Foret D'arden, Cooperative De Solidarite

What Foret D'arden, Cooperative De Solidarite does

Coopérative de solidarité FA (Forêt d'Arden, Coop FA) is a Quebec-based solidarity cooperative founded in 2007 that operates in the carbon education, climate action, and carbon offset/quantification space. Its core product, Carbone Scol'ERE, is an educational program that engages primary and secondary schools in measuring, reducing, and offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions, with the offset component generating educational carbon credits certified through a methodology validated by the Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ) and registered with CARTV. The organization complements this with the Écolabs program, the recently launched Prix verdissement recognition program, and carbon quantification and compensation services for municipalities, corporations, and institutions.

Coop FA serves three principal customer segments: schools and school service centres participating in Carbone Scol'ERE and Écolabs; municipalities (notably Ville de Lévis under a $70K/year multi-year agreement); and corporate/financial partners such as Hydro-Québec, Desjardins, and the Réseau Québecois pour la réussite éducative, which use the cooperative as their carbon action or educational partner. Revenue mechanics are a mix of municipal and institutional service contracts, sponsorship/partnership contributions from large corporates, and program fees tied to school participation. The cooperative is governed under Quebec's multi-stakeholder solidarity cooperative framework, drawing on producers, workers, users, and community supporters.

The organization has approximately 12 employees, is headquartered in Quebec, and is pursuing internationalization through a partnership with the French federation Léo Lagrange. Its competitive position rests on a CRIQ-validated methodology that the cooperative describes as unique worldwide, its multi-stakeholder governance, and its institutional distribution network. The Pléiades 2025 recognition reflects external validation of its role in Quebec's climate education ecosystem.

Name

Foret D'arden, Cooperative De Solidarite

Legal name

Coop FA

Website

https://coopfa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Coopérative de solidarité FA is a Quebec solidarity cooperative founded in 2007 that delivers CRIQ-validated carbon education, quantification, and offset programs to schools, municipalities, and corporate partners such as Hydro-Québec and Desjardins.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Education Services and Voluntary Carbon Market Origination

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability, ESG & Climate Finance Risk (EDABAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Assurance, Audit & Attestation (ISAE 3000/3410, SOC, Chain-of-Custody) (EUABACAJ), Carbon Registries & Issuance Platforms (Project/credit lifecycle, serials, issuance, retirement) (EUABAAAA), Project-Originated Carbon Credit Marketing & Offtake (Primary Market) (EUAGAIAC), Climate Finance, Carbon Markets & MRV Systems (BPADALAB)

Keywords

• Environmental education programs
• Climate change education
• Educational carbon credits
• Carbon quantification services
• Youth sustainability programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lévis

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Carbon Credits Sales: Sale of educational carbon credits (Crédits carbone éducatifs) generated by student actions in schools. These verified credits are sold on the voluntary carbon market to organizations seeking to offset their emissions while investing in climate education. Each tonne compensated becomes one hour of climate education for youth.
2. Corporate RSE/ESG Partnerships: Partnership agreements with enterprises for climate commitments, visibility in educational campaigns, ESG reporting tools, and employee mobilization opportunities. Organizations finance educational workshops, materials, and GHG reduction projects in schools.
3. Municipal Partnership Agreements: Multi-year agreements with municipalities (e.g., Ville de Lévis 2022-2026 at $70,000/year) to fund school sensitization activities, purchase educational carbon credits, and support climate mobilization programs.
4. Citizen Carbon Compensation: Individual citizens can compensate their transportation (car, flights) and daily consumption emissions, with each compensated tonne funding climate education hours for youth.
5. Government Grants and Funding: Financial support from government bodies including Quebec's Action-Climat Québec program, FAQDD (Fonds d'action québécois pour le développement durable), and various ministries supporting environmental education initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coop FA develops and deploys turnkey climate education programs (Carbone Scol'ERE and Écolabs) for Quebec primary schools, and uses a CRIQ-validated methodology to convert student eco-responsible actions into verified educational carbon credits. It sells these credits to corporations, municipalities, and citizens for voluntary carbon compensation, generating funding to deliver free educational workshops in schools across Quebec.

Product overview

Coop FA is a Quebec solidarity cooperative offering a portfolio of climate education programs and carbon management services. Its core educational products are Carbone Scol'ERE (a classroom-based climate science and carbon credit program for primary school students with family engagement) and Écolabs (student-led environmental entrepreneurship projects in schools). These are complemented by corporate carbon quantification and compensation services that generate verified educational carbon credits, as well as the Prix verdissement school greening competition and annual teacher bursaries. The organization operates exclusively in Quebec's primary school market, delivering all programs through animated, autonomous, or hybrid formats, and funds its activities through partner organizations, government support, and carbon credit sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carbone Scol'ERE: Educational program for 4th, 5th and 6th grade primary students on climate change and GHG reduction, generating verified educational carbon credits.
• Écolabs
• Quantification et compensation carbone

