The IUCN UK Peatland Programme is delighted to announce that Soil Association Certification Ltd and SRUC have successfully achieved UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17029:2019, ISO 14065:2020, ISO 14064-3:2019 and ISO 14066:2023.SRUC (Previously SAC Consulting Ltd)
This accreditation covers the validation of Peatland Code Project Plan and Restoration Validation assessments, marking a significant milestone in the continued development and assurance of the Peatland Code.
The achievement demonstrates Soil Association Certification's and SRUC (Previously SAC Consulting Ltd) competence in delivering independent, robust and internationally recognised validation services. As the Peatland Code continues to grow, maintaining the highest standards of quality assurance, transparency and integrity remains fundamental to ensuring confidence among project developers, investors and the wider nature markets.
Soil Association Certification commented:
"This is a fantastic milestone for Soil Association Certification to have become one of the first Validation and Verification Bodies to receive accreditation for Peatland Code validation activities. Our accreditation demonstrates our commitment to providing rigorous and trusted validation services for projects that are restoring nature and delivering vital climate and biodiversity benefits."
The accreditation represents another important step in strengthening the integrity of the Peatland Code and reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that peatland restoration projects are assessed against rigorous and credible standards.
Garance Wood-Moulin, Peatland Code Development Lead at the IUCN UK Peatland Programme, said:
"I am delighted to see both validators achieve this important accreditation. Independent, accredited validation provides confidence in the robustness of the Peatland Code and supports our ongoing commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and assurance”
Following the successful accreditation decision, SRUC is now able to resume full validation activities under the Peatland Code and open to accepting new applications. This increases capacity within the validation system and provides additional choice for projects seeking independent validation against the Peatland Code requirements.
The IUCN UK Peatland Programme's Peatland Code team will continue to work closely with Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G) as they progress through their accreditation application. Alongside this, the next phase of development will focus on extending accreditation to cover verification activities, further enhancing the robustness, transparency and credibility of Peatland Code projects.
