Center for Green Market Activation

What Center for Green Market Activation does

Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded June 12, 2024 that orchestrates book-and-claim systems and collaborative procurement to accelerate demand for low-carbon fuels and materials in hard-to-abate sectors. GMA operates sector-specific programs covering aviation (SABA), maritime (ZEMBA), heavy-duty trucking (GMA Trucking), cement and concrete (SCoBA), and chemicals (GMA Chemicals), with stated intent to extend into agriculture. Its underlying technology stack is the AIM Platform, a Version 1 of which was released April 14, 2026, intended to provide shared infrastructure for tracking and accounting across these procurement workflows. Membership is free and GMA does not charge transaction fees; participants join buyers' alliances and commit to procurement through pilot RFPs. Named participant buyers include Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Meta, Apple, Netflix, Schneider Electric, PepsiCo, and REI Co-op.

GMA's go-to-market model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Operations are funded by grants from Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Horizons, and Builders Vision, and the organization partners with RMI, EDF, Smart Freight Centre, Gold Standard, and C2ES to extend technical and standards capabilities. The team of 25+ is drawn from climate policy and NGO backgrounds, including former State Department climate negotiators and alumni of Ceres, WRI, and EDF. Because revenue is grant-funded rather than transaction-based, the financial unit economics that apply to commercial marketplaces do not directly apply; the relevant financial signal is grant inflows, which are not disclosed. The strategic significance of GMA is that it functions as a neutral convener attempting to solve the coordination problem that has historically prevented corporate buyers from issuing large-scale, credible off-take commitments for low-carbon inputs.

Name

Center for Green Market Activation

Legal name

Center for Green Market Activation

Website

https://gmacenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GMA is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs collaborative procurement and book-and-claim programs (SABA, ZEMBA, SCoBA, GMA Trucking, GMA Chemicals) and the AIM Platform to accelerate corporate demand for low-carbon fuels and materials in hard-to-abate sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decarbonization Services and Environmental Markets Facilitation

NAICS

Publishing Industries (513), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Audit-Ready Controls, Assurance & Compliance Workflow Tools (CSRD/SEC/ISSB) (EUABAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon Offtake Structuring & Contracting (ERPA, Long-term Offtakes, Price Floors) (EUABADAE), Enterprise Carbon Accounting & GHG Inventory Platforms (EUABAEAA), Environmental Aspects/Impacts Register & Legal Register Development (EUAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Book and claim systems
• Scope 3 decarbonization
• Buyers alliance procurement
• Environmental attribute certificates
• Low-carbon commodity procurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grants and Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, GMA is funded primarily through philanthropic grants and donations. Initial funding was received from the Bezos Earth Fund. Additional philanthropic support comes from Blue Horizons and Builders Vision.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GMA is a nonprofit that operates sector-specific buyers' alliances to aggregate corporate demand for low- and zero-carbon fuels, materials, and services in hard-to-abate sectors (aviation, maritime, heavy-duty trucking, cement and concrete, chemicals, agriculture). It facilitates multi-year offtake agreements and book-and-claim environmental attribute certificate (EAC) transactions that allow companies with Scope 3 targets to support low-carbon production regardless of geography, and it co-develops sector-specific frameworks and standards (e.g., the AIM Platform and the Cement and Concrete Book and Claim Framework) to ensure credible accounting and reporting.

Product overview

The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) is a nonprofit that operates as a cross-sector platform organizing buyers' alliances to accelerate decarbonization in hard-to-abate industries. The portfolio includes established programs (SABA for aviation, ZEMBA for maritime, GMA Trucking for heavy-duty trucking) and emerging programs (SCoBA for cement/concrete, GMA Chemicals, GMA Agriculture). GMA's core mechanism is the book-and-claim system, which separates environmental attribute certificates (EACs) from physical products, enabling companies to support low-carbon production even when physical delivery isn't possible. The AIM Platform provides the overarching standard for accounting and reporting these value chain interventions. The organization also develops sector-specific frameworks like the Cement and Concrete Book and Claim Framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AIM Platform: A partnership with C2ES and Gold Standard, the AIM Platform is focused on developing the definitive standard for accounting, claiming and reporting the impacts of value chain interventions towards corporate climate targets.

