An event with hosted with VNV, Making Social Impact Count, explored a question becoming increasingly important across voluntary carbon markets: if livelihoods, gender inclusion and community resilience matter, how do we measure them consistently, value them appropriately, and integrate them into procurement decisions?
Bringing together perspectives from across the ecosystem, Jeannette Gurung (WOCAN), Jodi Manning (Cool Effect), Estherine Fotabong (AUDA-NEPAD) and Sandeep Roy Choudhury (VNV) examined how social impact can move beyond being treated as a co-benefit and become a defining characteristic of high-integrity climate projects.
The discussion called for more consistent approaches to measuring social outcomes, greater transparency for buyers, and stronger recognition of the long-term value that climate projects create for people and communities.