For Buyers, Carbon Credits Move From Compliance Cost to Investment
Climate Impact Partners research finds most carbon credit buyers report business returns as quality outweighs price.
Carbon credits are shifting from a compliance cost to a business investment, according to new research from Climate Impact Partners . A survey of 600 senior decision-makers across the UK and US found that purchasing decisions now sit higher within organisations and increasingly reflect commercial priorities.
Business meeting with a new client focused on cooperation terms and the company’s climate initiatives related to carbon credits. AI generated picture.
Board-level engagement underlines the shift. An average of 2.4 internal stakeholders now take part in each purchasing decision. CEOs are involved in 43% of cases, board participation rises from 22% among non-buyers to 40% among current buyers, and CFO involvement increases from 22% to 32%.
Returns extend beyond environmental performance. Among current buyers, 90% report that credits delivered against their organisation’s aims over the past 12 months. Respondents link their purchases to increased brand trust (38%), revenue growth (37%), stronger brand reputation (36%), and customer acquisition (35%). The pattern suggests buyers now measure credits against commercial performance as much as compliance.
Quality has become the deciding factor. Among current buyers, 84% say quality matters more than price, and only 7% rank price above quality. More than four in five (81%) of those who buy credits, or plan to, describe them as important or critical to meeting organisational climate goals.
Sheri Hickok, CEO of Climate Impact Partners, said: “The market has matured to support that confidence. Clear frameworks and rigorous verification now exist to prove what a high-quality credit is, so businesses no longer need to define this individually.”
The research was conducted by Opinion Matters between 8 and 20 July 2026, among decision-makers at organisations with at least 1,000 employees or annual revenue above $100 million (£75 million). Its findings point to steady demand for high-quality, verifiable carbon credits as corporate buyers formalise their approach to the market.
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