Crossing the Finish Line
Certifier - A Closer Look
Verification you can rely on.A credential, not a logo.
Every 169to1 badge is issued through Certifier against a published standard. The criteria, the evidence required and the scoring are all set out in the public Qualification Rubric, so a badge means the same thing to the organisation that holds it and to anyone who relies on it.
How it works
How Certifier verification works
Four things hold the scheme together. Each is public, so a badge can be interrogated rather than taken on trust.
Published criteria
The Qualification Rubric sets out every badge’s criteria, evidence types and award thresholds, and is available in full.
Free, inspectable tools
The SDG Target Selector, the Traffic Light Toolkit and the SDG Impact Index are free to use, so anyone can see how a target is selected, classified and measured.
Three levels of proof
Each badge is Self-Declared, Assessor-Attested or Independently Verified. The tier sets how strong the evidence must be and who must confirm it.
Independent verification
A Verified badge requires confirmation by an approved verifier who is not the candidate, the candidate’s manager or the assessor, against documentary evidence retained on file.
The badges
Types of badges you can earn
Whether you are just getting started or staying the course, there is a badge for every milestone. The system recognises effort, engagement and long-term commitment to the SDGs.
For connecting to the framework and completing your first orientation. The One Target badge marks the starting point.
For selecting an SDG goal and a specific target with the Target Selector and publishing a written commitment.
For sustained local action, awarded at 90, 180 and 365 days of continuous, logged commitment.
For a verified contribution towards your SDG target, and the Annual SDG Impact review for sustained commitment across the year.
For ESG compliance work across the six SME pathways, from a carbon baseline to a living-wage benchmark.
For workshop and curriculum learning, such as the I Pencil Workshop modules built around Leonard Read’s essay.
The context
EmpCo and sustainability labels
From 27 September 2026, the EU Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, known as EmpCo, changes how sustainability labels may be used in communications aimed at consumers.
Third-party or nothing
A label may be shown to consumers only where it rests on an independent third-party certification scheme with public criteria, or where it is established by a public authority.
No unproven claims
Self-declared and self-created labels are no longer permitted, and generic claims such as “green” or “sustainable” may not be made without proof.
Open and verified
A certification scheme is open to all applicants on fair terms, has criteria developed with relevant experts and stakeholders, publishes those criteria, and has conformity checked by a competent third party.
The design
How the 169to1 scheme is built
The scheme is designed around the principles EmpCo sets for sustainability labels.
The standard is published
The full standard is set out in the Qualification Rubric, available to anyone who wants to read what a badge requires.
A named contribution
Each verified badge records a specific, named contribution with documentary evidence and a result. The SDG target badges name the exact target and the evidence behind it.
Open to all who qualify
The scheme is open to any organisation able to meet the published criteria.
Consumer-facing means checked
Consumer-facing badges are confined to the Independently Verified tier, and that tier is being brought onto external independent verification ahead of the directive’s application date.
Placement
Where each badge may be shown
169to1 sets its own display discipline, so a badge is shown only where its level of assurance supports it. Every badge in the catalogue carries one of these four placements.
Self-declared badges, commitments and plans are for use inside the organisation.
Assessor-attested organisation badges are for tenders, procurement and supplier qualification.
Personal skill and participation credentials may be shown on an individual’s professional profile, for example a professional networking profile or a CV.
Only independently verified badges are eligible for display to consumers on a public-facing website.
Anyone can design a badge. The work is in stating the evidence requirement in advance and then holding to it.
Placement follows from the assurance tier and the recipient. It is set, not chosen, so the badge is only ever shown where the evidence supports it.
Recognition
What you can do with your badges
- Add them to your professional profile
- Share them with an employer or funding partner
- Build a record of purpose-led action
- Use them for ESG, CSR or education reporting
- Turn your progress into an SDG-aligned portfolio
Each badge is a verifiable digital credential issued through Certifier, so the record travels with the person or organisation that earned it. Where a badge is consumer-facing, the placement rule above applies: only independently verified badges are shown to consumers.
Questions
FAQs
How do I claim my badge?
Once you complete a verified action, you receive an email invitation from Certifier to accept your badge. You need a free account to manage and share your badges.
Are badges included with monthly or yearly plans?
Yes. All active subscribers are eligible to receive badges for verified progress across the eligible pathways.
Can I earn badges for school or company use?
Yes. The credentials suit both personal and institutional recognition, across education, business, NGO and youth-movement use.
For the Curriculum package, if your school, college or university is engaging with the SDGs as part of your curricula, we can provide structured recognition to motivate and reward your students.
Can I customise badges for my organisation?
Yes. We offer co-branded badge options for schools, SMEs and partner organisations. Contact us to explore custom pathways.
A note on placement. Badges shown on a public-facing, consumer-facing basis must be independently verified. Self-declared and assessor-attested badges are for internal or business-to-business use, and individual credentials belong on a person’s professional profile.
169to1 provides the standard and the verification. Responsibility for meeting EmpCo, and any other legal requirement, rests with the organisation making the consumer-facing claim. References to the GHG Protocol, ISO standards, the CSRD, ESRS and the SDGs indicate alignment only and carry no endorsement from those bodies. This material is general information and not legal advice.
© 2026 169to1® – Originally developed by Hudson Consultancy Online. Licensed for internal use. Redistribution or resale prohibited.
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