Promethium Carbon
Promethium Carbon is a South Africa-based climate change advisory consultancy providing carbon accounting, climate risk assessments, TCFD-aligned reporting, and Article 6 framework development to national governments, mining houses, financial institutions, and major corporates across Sub-Saharan Africa since 1998.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersBryanston, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Promethium Carbon does
Promethium Carbon is a South Africa-based climate change and carbon advisory consultancy that has operated continuously since 1998, originally as a corporate finance practice before pivoting to environmental finance in 2003 and becoming a pure-play carbon and climate change firm in 2009. The firm is headquartered in Bryanston, Johannesburg, with a team of 11-50 multidisciplinary professionals including chemical engineers, climate scientists, natural scientists, social scientists, and lawyers. It operates through three wholly-owned subsidiaries under the Promethium Group umbrella: Promethium Carbon, Promethium Two Degrees NPS, and Promethium Innovation. Revenue is generated entirely through project-based professional services engagements, with no proprietary software products, APIs, or digital channels.
The company's service portfolio spans three practice areas: Climate Change Adaptation (Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Assessments using downscaled GCMs and IPCC RCP scenarios, Impact Assessments, and Adaptation Strategies); Climate Change Mitigation (Carbon Accounting aligned with ISO 14064 Part 1, GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, and South African DFFE Technical Guidelines, Mitigation Planning, and implementation of carbon credit projects); and Strategy & Reporting (TCFD-aligned corporate reporting, CDP/SAGERS submissions, science-based target setting, and scenario planning under IPCC SSPs). Its methodology stack also covers Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, on which Promethium has been appointed by the NDC Partnership alongside Climate Legal to draft South Africa's national framework, and the firm publishes annual Grid Emission Factor guidance notes for the South African market.
Promethium sells exclusively through direct sales-led engagement by its team of carbon advisors, with services delivered on a project basis at custom-quoted pricing under multi-year contracts. Its client base spans South African mining houses (Harmony Gold, Gold Fields, Sibanye-Stillwater, Impala Platinum, Northam Platinum, Anglo American, ARM), financial institutions (Nedbank, Standard Bank, JSE, Sanlam), retail and industrial corporates (Clicks, Mr Price, Pick n Pay), Eskom, the University of Cape Town, and the South African government (notably the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment for National Communications and Biennial Update Reports). The firm maintains institutional partnerships with GIZ, the World Bank, UNDP, IFC, NDC Partnership, CDP, ICLEI, and the Minerals Council of South Africa, which generate recurring project pipelines across Sub-Saharan Africa including Eastern Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda), Western Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal), and broader Southern Africa.
Promethium Carbon firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Promethium Carbon
- Legal name
- Promethium Carbon
- Website
- https://promethium.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Promethium Carbon is a South Africa-based climate change advisory consultancy providing carbon accounting, climate risk assessments, TCFD-aligned reporting, and Article 6 framework development to national governments, mining houses, financial institutions, and major corporates across Sub-Saharan Africa since 1998.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Promethium Carbon industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Climate Change Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD) (EUABAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Scope 1–3 GHG Inventory Strategy, Data Governance & Controls (advisory) (EUABAKAD), Climate Governance, Operating Model & Internal Carbon Pricing Design (EUABAKAF), Offsets & Carbon Removal Procurement Strategy (portfolio design, quality screening) (EUABAKAL), Supplier Engagement & Value-Chain Decarbonization Programs (EUABAKAE), Climate Finance Strategy (CapEx planning, green finance, incentives & grants) (EUABAKAG), Carbon Neutrality/Claims Strategy & Communications (claims substantiation, greenwashing risk) (EUABAKAK)
Keywords
Where Promethium Carbon is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bryanston
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Promethium Carbon business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advisory and Consulting Services: Promethium Carbon generates revenue through providing climate change advisory services including carbon accounting, climate risk assessments, TCFD reporting, carbon credit project development, and policy consulting to governments and corporations. Services are project-based and tailored to client requirements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Promethium Carbon product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Promethium Carbon is a climate change and carbon advisory consultancy that delivers Climate Change Adaptation services (Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, Impact Assessments, Adaptation Strategies), Climate Change Mitigation services (Carbon Accounting, Mitigation Planning, and Implementation of emission reduction and carbon offset projects), and Strategy & Reporting services (Corporate Reporting aligned with TCFD/CDP/SAGERS, Scenario Planning, and Carbon/Climate Change Strategy). Engagements are project-based, custom-scoped, and directed at South African government departments and major international corporations operating in South Africa, with extension into other African countries via partnerships with GIZ, World Bank, UNDP, and IFC.
