Association of Climate Change Officers

What Association of Climate Change Officers does

The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) is a U.S.-based nonprofit professional association founded in 2008 by Daniel Kreeger, who continues to serve as Executive Director. The organization administers the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) credential, which targets a specific integration gap in climate work: the ability to synthesize across climate science, regulatory frameworks, finance, governance, ethics, risk management, and adaptation planning — a competency that no single specialist role can fulfill alone. The CC-P® credential has 500+ holders across 18 countries as of 2026.

The core product portfolio centers on the CC-P® credential and includes self-study resources, training capabilities, a Core Competencies Framework, the Future CCOs Post-Graduate Climate Fellowship Program, and organizational membership packages. Supporting content products include ACCO Insights (editorial), ACCO Asked AI (weekly AI-agent comparison series), and the What Would a CC-P® Do? quiz series. The 2026 curriculum refresh (Version 2.0) and the Summer 2026 launch of a twelve-week CC-P® Cohort Study Program represent the most significant product updates. Distribution is primarily digital, through the climateofficers.org website and a member portal (acco.site-ym.com), supplemented by state-administered climate academies in Maryland and Pennsylvania and employer-sponsored cohorts.

The business model is subscription- and membership-based with four primary revenue streams: CC-P® credentialing fees, individual annual memberships, organizational/group packages for government and enterprise clients, and training program fees. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led (direct website enrollment and enterprise organizational packages) combined with event-driven engagement (virtual town halls, cohort program launches). Customer segments span federal, state, and local government agencies, private sector organizations facing SEC/CSRD/ISSB disclosure requirements, climate professionals and officers, and academic institutions. AI usage is limited to third-party generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) for content marketing purposes and does not represent proprietary AI capability.

Name

Association of Climate Change Officers

Legal name

Association of Climate Change Officers

Website

https://climateofficers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) is a U.S.-based nonprofit professional association founded in 2008 that administers the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) credential, training programs, and a practitioner community serving climate officers across government, private sector, and academia in 18 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CC-P Credentialing Program: Revenue from certification fees for the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P) credential. Includes exam modules, program fees, and candidate pilot programs.
2. Individual Membership: Annual membership fees for individual practitioners accessing credentials, training resources, networking, and member portal.
3. Organizational Packages: Group/enterprise licensing for organizational access to training, credentialing, and professional development programs for staff.
4. Training Programs: Self-study resources, training capabilities, core competencies programs, and attendance certificates for professional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ACCO is a nonprofit professional association that administers the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) credential for practitioners who integrate climate science, regulation, finance, governance, and risk across organizations. It delivers a portfolio that includes individual and organizational memberships, a CC-P® cohort-based study program (launching Summer 2026), self-study resources, organizational training capabilities, and the Future CCOs post-graduate fellowship. Complementary content products (ACCO Insights blog, ACCO Asked AI series, CC-P Quiz scenarios, virtual town halls) support candidate engagement and continuing education for the 500+ credential holders across 18 countries.

Product overview

The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) offers a unified professional certification and training ecosystem centered on the Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) credential. The core offering is the CC-P® credential, which is supported by a suite of complementary products including self-study resources, training capabilities, and the Core Competencies Framework. ACCO extends its portfolio with content and engagement products such as ACCO Insights (editorial content), the ACCO Asked AI series (AI-powered Q&A), and the CC-P Quiz series (scenario-based learning). The 2026 refresh introduces a new cohort-based learning structure to the credentialing program. Additional offerings include the Future CCOs fellowship program, virtual town halls, and organizational membership packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CC-P (Certified Climate Change Professional): Professional credential administered by ACCO for climate change professionals. Recognized by policymakers and employers. Practitioner-shaped curriculum covering climate science, regulatory frameworks, finance, risk management, and governance.