Products and services

• Carbone Scol'ERE Turnkey educational program for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade primary school students that teaches climate change through inquiry-based learning and converts student eco-actions into verified educational carbon credits. Delivered in animated (in-person agent), autonomous (teacher-led), or hybrid (video conference) formats and aligned with Quebec's PFEQ Science and Technology curriculum.
• Écolabs Free, turnkey program for primary school students (grades 4-6) focused on environmental entrepreneurship, offering six thematic project sheets (school composting, active transportation events, resource centres, organic basket sales, reusable bag creation, garden seedling cultivation). Materials 80-100% financed, with 2-4 classroom workshops accompanied by a dedicated sensitization agent.
• Quantification et compensation carbone (Corporate Services) Carbon quantification and compensation services for organizations that measure and offset their carbon footprint using verified educational carbon credits generated from real reduction actions in Quebec primary schools. Includes certificates, ESG/RSE reporting tools, custom solutions, and locally measurable community impact through educational workshops.
• Prix verdissement Greening competition linked to the Écolabs program where winning classes receive a $15,000 bursary to implement schoolyard greening projects (gardens, tree planting, surface de-paving, collective green spaces), with three Quebec schoolyards to be transformed across 2025-2028.
• Bourses Carbone Scol'ERE Annual teacher recognition bursaries awarded to primary school teachers demonstrating exceptional commitment to environmental education; the 2024-2025 edition distributed $15,000 total to four Quebec teachers supporting sustainable development and carbon footprint reduction initiatives.
• Parcours verts Environmental education outings and learning journeys for students, integrated into the cooperative's broader ERE (Éducation Relative à l'Environnement) programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77,550 students and 3,600 classes participated since 2010, with 53,000+ tonnes of GHG avoided
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ville de LévisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Long-standing partner since program inception (10+ years). Renewed 4-year agreement (2022-2026) funding 25 classes annually with up to $70,000/year, purchasing educational carbon credits to offset municipal emissions, and supporting local school climate education.
• DesjardinsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Major partner supporting Carbone Scol'ERE since inception in 2012. Hosted annual celebration event (Le Rendez-vous) and provides ongoing financial and promotional support for youth climate education programs.
• Hydro-QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner supporting environmental education initiatives and climate action programs. Provides funding and visibility for educational carbon programs across Quebec schools.
• QuébecorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedia partner supporting climate education visibility and program deployment. Partner in major events and promotional campaigns for environmental education.
• BenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance partner with ESG commitments supporting climate education through corporate sponsorship and employee engagement initiatives.
• Rio TintocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor enterprise partner supporting climate education programs and GHG reduction initiatives in Quebec schools.
• Ville de MontréalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor municipal partner announcing support for Bourse Scol'ERE and funding educational carbon programs for Montreal schools.
• Société VIAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise partner supporting youth climate education and sustainable development programs from program inception.
• CGIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT services partner providing technology expertise and supporting ESG initiatives through climate education sponsorship.
• Fédération Léo LagrangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership established by Marie-Claude Drouin enabling knowledge exchange and program expansion beyond Quebec borders, including France launch.
• GUEPEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental education network partner co-developing Défi GEStes program, providing naturalist team for workshops in Montreal secondary schools.
• GRAMEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental education partner co-developing Défi GEStes challenge and providing expert animation on climate causes and solutions.
• MELCCFP (Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuebec Ministry providing official recognition and funding for climate education programs aligned with provincial environmental targets.
• Éducation et Enseignement supérieur QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial education ministry supporting alignment with Quebec school programs (PFEQ) and providing institutional legitimacy for educational initiatives.
• GestevminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSports and event management partner supporting green event initiatives and environmental education at sporting events.
• CRIQ (Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec)coreTechnology or IntegrationIndustrial research center providing scientific validation of educational carbon credit methodology, ensuring credibility and international recognition.
• Ville de LavalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner supporting climate education programs and educational carbon credit initiatives in Laval schools.
• SolliocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural cooperative partner supporting sustainable development and environmental education in agricultural communities.
• ÉnergircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy company partner supporting energy conservation education and climate action programs.
• Aventure Écotourisme QuébecminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcotourism partner supporting sustainable tourism education and environmental awareness initiatives.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• South Pole Group: Large carbon project developer and advisory active across the voluntary carbon market. Overlaps with Coop FA in selling verified credits to corporate buyers seeking ESG positioning, but operates at vastly larger scale and broader project portfolio.
• Climate Neutral (Change Climate Project): Certification body helping brands measure, reduce, and offset their carbon footprint. Comparable in serving the corporate ESG/RSE buyer segment, but operates as a certification label rather than a credit originator.

Direct peers

• myclimate: Swiss foundation operating a similar hybrid model: climate education programs combined with a voluntary carbon credit marketplace for individuals and corporates. Directly comparable value proposition of linking carbon compensation to climate literacy, though at greater scale and global reach.
• Taking Root: Verified-impact reforestation organization combining local community engagement with high-integrity carbon credit issuance. Comparable focus on co-benefits (community/education outcomes) bundled with verified carbon reductions, though forestry-based rather than education-based.

Emerging players

• Pachama: Tech-enabled carbon credit marketplace focused on nature-based solutions with strong verification and corporate ESG buyer focus. Comparable in serving corporate ESG demand for credible offsets, but uses remote sensing/AI rather than education-driven methodology.
• Wren: Subscription-based individual carbon offsetting platform. Comparable citizen-facing compensation channel (similar to Coop FA's e-commerce shop at qc.carbonescolere.com) but without the integrated school-based education delivery model.
• Native: Carbon credit marketplace emphasizing co-benefits and storytelling for individual and SMB buyers. Comparable in bundling verifiable carbon reductions with social/educational narrative value for ESG-oriented buyers.

Regional players

• Équiterre: Quebec-based environmental organization advancing sustainable lifestyles, transportation, and consumption. Operates in the same Quebec ecosystem of climate-conscious citizens, schools, and corporate partners that Coop FA serves, with overlapping target audiences.

Others

• Verra: Operator of the VCS Program, the dominant voluntary carbon market standard/registry. Relevant as the upstream infrastructure Coop FA's educational credits would interact with for registry integration and market acceptance.
• Gold Standard: Standards body and registry for high-integrity carbon credits with strong co-benefits focus (SDG linkage). Comparable infrastructure role in the voluntary market where Coop FA's educational methodology could seek certification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/coopfa.org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@carbonescolere
• Facebookfacebook.com/coopfa.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10833866
• Instagraminstagram.com/coopfa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 Foret D'arden, Cooperative De Solidarite