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 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 (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 Technical Advisory Committee
Members of the Governing Board
Members of the Executive Team
Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs)
Members of the Secretariat
Members of the Climate 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.
Technical Advisory Committee
The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is a consultative body of sectoral experts. It supports the scientific integrity of the Rainbow Standard by:
Reviewing methodologies and revisions
Supporting project-specific technical evaluations
Conducting applied research relevant to Rainbow sectors
The TAC is nominated by the Executive Team and approved by the SAB. While it holds no decision-making power, its input is foundational to SAB decisions on technical issues.
Further details are available in the Terms of Reference – Technical Advisory Committee.
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
Board 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.
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 TAC and 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 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
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 TAC
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.
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