# Governance and oversight Rainbow is the registered trademark of the carbon crediting standard and platform operated by the French company Riverse SAS (SIREN: 908 082 332), headquartered at 28 Avenue des Pépinières, 94260 Fresnes, France. Throughout this documentation, “Rainbow” refers to the programs, platforms, and operations developed and managed by Riverse SAS under this trademark. See the [Governance and integrity](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity) section for more Rainbow policies related to governance. ## Conflict of interest All individuals or entities involved in Rainbow’s certification or governance activities shall sign and adhere to the Rainbow [Conflict of Interest Policy](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity/conflict-of-interest-policy) (COI Policy). The COI policy outlines the procedures to identify, declare, and manage potential or actual conflicts of interest across the Rainbow ecosystem. The following stakeholders are explicitly bound by the Conflict of Interest Policy, and are detailed in sections below: * Members of the Standard Advisory Board * Members of the Expert Community * Members of the Governing Board * Members of the Executive Team * Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) * Members of the Secretariat * Members of the Science, Certification, Product & Tech, and Partnerships teams * Other contractors involved in any Rainbow certification or registry procedure. ## Main stakeholders ### Standard Advisory Board The **Standard Advisory Board (SAB)** is an independent governing body overseeing the Rainbow Standard. It is responsible for ensuring that Rainbow’s activities remain aligned with the organization’s foundational mission. Its responsibilities include: * Endorsing or rejecting proposed changes to the Rainbow Standard Rules, Procedures Manual, and Registry Procedures * Providing strategic guidance to ensure alignment with international integrity frameworks * Advising the Executive Team on regulatory trends and stakeholder expectations Only SAB members can vote in SAB decisions. A simple majority is required, with the Chair casting the deciding vote in case of a tie. The SAB is self-renewing and composed of independent experts. Appointments are made by the Executive Team and approved by sitting members. Further details are available in the [Terms of Reference – Standard Advisory Board](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity/terms-of-reference-standard-advisory-board). ### Expert Community The **Expert Community** is a standing pool of sectoral experts that supports the scientific integrity of the Rainbow Standard. Experts are engaged on an ad hoc basis and may be convened into dedicated working groups to: * Review methodologies and revisions * Support project-specific technical evaluations * Conduct applied research relevant to Rainbow sectors Members of the Expert Community are appointed by the Rainbow Science Team. While the Community holds no decision-making authority, its technical input is foundational to scientific and technical decision making at Rainbow. Further details are available in the [Terms of Reference – Expert Community](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity/terms-of-reference-expert-community). ### Governing Board The Governing Board is Rainbow’s fiduciary body, established under the bylaws of Riverse SAS. It is responsible for ensuring Rainbow’s financial sustainability, operational continuity, compliance with internal policies, and alignment with its mission as a *société à mission*. The Governing Board shall: * Provide oversight of Rainbow’s financials, risk exposure, and continuity planning * Review and monitor internal integrity policies and processes * Offer strategic guidance and evaluate organizational performance against mission objectives appBoard members are appointed by Rainbow shareholders and include at least one independent member. Meetings are held at least quarterly. Members adhere to Rainbow’s Conflict of Interest Policy and may be supported by external advisors when needed. Further details are available in the [Terms of Reference — Governing Board](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity/terms-of-reference-governing-board). ### Executive Team The Executive Team leads Rainbow’s day-to-day operations and long-term strategic execution. Their responsibilities include: * Overseeing the operations and implementation of the Standard * Making decisions by majority vote within the team * Appointing members to the SAB * Ensuring financial sustainability and legal compliance The Executive Team is appointed collectively by the shareholders of Riverse SAS in accordance with the statutes. ### Validation and verification bodies Validation and verification bodies (VVBs) conduct audits on project activities, assessing their conformity with the Rainbow Standard Rules, the procedures outlined in the present document, and the applicable methodology. Further details on VVB accreditation and responsibilities are outlined in the [VVB requirements](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/procedures-manual/vvb-requirements) section. ### Secretariat The **Secretariat** coordinates governance processes and cross-team communication. Its main tasks include: * Preparing and consolidating proposed changes to Rainbow Standard documentation * Facilitating information flow between teams and the