first end-to-end digital verification platform and helped shape the future of digital monitoring, reporting and verification. By joining forces with TÜV SÜD, we now have the reach, expertise and resources to bring this vision to clients around the world. »

« Carbon markets are moving toward a globally regulated system, with growing demand for high-quality, verified emission reductions », says Dr Céline Bilolo, Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of the Sustainability unit at TÜV SÜD. « With more than two decades of experience verifying emissions across both regulated and voluntary markets, TÜV SÜD brings deep assurance expertise. SustainCERT complements this with a unique combination of accredited verification capabilities and advanced digital MRV technology. Together, we are expanding our ability to deliver reliable, scalable verification services to clients worldwide. »

Extending digital innovation beyond carbon markets

Beyond its leadership in carbon markets, SustainCERT has played a pioneering role in helping companies decarbonize their value chains.

The company developed some of the first verification rules and requirements for value chain interventions, as well as the sector’s first Carbon Management Platform, enabling companies to manage value-chain-linked market instruments for Scope 3 decarbonization.

SustainCERT also founded the Value Change Initiative, a collaborative forum bringing together more than 120 companies, NGOs and standard-setting bodies to develop practical guidance for credible Scope 3 value chain accounting, reporting and decarbonization.

These capabilities complement TÜV SÜD’s broad portfolio of sustainability assurance services, strengthening its ability to support clients across the full spectrum of climate action, from carbon project verification to corporate value chain decarbonization.

A shared vision for the future

The acquisition brings together complementary strengths: SustainCERT’s digital innovation and climate expertise, and TÜV SÜD’s global footprint, technical capabilities and leadership in testing, inspection and certification.

Together, the two companies will accelerate the adoption of digital verification by delivering:

• more frequent, more predictable verification through automated digital workflows ;
• greater transparency and traceability across carbon projects and climate data ;
• improved scalability through AI-assisted verification technologies and consistent assurance at global scale ;
• expanded support for corporate value chain decarbonization, helping companies implement credible Scope 3 climate strategies alongside their participation in carbon markets.

By combining digital innovation with global assurance expertise, the organization will offer a new generation of digital verification services that improve efficiency, strengthen consistency and transparency, and support the continued growth and integrity of carbon markets.

By pairing cutting-edge technology with unmatched operational scale, the two companies are ideally placed to transform verification from a largely manual process into a data-driven digital service capable of keeping pace with growing demand for climate action.

Within TÜV SÜD’s Sustainability unit, SustainCERT will continue investing in digital innovation while expanding its platform’s global reach, helping clients navigate increasingly complex climate requirements with greater confidence, efficiency and reliability.

About SustainCERT

Founded in 2018, SustainCERT is an independent validation and verification body (VVB) for climate impact. The company is now a global leader in climate impact verification, offering technology solutions that ensure the credibility of climate action worldwide. SustainCERT specializes in verification services for carbon markets and Scope 3 decarbonization initiatives. By combining deep climate expertise with advanced digital solutions, the company drives greater transparency, accountability and trust in environmental markets, enabling organizations and project developers to scale their climate impact while upholding the highest integrity standards.

About TÜV SÜD

Founded in 1866 as a steam boiler inspection association, the TÜV SÜD Group has grown into a global company. More than 30,000 employees work across over 1,000 locations in around fifty countries to continuously improve technologies, systems and skills. They play a significant role in making technical innovations such as Industry 4.0, autonomous driving and renewable energy safe and reliable. tuvsud.com