Products and services

• Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) A buyers' alliance for the aviation sector that aggregates corporate demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and enables procurement through book-and-claim environmental attribute certificates, allowing companies to address aviation-related Scope 3 emissions.
• Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) A buyers' alliance for maritime shipping decarbonization, enabling collective procurement of zero-emission maritime fuels through book-and-claim mechanisms for cargo owners and shipping buyers.
• GMA Trucking Heavy-duty trucking program that aggregates demand for zero-emission trucking services, enabling carriers to deploy battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell trucks through book-and-claim verified zero-emission trucking certificates via multi-year offtake agreements.
• Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA) A joint GMA and RMI initiative that pools demand for low-carbon cement and concrete and supports multi-year offtake agreements through book-and-claim environmental attribute certificates to accelerate decarbonization in the construction sector.
• GMA Chemicals Program developing demand aggregation and book-and-claim mechanisms for low-emissions chemicals production, including a pilot RFP for low-emission ethylene EACs, modeled on the SABA approach.
• GMA Agriculture (Low-Emission Fertilizer program) Emerging program area within GMA covering low-emission fertilizer and agricultural decarbonization, including a low-emission fertilizer program managed within the GMA portfolio.
• AIM Platform Standard and Guidance A partnership with C2ES and Gold Standard providing a standard for companies to evaluate, assess, and account for value chain decarbonization investments targeting Scope 3 emissions, with interoperability guidance being developed alongside SBTi.
• Cement and Concrete Book and Claim Framework Sector-specific guidance developed by GMA and RMI for applying book-and-claim systems to cement and concrete value chains, covering functional units, eligibility criteria, emissions intensity measurement methodology, EAC issuance, accounting approaches, and baselining.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 85,000 metric tons of CO2e abated annually through SCoBA's 250,000 ton low-carbon cement procurement
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMI is GMA's primary strategic partner for program development and implementation. Together they co-developed the Sustainable Concrete Buyers Alliance (SCoBA), the Cement & Concrete Book and Claim Framework, and the chemicals pilot procurement. RMI also designed and implemented the SAFc Registry for aviation (SABA) and operates registries for maritime. RMI brings deep technical expertise in clean energy and industrial decarbonization.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF partnered with GMA (then under RMI) to launch SABA (Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance) in 2021 alongside nearly 2 dozen major global corporations. EDF provides expertise in environmental markets, climate policy, and carbon markets, and continues as a key strategic partner.
• Smart Freight Centre (SFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Freight Centre is an international nonprofit focused on freight decarbonization. It formalized a strategic partnership with GMA Trucking to drive decarbonization of heavy-duty trucking using a book-and-claim system. SFC co-leads the Book and Claim Community secretariat alongside GMA.
• Gold StandardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Standard is a key partner in the AIM Platform, a partnership with GMA and C2ES focused on developing the definitive standard for accounting, claiming, and reporting impacts of value chain interventions towards corporate climate targets.
• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC2ES is a key partner in the AIM Platform alongside GMA and Gold Standard, focused on developing standards for corporate value chain decarbonization investments and Scope 3 emissions reductions.
• Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGMA provided technical support to ZEMBA's inaugural tender and continues to support ZEMBA operations. ZEMBA's President and CEO, Ingrid Irigoyen, serves on GMA's Board of Directors, creating close institutional ties between the organizations.
• Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGMA's team spearheaded the launch of SABA in 2021 in partnership with RMI and Environmental Defense Fund. SABA is now a flagship GMA program enabling procurement of SAF through book and claim, having mobilized 50 million gallons of SAF and $200M+ in private investment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• South Pole Group: South Pole is a major carbon project developer and climate solutions provider that helps corporates meet net-zero targets through advisory and carbon credit procurement. While commercial (not nonprofit), it serves the same buyer-side demand — large corporates with Scope 3 targets — as GMA's alliance members.
• Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA): CEBA is a member-led nonprofit accelerating the procurement of clean energy by corporate buyers through demand aggregation and best-practice sharing. While focused on clean electricity (not Scope 3 hard-to-abate sectors), its member-driven demand-aggregation model is directly comparable to GMA's buyers' alliance approach.

Direct peers

• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): EDF co-launched SABA with GMA in 2021 and remains a core strategic partner. EDF is a major environmental nonprofit with deep expertise in environmental markets, carbon markets, and climate policy — directly comparable to GMA's market-building and standards work across aviation and beyond.
• Gold Standard: Gold Standard is GMA's partner on the AIM Platform and operates one of the leading voluntary carbon market standards. Both develop the methodological infrastructure (standards, registries, claim frameworks) that underpins corporate environmental attribute claims — directly comparable mission and customer base.
• RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute): RMI is GMA's primary strategic partner and co-developer of SABA, ZEMBA, SCoBA, and the chemicals program, and operates the SAFc Registry and maritime registries. Both are nonprofit climate/energy organizations focused on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors through demand-side and market-based interventions, making them the closest direct peer in mission and operating model.
• First Movers Coalition: First Movers Coalition is a World Economic Forum initiative that aggregates corporate demand for low-carbon products in hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement, hydrogen, carbon removal). Like GMA, it uses demand aggregation to send market signals to producers — directly comparable buyer-alliance model.
• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES): C2ES co-develops the AIM Platform with GMA and Gold Standard. C2ES is a climate-policy nonprofit focused on helping companies set and operationalize science-based targets — directly comparable to GMA's role in enabling Scope 3 decarbonization for Fortune-grade buyers.
• Mission Possible Partnership: Mission Possible Partnership is an industry-led coalition focused on decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors (steel, cement, chemicals, aviation, shipping, trucking) within this decade. Like GMA, it aggregates corporate commitments and channels investment toward decarbonization suppliers — directly comparable mission and operating model.
• Smart Freight Centre: Smart Freight Centre formalized a strategic partnership with GMA Trucking and co-leads the Book and Claim Community secretariat. Both focus on freight/heavy-duty trucking decarbonization, comparable as sector-specific nonprofit coalitions developing book-and-claim systems for transport emissions.

Broad incumbents

• Verra: Verra operates the world's largest voluntary carbon market standards (VCS, Gold Standard-adjacent registries, etc.). It is a broader incumbent in environmental attribute certificate standards and competes/overlaps with GMA's book-and-claim frameworks, particularly around Scope 3 claims and EAC integrity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/gmacenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-green-market-activation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Green Market Activation