THE PROGRAMME
The PPCN is a country-wide voluntary mechanism that allows organizations, products and communities to measure their carbon inventories, demonstrate emission reductions and achieve verifiable carbon neutrality. This program belongs to the Climate Change Directorate (DCC) of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE).
The Program was created in 2012 with one category for Organizations. That year, two pioneering companies joined that category and reached carbon neutrality by reducing and compensating all their emissions. In 2017, PPCN was relaunched with a five-step award system that allows organizations to progress on their decarbonization efforts. Currently, over 150 organizations participate in the program.
Following the success of its first category (Organizations) the PPCN broadened its scope and now includes recognition for Communities, Products, Events (as a subcategory within Products) and Educational Institutions (as a subcategory within Organizations).
For more information please visit the PPCN website.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE PPCN’S AWARD SYSTEM
The PPCN is built around a five-step award system that rewards low-carbon actions, along with an official and public acknowledgement of them. Citizens, consumers and other organizations can clearly identify those organizations and communities taking action, as the system has five symbols that can be publicly displayed.
The award system outlines the stages a product, organization or community must follow to reach carbon neutrality. This system allows for a clear pathway towards decarbonization, including two Plus categories that acknowledge outstanding efforts.
This system allows each participating organization or community the chance to contribute according to their respective circumstances and capacities, while also setting them on a clear path of self-improvement.