SAB * Organizing public consultations and managing stakeholder feedback * Organizing the Rainbow [Annual Report](#rainbow-annual-report) * Oversight of VVBs including managing accreditation applications, performance reviews and sanctions. ### Science Team The **Science Team** oversees the environmental and scientific rigor of Rainbow’s methodologies. Key responsibilities include: * Developing and revising methodologies * Monitoring scientific developments and references * Coordinating with the STEC * Providing training and guidance to VVBs and the Certification Team ### Certification team The **Certification Team** ensures transparent and accurate project assessments. Its responsibilities include: * Supporting Project Developers throughout certification * Reviewing Project Documentation and VVB audit reports * Providing feedback on VVB performance and compliance * Managing the Rainbow Registry, including credit issuance and retirement ### Product & Tech Team The **Product & Tech Team** develops and maintains the digital platform that supports the Rainbow Standard’s implementation. This includes: * The Rainbow Registry, which ensures the traceability, issuance, and retirement of Rainbow Carbon Credits. * The Certification Platform, used by Project Developers and VVBs to manage certification workflows. * APIs and data pipelines to enable interoperability and transparency. ### Partnerships Team The **Partnerships Team** supports Rainbow’s growth and credibility by managing stakeholder relationships and advancing market engagement. The team’s work includes: * Developing and maintaining relationships with carbon credit resellers and project developers. * Representing Rainbow at events. * Communicating around Rainbow’s methodologies, programs, and mission. ## Rainbow Annual Report The Rainbow Secretariat shall publish an **Annual Report about the operation of the Rainbow Standard**, by April 30th each year, covering activities from the previous calendar year. The required minimum contents of the report are listed below. This report shall be made publicly available on the Rainbow website, with previous reports archived on the documentation hub.
Minimum requirements for the Rainbow Annual Report The Annual Report shall contain the following minimum information: * List of **major and critical** [**non-conformities**](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/project-certification-procedure#non-conformities) by Project Developers and VVBs, detailing the projects and monitoring periods concerned, the nature of the non-conformity and the outcome * the number and description of cases where fraud has been identified including an action plan for how to solve any complaint raised or non-conformity identified * Overview of **trainings, technical workshops, resources, or initiatives Rainbow provided to VVBs,** to improve the overall certification process; improve the qualification and independence of VVBs; and facilitate the exchange of experience, knowledge and best practices. * Overview of the **stakeholder involvement in decision-making** and Rainbow's response to their contributions * Summary of **complaints received and any remedial measures** or changes to the governance system necessary as part of the internal monitoring * Criteria and process for the **approval of VVBs**.
## Documentation management system Rainbow shall manage key governance, oversight, and certification documents in a transparent, accessible and durable manner. **General program documents**, manuals, requirements, and policies shall be made publicly available on this documentation hub, available at [docs.rainbowstandard.io](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/). **Certification documents** and records are stored in the Rainbow Certification Platform and on the registry. Their accessibility is described in the [Project documentation](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/registry-requirements#project-documentation) page. The **Rainbow Annual Report** describes Rainbow's operations including but not limited to non-conformities by Project Developers and VVBs, trainings, and complaints. This report shall be made publicly available on this documentation hub in the [administrative-oversight](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/administrative-oversight "mention")section. More details are in the [Rainbow Annual Report](#rainbow-annual-report) section. * The Rainbow Annual Report summarizes any **VVB non-conformities and sanctions**. Additionality, VVB sanction reports will be made publicly available at the time of sanctioning, according to the [VVB Sanctions](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/vvb-requirements#vvb-sanctions) requirements. * The Rainbow Annual Report summarizes any **complaints** received from any stakeholder and remedial measures taken. The original complaints received shall be kept confidential and saved by the Rainbow team in a confidential repository, following the [complaints-and-appeals-policy](https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/other/governance-and-integrity/complaints-and-appeals-policy "mention"). All documents listed above shall be kept for at least 5 years after the end of the monitoring period. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/rainbow-standard-documents/procedures-manual/governance-and-oversight.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.