OOF™ Origin Open Foundation™

Independent Methodological Authority

OriginID: OOF-OID-ENV-CI-2026-02-24-0002
Category: Environmental Integrity Standards (ENV)
Subcategory: Carbon Integrity™
Version: 1.0
Status: Canonical · Open Standard
Effective Date: 24 February 2026

Authority: OOF™ Origin Open Foundation™
Protection: MIP™ — Methodological Intellectual Property
Canonical Language: English

A. Standard Abstract

The Carbon Integrity™ Standard defines structural transparency
conditions required for any carbon-related claim, disclosure, or
sustainability positioning made by an organization, product, or production
system.

The standard establishes a transparency baseline for carbon
communication.

It does not calculate emissions.
It does not certify carbon neutrality.
It does not replace international carbon accounting frameworks.

Carbon Integrity™ introduces structural accountability for carbon-related
disclosure.

B. Canonical Definition

Carbon Integrity™ is the structural transparency condition in which the
operational boundary of a carbon-related claim, the status of carbon
information, and the responsible entity are clearly disclosed within public
communication.

Carbon Integrity™ establishes integrity of disclosure rather than
verification of emission quantities.

C. Structural Base

This standard is based on the following principles:

• Transparency Before Certification Principle
• Claim Boundary Clarity
• Measurement Status Disclosure
• Responsibility Attribution
• Non-Substitution of Regulatory Authority

Carbon Integrity™ ensures that carbon-related statements cannot exist
without structural disclosure context.

D. Scope

This standard applies to carbon-related communication including:

• product-level carbon statements
• production-related emission communication
• sustainability positioning by organizations
• supply chain carbon transparency communication

This standard does not replace:

• ISO carbon standards
• GHG Protocol accounting systems
• national emission reporting frameworks
• carbon credit certification schemes

Carbon Integrity™ operates as a transparency layer rather than a
measurement methodology.

E. Structural Transparency Conditions

Entities referencing the Carbon Integrity™ Standard must maintain
transparent disclosure of the following structural elements.

1. Boundary Definition

The operational boundary of any carbon-related statement must be clearly
defined.

Examples may include:

• production site only
• production and packaging
• production and distribution
• full operational footprint

Undefined or ambiguous boundaries invalidate carbon-related claims.

2. Measurement Status Transparency

The entity must disclose the status of carbon-related information.

Possible status declarations include:

• independently verified data
• internally calculated data
• estimated information
• not formally measured

Absence of measurement must not be concealed.

3. Offset Transparency (If Applicable)

If carbon offsets are used, the entity should disclose:

• type of offset
• verification status
• application year

Offset usage must not be implied when offsets are not applied.

4. Responsibility Attribution

A responsible entity must acknowledge accountability for the disclosed
carbon-related information.

Carbon Integrity™ requires visible responsibility assignment for any public
claim.

F. Compatibility

ACarbon Integrity™ operates within the Environmental Integrity
Standards architecture and may function alongside other environmental
transparency standards including:

• Soil Integrity™ Standard
• Water Integrity™ Standard
• Origin Eco™ Standard

It may also operate alongside ESG reporting structures and sustainability
disclosures.

H. Licensing & Usage

Reference use of this standard is permitted.

Implementation of Soil Integrity™ within structured commercial
ecosystems may require authorization under MIP™ Methodological
Intellectual Property.

Canonical Closing Statement

Carbon credibility begins with structural transparency.

Carbon Integrity™

Minimal Self-Declaration Framework

This framework provides a simple method for applying the Carbon
Integrity™ Standard through transparent disclosure of carbon-related
operational information.

It is designed for immediate use by small and medium-sized organizations.

This framework is not a certification.
It does not calculate emissions.
It establishes structural transparency for carbon communication.

Implementation Steps

Step 1 — Define the Operational Boundary

Clearly define what the carbon-related statement covers. Examples:

• Production site only
• Production and packaging
• Production, packaging, and transport
• Full operational footprint
• Other clearly defined scope

If the boundary is unclear, the declaration is invalid.

Step 2 — Disclose Energy Use

Declare the primary energy source used in operations.

Examples:

• Grid electricity
• Renewable energy
• Mixed energy sources
• Other defined source

If known, the organization may also disclose approximate annual
consumption or renewable share.

If information is not measured, declare:

“Energy data currently not measured.”

Transparency is more important than precision.

Step 3 — Disclose Transport Conditions

Declare the main transport method used for distribution.

Examples:

• Truck
• Rail
• Ship
• Air
• Mixed transport methods

If approximate distribution distance is known, it may be disclosed.

Unknown information must not be presented as verified data.

Step 4 — Disclose Material Inputs

Declare primary raw materials and packaging types used in production.

Examples:

• main material categories
• packaging type
• recycled material share (if applicable)

Absence of recycled material must not be concealed.

Step 5 — Declare Information Source

State how the disclosed information was obtained.

Examples:

• utility bills
• supplier documentation
• direct operational measurement
• internal operational estimation

Assumptions must be clearly declared.

