Peatland Code
Two Peatland Code validators gain UKAS accreditation
On 15 October the IUCN UK Peatland Programme announced that Soil Association Certification and SRUC have achieved UKAS accreditation for Peatland Code validation. SRUC can now resume full validation work and take new applications.
What was announced
Soil Association Certification Ltd and SRUC (previously SAC Consulting Ltd) have been accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service against ISO/IEC 17029:2019, ISO 14065:2020, ISO 14064-3:2019 and ISO 14066:2023. The accreditation covers the two validation stages of the Peatland Code: Project Plan Validation, which ideally takes place before restoration begins, and Restoration Validation.
The Programme says that SRUC is now able to resume full validation activities and accept new applications, which adds capacity and gives projects more choice of validator. A third body, Organic Farmers & Growers, is still working through its accreditation application. The next phase will extend accreditation to verification.
Context
The Programme's own statistics, correct as of 14 October 2026, show 430 registered Peatland Code projects covering 61,142 hectares, with 12.9 million tCO₂e of projected emission reductions. Of these, only 2 projects have been verified. Around 30,281 hectares are at Project Plan Validation and about 16,139 hectares at Restoration Validation.
Sources
- IUCN UK Peatland Programme, UKAS Accreditation News (15 October 2026)
- IUCN UK Peatland Programme, Peatland Code Project Stats (correct as of 14 October 2026)
All sources were opened and checked on the date of publication. Summaries are our own words.