Product overview
Promethium Carbon is a climate change and carbon advisory consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of advisory services rather than a software product platform. Their core offerings span three main service areas: Climate Change Adaptation (including Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, Impact Assessments, and Adaptation Strategies), Climate Change Mitigation (Carbon Accounting, Mitigation Planning, and Implementation of Mitigation Actions), and Strategy & Reporting (Corporate Reporting, Scenario Planning, and Carbon/Climate Change Strategy). They supplement their advisory services with published guidance documents and research through their Knowledge Center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability Assessments (CCRVA) Assessment service that analyzes physical and transitional climate risks to which an operation is exposed, using downscaled global circulation climate change models, trend analysis of local weather data, and IPCC Representative Concentration Pathway Scenarios (RCPs).
- Climate Change Impact Assessments (CCIA) Specialist reports covering the contributions a project can make to climate change, its resilience to climate change, and possible mitigation measures, forming part of the environmental authorisation process.
- Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Integration of climate change risks and opportunities into existing business strategies through an interactive process with clients to increase resilience to climate change.
- Carbon Accounting Carbon footprinting and greenhouse gas inventory calculation services based on ISO 14064 Part 1, GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, and South African regulatory requirements.
- Climate Change Mitigation Planning Emission reduction target setting and planning services to help businesses stay competitive and meet stakeholder requirements.
- Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation Actions Advisory services for emission reduction and carbon offset projects, including projects for own carbon footprint reduction and projects earning carbon credits for regulated or voluntary markets.
- Corporate Reporting Climate change reporting services including GHG emissions reporting, TCFD-aligned disclosures, and submissions to platforms like CDP and SAGERS.
- Scenario Planning Climate change scenario development and assessment services aligned with TCFD requirements, drawing on IPCC RCPs for physical risk assessments and SSPs for transitional risk assessments.
- Carbon and Climate Change Strategy Development of carbon and climate change strategies to increase business resilience to physical and transitional risks and capitalize on climate change opportunities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Assisted Harmony Gold in developing science-based emissions-reduction targets and net-zero ambition by 2045
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Promethium Carbon
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Promethium Carbon technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Promethium Carbon partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)corePromethium has partnered with GIZ on multiple projects including the Article 6 Capacity Building project in South Africa, providing comprehensive training on market and non-market mechanisms under the Paris Agreement. Other GIZ collaborations include studies on carbon market opportunities in Eastern Africa and support for South African government climate reporting.
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)corePromethium provides technical support to DFFE for drafting national climate communications, biennial update reports, and developing Article 6 frameworks. The company has been contracted to draft and review South Africa's Fourth and Fifth National Communications and BUR4 and BUR5.
- NDC PartnershipcoreAppointed by the NDC Partnership, in collaboration with DFFE, to develop a Framework for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement in South Africa for the management of international offsets and other Article 6 related activities.
- Climate LegalcorePromethium Carbon together with Climate Legal were appointed to develop the Draft South African Article 6 Framework for managing international offsets and Article 6 related activities.
- Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)coreSince 2010, Promethium Carbon has been a CDP Consultancy Partner in South Africa, demonstrating commitment to working with CDP to encourage high-quality disclosure of climate change related data from global corporations.
- South African Clean Development Mechanism Industry AssociationcorePromethium Carbon is one of the founding members of the South African CDM Industry Association since 2008, playing a role in shaping the domestic carbon market.
- JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange)minorPromethium collaborated with JSE in demonstrating market readiness for carbon offset trading through a pilot trade conducted on the JSE commodities platform in 2015.
- World BankcoreMultiple collaborations including preparation of South Africa's Country Climate and Development Report, development of GHG Assessment Tools, and climate policy support projects.
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreCollaborated on BUR5 and NC4 drafting, contributing to South Africa's international climate reporting obligations under the UNFCCC.
- International Finance Corporation (IFC)corePromethium developed a strategy for renewable energy accounting, pricing, and trading for the City of Cape Town on behalf of IFC.
- Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB)minorPromethium Carbon and CDSB co-developed a publication on integrating climate change reporting into Integrated Reporting, helping CEOs, CFOs, and reporting committees navigate both reporting practices.
- Savannah EnvironmentalminorMultiple collaborations on Climate Change Impact Assessments for power projects including Richards Bay Gas to Power, Coega Special Economic Zone gas infrastructure, and various renewable energy projects.
