Carbon Standards International and the Many Faces of Carbon Removal
From Sports Gear to Housing: The Rise of Verified Carbon Sinks
The voluntary carbon removal market is rapidly evolving, with biochar-based sinks certified under Carbon Standards International (CSI) making their way into both high-performance consumer products and large-scale infrastructure projects. These sinks are listed and verified through the Global C-Sink Registry, which is endorsed by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) - a testament to their credibility in the voluntary carbon market.
Performance Innovation: Biochar in Sports Equipment
A compelling example of innovation comes from the Swiss snowboard manufacturer Oxess, which collaborates with the Ithaka Institute to integrate biochar nano-carbon into its high-end boards. Marketed under the “Global C-Sink Sports” label, these snowboards combine top-tier technical features - reduced vibration, enhanced strength, and better rebound - with climate responsibility. By embedding biochar and offsetting emissions with according to CSI standards-certified carbon sinks, Oxess demonstrates how high-performance gear can also be climate-positive.
Climate-Positive Construction at Scale
At the infrastructure level, Global Construction C-Sink is leading efforts to embed carbon sinks into the built environment. Backed by a 20 million Swiss franc investment, Openly AG is developing 300 homes that integrate carbon sinks certified according to CSI Standards directly into building materials. This project not only locks away carbon for the long term but also signals a shift toward construction practices that merge sustainability and climate action.
Corporate Adoption Signals Market Maturity
Alongside pilot applications, corporate participation in according to CSI standards-certified credits is taking shape. A growing number of global companies are sourcing those carbon credits, as listed in the Global C-Sink Registry. Early adopters include Swiss Re, Shopify, Atlassian, Banque Pictet, Woolgate Exchange Unit Trust, Celonis, Arup Group, Storebrand, Zooplus SE, and others. These early commitments by major institutions demonstrate that adoption is moving beyond isolated transactions and highlight the crucial role of pioneering companies in scaling high-integrity carbon removal markets.
A Broader Picture of Carbon Removal
Together, these developments illustrate how CSI’s framework is enabling a diversified, credible, and scalable carbon removal ecosystem:
- Carbon positive performance gear with biochar (e.g. Oxess snowboards).
- Carbon-sequestering infrastructure at scale (Global Construction C-Sink).
- Market credibility through early institutional buyers (e.g. Swiss Re and others).