Overview
This page provides a summary of the Climate and Sustainability Standard. The full implementation document — including indicators, audit requirements, and MRV specifications — is available on request.
Developed by
AFMA (intergovernmental) × GreenFinanceCalculator (digital)
Scope
Producers, processors, buyers, banks, certification bodies
Version
CSS V3.2
Standard Structure
CSS is organized into four parts, from principles to implementation and market integration.
Principles & Core Requirements
7 principles
Human rights, environment, climate, water, regenerative, traceability
Operational Criteria
Sector-agnostic base requirements
Supply chain & CoC
Data capture templates
Verification & MRV
Evidence, records, traceability
Platform-based submission (GFC)
External verification ready
Finance & Market Linkages
Use by banks, buyers, export programs
Net Zero Accelerator
Continuous monitoring
The 7 Principles of CSS
Each principle is supported by specific criteria, indicators, and verification requirements detailed in the full standard.
Human Rights & Responsible Labour
Biodiversity, Environmental Management & Ecosystem Services
Pollution & Waste / Circularity
GHG & Energy Management
Sustainable Water Management
Regenerative Agriculture & Sustainable Practices
Traceability & Chain of Custody
Full indicators, thresholds, and audit evidence lists are provided only to registered organizations, auditors, and partners.
SDG Alignment
CSS embeds SDGs at principle level so that data can be trusted across multiple industries.
Request the Full CSS Document
Share your details and the Secretariat will send you the current version and updates.
Integration with GFC Platform
CSS is implementable digitally through the GreenFinanceCalculator (GFC) platform. Data is captured once and reused for multiple standards, eliminating the need for duplicate reporting across multiple standards as well.
Supply-chain participants can be invited to complete their part of the assessment, enabling end-to-end traceability from producers to buyers. This integrated approach ensures that banks and buyers can trust the data, as it flows through a verified chain of custody.
The platform enables continuous monitoring, automatic updates, and real-time dashboards for sustainability performance — transforming CSS from a compliance exercise into a strategic management tool.