Step 6 — Responsibility Declaration

A public responsibility statement must be issued.

Example declaration: “This Carbon Integrity™ Minimal Self-Declaration is made under the
Carbon Integrity™ Standard. The declaring entity accepts responsibility for
the transparency and accuracy of the disclosed information.” The declaration should include:

• responsible person or organization
• declaration date
• public contact reference

The declaration may be published:

• on a website
• in sustainability documentation
• in product information
• via QR code reference

Documentation Requirements

Implementation requires only:

• one operational boundary description
• one disclosure sheet covering energy, transport, and materials
• one public responsibility declaration

No certification required.
No external audit required under the minimal implementation level.

Structural Value

Carbon Integrity™ transforms:

unclear carbon communication
into
structured transparency and accountability:

This strengthens:

• credibility of sustainability communication
• protection against greenwashing risk
• supply chain transparency
• readiness for future carbon reporting requirements

Closing Principle

Responsible carbon communication begins with transparent disclosure.

About Carbon Integrity™

Carbon communication has become common across industries.
Companies speak about carbon footprint, sustainability, climate
responsibility, and net-zero ambitions.

Yet many carbon-related claims suffer from a structural problem:

• unclear scope
• undefined measurement status
• selective disclosure
• no visible responsibility

As a result, carbon communication often becomes confusing, inconsistent,
and vulnerable to accusations of greenwashing.

Carbon Integrity™ introduces a simple structural discipline.

If an organization makes a carbon-related claim, the claim must exist
within a transparent disclosure structure.

Canonical Definition

Carbon Integrity™ is the structural transparency condition in which the
operational boundary of a carbon-related claim, the measurement status of
carbon information, and the responsible entity are clearly disclosed.

The standard defines integrity of disclosure, not verification of emission
quantities.

What Carbon Integrity™ Is

Carbon Integrity™ is a transparency standard designed to make carbon
communication accountable.

It requires that any carbon-related statement includes:

• a clearly defined operational boundary
• disclosure of measurement status
• transparent responsibility assignment

This transforms carbon communication from vague sustainability
messaging into structured disclosure.

What Carbon Integrity™ Is Not

Carbon Integrity™ is not:

• a carbon neutrality certification
• an emissions calculation system
• a carbon credit verification scheme
• a regulatory carbon reporting framework

The standard does not calculate emissions and does not certify
environmental performance.

Its role is to ensure that carbon-related claims are structurally
transparent.

Why Carbon Integrity™ Matters

Many sustainability communications fail not because organizations
intentionally mislead, but because carbon information lacks structure.

Common issues include:

• claims without defined boundaries
• data presented without measurement context
• offsets mentioned without explanation
• statements without responsible ownership

Without structural disclosure, carbon communication becomes difficult to interpret.

• chemical accumulation
• degraded crop quality
• ecosystem damage
• long-term productivity loss

Carbon Integrity™ introduces a simple rule:

Every carbon claim must have a visible structure.

Transparency Before Certification

Carbon certification systems often require:

• complex accounting models
• external verification
• expensive consulting

These systems can be valuable but are not accessible to all organizations.

Carbon Integrity™ introduces a more accessible first step.

Before certification, there must be transparency.

Transparency allows carbon communication to be interpretable, comparable, and accountable.

Position in Environmental
Integrity Standards

Carbon Integrity™ operates as the carbon transparency layer within the
Environmental Integrity Standards architecture.

It may function independently or alongside:

• Soil Integrity™
• Water Integrity™
• Origin Eco™

Together, these standards establish structural transparency across
environmental inputs and environmental claims.

Use Case 1

Small Producer Communicating Responsible
Energy Use

A small food or herbal producer uses renewable electricity and local
distribution but cannot afford formal carbon certification.

Without structure, the producer can only say vague statements such as:

“environmentally friendly production”.

Under Carbon Integrity™, the producer publishes a structured declaration:

• production boundary defined
• energy source disclosed
• transport method disclosed
• measurement status declared
• responsibility assigned publicly

Result:

• transparent communication without exaggerated claims
• reduced risk of greenwashing accusations
• stronger trust with customers and partners
• credibility without certification costs

Carbon Integrity™ provides a disciplined way for small producers to
communicate responsibly.

Use Case 2

Growing Company Strengthening
Sustainability Communication

A mid-sized company communicates sustainability commitments but faces
increasing scrutiny from investors, partners, and regulators.

Without structural disclosure, carbon-related statements may appear
incomplete or ambiguous.

By implementing Carbon Integrity™, the company ensures:

• every carbon-related claim has a defined operational boundary
• measurement status is clearly disclosed
• offsets are transparently described if used
• responsibility for the information is publicly assigned

Result:

• reduced reputational risk
• improved credibility with investors and stakeholders
• clearer sustainability communication
• a structural foundation for future formal carbon reporting

Transparency becomes a strategic advantage.

Closing Perspective

Carbon communication does not require perfection.

It requires clarity.

Carbon Integrity™ transforms carbon claims from vague positioning
into accountable disclosure.