- Minerals Council of South AfricacoreProvided support including update of carbon tax model for the mining industry and development of members guidance documents on climate change matters.
- ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability)minorProvided climate change work support to municipalities including KwaDukuza Local Municipality and Steve Tshwete Local Municipality in South Africa, as well as municipalities in Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Ethiopia.
- Eastern Africa Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate FinanceminorConducted study on carbon market opportunities and best available technologies for seven Eastern Africa countries (Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) commissioned by the Alliance with GIZ support.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Promethium Carbon competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carbon Trust: Climate advisory firm providing carbon footprinting, target setting, and climate strategy to large enterprises and governments. Comparable advisory-only model and similar long-standing relationships with corporates and public-sector bodies.
- EcoAct (Schneider Electric): International climate consultancy delivering carbon accounting, TCFD reporting, and net-zero strategy. Now part of Schneider Electric, it competes directly for enterprise climate advisory mandates across multiple geographies.
- South Pole Group: Global climate advisory and carbon project developer offering carbon accounting, climate strategy, and offset origination to corporates and governments. Directly comparable services portfolio and enterprise/government client mix, with overlapping African project footprint.
- Anthesis Group: Global sustainability consultancy with strong carbon accounting, climate strategy, and disclosure practices. Comparable services across mining, financial services, and government clients with a similarly advisory-led revenue model.
Regional players
- Greenlight Business Solutions: South African-based carbon and sustainability advisory providing carbon footprinting, verification, and ESG reporting. Local competitor targeting the same JSE-listed mining and industrial client base.
Emerging players
- Climate Neutral Group: European climate advisory focused on carbon accounting, target setting, and offset strategy for corporates. Overlapping service offering for multinational clients seeking TCFD-aligned disclosure support.
Others
- ICLEI Africa: Regional arm of the Local Governments for Sustainability network, with which Promethium already partners on municipal climate work in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, and Ethiopia. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- WSP Sustainability: Global professional services firm with a climate, energy, and sustainability advisory practice serving mining, energy, and infrastructure clients in Africa. Comparable scope of climate risk and adaptation work for mining majors.
- KPMG Climate Advisory (Africa): Big Four advisory practice offering TCFD/IFRS S2, carbon tax, and ESG assurance across Africa. Competes for the same Johannesburg-headquartered enterprise and government climate mandates at scale.
- ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Large global environmental consultancy offering climate change advisory, GHG inventory work, and TCFD reporting within a much broader EHS and sustainability portfolio. Competes for the same enterprise mandates as Promethium across Africa.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Promethium Carbon social profiles
Digital presencePromethium Carbon financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Promethium Carbon leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Promethium Carbon subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Promethium Carbon funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Promethium Carbon M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Promethium Carbon
What does Promethium Carbon do?
Promethium Carbon is a climate change and carbon advisory consultancy that delivers Climate Change Adaptation services (Risk and Vulnerability Assessments, Impact Assessments, Adaptation Strategies), Climate Change Mitigation services (Carbon Accounting, Mitigation Planning, and Implementation of emission reduction and carbon offset projects), and Strategy & Reporting services (Corporate Reporting aligned with TCFD/CDP/SAGERS, Scenario Planning, and Carbon/Climate Change Strategy). Engagements are project-based, custom-scoped, and directed at South African government departments and major international corporations operating in South Africa, with extension into other African countries via partnerships with GIZ, World Bank, UNDP, and IFC.
Is Promethium Carbon a public or private company?
Promethium Carbon is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Promethium Carbon founded?
Promethium Carbon was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Promethium Carbon based?
Promethium Carbon is headquartered in Bryanston, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Promethium Carbon make money?
One revenue line is on record: advisory and Consulting Services.
Who are Promethium Carbon's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carbon Trust, EcoAct (Schneider Electric), South Pole Group and Anthesis Group. Greenlight Business Solutions is listed as a regional player. Climate Neutral Group is listed as an emerging player. ICLEI Africa is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are WSP Sustainability, KPMG Climate Advisory (Africa) and ERM (Environmental Resources Management).
Does Promethium Carbon have an API?
No public API is recorded for Promethium Carbon.
What industry is Promethium Carbon in?
Promethium Carbon's product category is Climate Change Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAKAH, Regulatory & Disclosure Strategy (CSRD/ESRS, ISSB/IFRS S2, SEC, TCFD), with a secondary code of EUABAKAD, Scope 1–3 GHG Inventory Strategy, Data Governance & Controls (advisory). Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8731.