• Watershed launches its second Carbon RFP, aiming to scale demand from more than 800 corporate buyers including 90 Fortune 500 firms.
• Previous RFP attracted 300+ project proposals across 55 countries and led to more than 100 corporate credit purchases, including multiple $1M+ contracts.
• Initiative seeks to accelerate global carbon removal markets and help companies collectively reduce or remove 500 megatonnes of CO2e by 2030.

Corporate Demand Drives Next Phase of Carbon Procurement

Climate software platform Watershed has opened its 2026 Carbon Request for Proposals (RFP), expanding a procurement mechanism designed to connect corporate buyers with high-quality carbon removal and avoidance projects worldwide.

The initiative is part of Watershed’s broader effort to accelerate what it calls the “climate economy.” The company aims to help its corporate customers collectively reduce or remove 500 megatonnes of CO2e by 2030, roughly equivalent to about 1 percent of annual global emissions.

One of the company’s central strategies is aggregating demand from its client base and channeling it toward vetted decarbonization projects. Those include carbon removal initiatives, clean power developments, and sustainable aviation fuel production.

To date, Watershed customers have committed more than $120 million to projects across these emerging decarbonization markets.

The newly opened RFP seeks suppliers capable of delivering high-integrity carbon credits as demand grows among multinational companies under pressure from regulators, investors, and voluntary climate commitments.

Expanding Buyer Network Across Global Corporations

Watershed’s corporate client network has expanded rapidly. The company now works with more than 800 global businesses, including 90 companies in the Fortune 500 and five of the six largest US banks.

The RFP is designed to help these companies source verified carbon removal credits while reducing the commercial friction that has historically slowed voluntary carbon markets.

Rather than negotiating dozens of individual contracts, Watershed pools demand from its customers and handles supplier diligence, contracting, and delivery on behalf of participating buyers.

This centralized structure can shorten procurement timelines and provide greater certainty for project developers seeking long-term revenue streams.

Selected suppliers also gain access to a broad corporate buyer base, opening the door to multi-year agreements across multiple industries.

Lessons From the First Watershed Carbon RFP

Watershed’s inaugural carbon procurement process demonstrated both the scale of global supply and the level of corporate demand now entering voluntary carbon markets.

Last year’s RFP received proposals from more than 300 projects spanning 17 carbon removal pathways across 55 countries. The portfolio included both nature-based solutions such as forest restoration and engineered technologies designed to permanently remove atmospheric carbon.

The proposed projects collectively targeted the delivery of approximately 1 megatonne of CO2e credits.

Suppliers selected through the process gained direct access to Watershed’s buyer cohort, which ultimately executed more than 100 carbon credit purchases. Several suppliers secured contracts exceeding $1 million.

One selected supplier signed purchase agreements covering nearly 160,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits. Another gained five new corporate customers through the procurement cycle.

“Accessing buyers through the Watershed Carbon RFP was a turning point for Toroto,” said José Reyes, Director of Carbon at forest restoration supplier Toroto. “It connected us with a diverse set of buyers and led to significant contracts and new strategic customers, allowing us to stay focused on what we do best: developing high-quality carbon projects in partnership with local communities. More than 73 cents of every dollar generated by carbon credit sales goes directly to climate action and community benefits. A large share returns to communities, while project partners reinvest in activities that create local jobs and strengthen ecosystem restoration.”

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Opening the Door to New Carbon Projects

Watershed’s 2026 RFP is open to several categories of climate projects, including durable carbon removal technologies, nature-based carbon removal initiatives, and projects focused on avoiding emissions from superpollutants.

Suppliers accepted into the portfolio will gain access to Watershed’s consolidated buyer network while benefiting from standardized due diligence and contracting frameworks.

For project developers, the structure addresses one of the voluntary carbon market’s biggest barriers: uncertain demand. Many early-stage projects struggle to secure long-term offtake agreements or price certainty, limiting their ability to scale.

By aggregating corporate buyers and managing procurement logistics, Watershed aims to reduce that commercial uncertainty and accelerate deployment of credible carbon removal infrastructure.

Implications for the Global Carbon Market

Corporate climate commitments continue to drive interest in high-quality carbon removal credits, particularly as companies approach mid-decade emissions targets.

Yet voluntary carbon markets remain fragmented, with buyers often struggling to assess project integrity while suppliers face complex contracting processes.

Watershed’s model attempts to address both challenges by standardizing procurement while broadening access to corporate buyers.

Applications for the 2026 Carbon RFP will remain open until April 10, with Watershed also hosting a March 19 webinar to share lessons from its first procurement cycle and discuss trends shaping global carbon markets.

For corporate climate leaders, the initiative reflects a broader shift in voluntary markets. Rather than ad hoc credit purchases, companies are increasingly seeking structured procurement platforms capable of delivering large volumes of credible carbon removal aligned with long-term decarbonization strategies.

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