Agricultural holding Kernel has undergone a field audit by international organization Verra, which administers the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), one of the world's leading carbon project certification programs.
The audit was conducted as part of an agricultural emissions reduction project that the company is implementing jointly with Sentinel Earth across 15,000 hectares in the Chernihiv region, the company's press service said.
"It's important for us to prove that emissions reductions in agriculture can be accurately measured and verified. Kernel is implementing these practices itself on its own fields, so we are responsible both for the results and for the quality of the data. In the future, this experience will open the way for other Ukrainian agricultural producers to attract international climate investment," said Marta Trofimova, the company's head of sustainability.
An independent Verra auditor visited 11 fields of the Druzhba-Nova cluster in the Chernihiv region, where he checked the application of climate practices directly in the field.
During the audit, the expert interviewed the agronomy team and management of Druzhba-Nova, assessed cultivation technologies, the data collection and accounting system, laboratory operations and agronomic controls. Following the inspection, he noted the high level of project management and the accuracy of field analytics on which the calculation of carbon accumulation is based.
The project was also included in an assessment by international carbon-market ratings company Sylvera in the pre-issuance category, which involves evaluating a project before the first certificates are issued.
Kernel is implementing the project jointly with its partner, international company Sentinel Earth, changing certain land cultivation practices to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration in the soil.
A final decision on validation and registration of the project with Verra is expected in January. After that, Kernel will be entitled to issue verified carbon certificates in accordance with international standards.
Agricultural holding Kernel is the world's largest producer and exporter of sunflower oil, Ukraine's largest grain exporter, an operator of an extensive network of logistics assets and a leading producer of grains and oilseeds in Ukraine. It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. The company grows agricultural products and sells them.
For the first nine months of fiscal year 2026 (since July 1, 2025), Kernel reduced net profit by 5%, to $208 million, increased revenue by 0.4%, to $3.092 billion, and EBITDA by 1%, to $403 million.