Products and services

• Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P®) Credential The primary professional certification offered by ACCO for climate change officers and practitioners. Recognizes professionals who can synthesize climate science, regulatory frameworks, finance, and risk across organizational domains. The credential is administered through exam modules, application review, and continuing education maintenance, and is recognized by policymakers and employers.
• CC-P® Cohort Study Program A new cohort-based learning format for CC-P candidates that combines self-paced study materials with three live virtual sessions designed for peer connection and applied learning, offered as part of the 2026 curriculum refresh.
• Individual Membership Annual subscription membership giving individual practitioners access to CC-P® credentials, training resources, the member portal, continuing education, and the practitioner community.
• Organizational Membership Packages Group licensing for organizations seeking multiple staff members to access CC-P® resources, training, credentialing, and professional development. Used by government agencies and private sector employers to build internal climate change professional capacity.
• Training Capabilities Professional development and training services including literacy modules, capacity-building programs, and decision-support resources delivered in-person and online to government and private sector organizations for climate change workforce development.
• CC-P® Self-Study Resources Self-paced study materials and online preparation resources designed to help candidates prepare for the CC-P® certification exam, complementing the cohort-based learning program.
• Future CCOs Post-Graduate Climate Fellowship Program Fellowship program supporting recent graduates in developing climate change professional competencies and entering the field.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ CC-P credential holders worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• State of MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaryland Climate Leadership Academy - the first state-administered climate academy, launched in partnership with the State of Maryland. Provides climate change training and professional development using ACCO curriculum and CC-P credential framework.
• Commonwealth of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPennsylvania Climate Leadership Academy - the nation's second state-led climate academy, launched in partnership with Pennsylvania DEP. Over 150 enrolled professionals in the program.
• Compact of Colorado CommunitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst regional compact of local governments requiring elected officials, city/county managers, and senior staff to undergo annual climate change training. ACCO developed the statewide shared staffing program through this initiative.
• U.S. Department of Homeland SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACCO conducted an extensive research project for DHS from 2016-2019 on workforce capacity in critical infrastructure sectors to develop and implement effective climate preparedness plans. This partnership informed CC-P curriculum development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GARP (Global Association of Risk Professionals): Global non-profit membership association offering the Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR) credential and FRM, with the same professional credential + membership model targeting risk and sustainability practitioners. Directly comparable to ACCO's CC-P® value proposition for climate-aware professionals.
• IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment): UK-headquartered professional membership body offering sustainability and environmental practitioner credentials (e.g., Certified Practitioner). Directly comparable as a credentialing association for climate/sustainability professionals with individual memberships and training programs.
• Greenhouse Gas Management Institute (GHGMI): Non-profit organization offering climate/GHG-specific professional credentials and training programs for measurement, reporting, and verification practitioners. Closest direct competitor in the climate-credentialing niche ACCO occupies.
• International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP): Membership association for sustainability professionals offering the ISSP-CSA credential, conferences, and training. Directly comparable professional body targeting the same practitioner persona ACCO serves.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC / LEED): Established non-profit offering the LEED Green Associate and AP credentials for sustainability professionals, primarily in built environment. Operates in an adjacent domain with a similar credentialing + membership + training model at significantly larger scale.
• PMI (Project Management Institute): Large, established non-profit professional membership association offering the PMP and related credentials. Comparable as a reference operating model for a globally recognized professional credential + chapter ecosystem, though serving a different discipline.
• IFRS Foundation (ISSB): Standards-setting body for IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB) and host of SASB's industry-specific standards. Not a credentialing organization itself, but the dominant standard ACCO's curriculum aligns practitioners to — adjacent ecosystem participant.
• CFA Institute: Global non-profit professional association offering the CFA charter and a new Climate Investing credential for investment professionals. Comparable as a large, established credentialing body that has begun launching climate-specific credentials targeting the same enterprise buyer as ACCO.

Others

• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Global non-profit running the carbon and climate disclosure system used by thousands of companies and cities, with training and accreditation for climate disclosure reporters. Thematically related as the disclosure ecosystem ACCO's curriculum prepares practitioners to operate within.
• WRI (World Resources Institute): Global research organization producing the GHG Protocol and other climate accounting standards used in ACCO's curriculum. Provides the underlying frameworks ACCO practitioners are trained on, but is not a credentialing competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climateofficers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=association+of+climate+change+officers
• Xx.com/climateofficers
• Facebookfacebook.com/climateofficers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Association of Climate Change Officers