Join a TeamJoin CarbonZeroJoin a TeamJoin CarbonZeroThe terms on which CarbonZero Sagl provides its platform to Climate Patrons, Supporters, Volunteers, Project Organisations, Project Teams and Sponsors.
1. Scope and acceptance
1.1 These Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern the use of the website carbonzero.com and all services offered through it (the "Platform"). The Platform is operated by CarbonZero Sagl, Via Fornasette 50, 6998 Tresa, Switzerland, registered in the Swiss commercial register under UID CHE‑111.470.534 ("CarbonZero", "we", "us").
1.2 By making a payment, applying to host a project, creating an account or otherwise using the Platform, you accept these Terms in the version published at that time. If you do not accept them, you may not use the Platform.
1.3 You must have full legal capacity to accept these Terms. A person under 18 years of age may use the Platform only with the consent of a legal guardian. A person acting for an organisation confirms that they are authorised to bind it.
1.4 Our Privacy Policy, the terms of the Payment Processor used for a payment, and any written agreement with a Sponsor also apply. Where a written agreement signed by CarbonZero conflicts with these Terms, the written agreement prevails.
2. Definitions
In these Terms:
3. CarbonZero's role
3.1 CarbonZero provides a platform on which Project Teams present Climate Projects, Supporters may fund them, and Volunteers may assist them. CarbonZero acts solely as an intermediary. It is not a party to any agreement between a Supporter or Volunteer and a Project Organisation or its Project Team, and it does not carry out, manage or supervise any Climate Project submitted to the Platform by an independent Project Organisation.
3.2 CarbonZero reviews applications before a Climate Project is published (section 7). This review is limited in scope and is carried out for CarbonZero's own purposes, generally to ensure a project is climate‑related and that it is being carried out by a validly registered organisation. It is not an audit, a due diligence examination or a certification, and it creates no duty towards any User.
3.3 CarbonZero gives no guarantee or warranty of any kind regarding any Climate Project, Project Organisation or Project Team, and in particular none regarding: the accuracy or completeness of the information a Project Organisation or Project Team provides; the identity, solvency or conduct of a Project Organisation or Project Team; whether a Funding Request will be funded or its work carried out; how a Contribution is used; or any climate, environmental or other result claimed, including any reduction or removal of greenhouse gas emissions.
3.4 A Contribution is not an investment. It gives no right to any return, share, interest, reward, carbon credit or offset. A Contribution may be tax‑deductible where the Project Organisation is recognised as a public‑benefit organisation in the country in which the Supporter pays tax. Whether a Contribution is deductible depends solely on the applicable tax law and on the status of the Project Organisation. CarbonZero makes no representation about it and accepts no liability for it.
3.5 CarbonZero does not receive, hold or transfer Contributions made to a Climate Project, except for a Climate Project of which CarbonZero is itself the Project Organisation. Contributions are paid by the Supporter through the Payment Processor directly to the Project Organisation's own account with that Payment Processor.
3.6 CarbonZero is not supervised by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). A Contribution is a donation, not a deposit. It is therefore not covered by Swiss deposit protection (esisuisse) or by any other deposit protection scheme.
4. Climate Patrons
4.1 Climate Patrons can make Contributions directly to one or more Climate Projects of their choosing, or to CarbonZero to indirectly fund the promotion and support of all Climate Projects on the Platform. A Contribution gives no right to the Climate Patron to direct how a Project Organisation or CarbonZero uses it.
4.2 The Climate Patron chooses the amount and the currency: Swiss francs (CHF), euros (EUR) or US dollars (USD). Payment is charged in the chosen currency. Any currency conversion, and any fee charged for it, is a matter between the Climate Patron and their bank or card issuer.
4.3 A recurring Contribution is charged on the day it is set up and then every month or every year, in the same amount, until it is stopped. A valid email address is required for recurring payments.
4.4 A Climate Patron may stop a recurring Contribution at any time, in their account on the Platform, through the Payment Processor, or by writing to us with the email address used to initiate the recurring payment. No further payment is charged once it has been stopped. Payments already made are not refunded, except under clause 4.5.
4.5 If a Contribution to CarbonZero was made by mistake, or in the wrong amount, CarbonZero will refund it in full on written request received within 30 days of the payment.
4.6 A Climate Patron who disputes a payment agrees to contact us before starting a chargeback or payment dispute with their bank or the Payment Processor, so that we can resolve it.
4.7 A Climate Patron may choose to have their first name and a photo shown on our Climate Patrons page. CarbonZero checks every name and photo before it is shown, and may remove either without prior notice if CarbonZero considers either inappropriate, for example offensive or pornographic.
5. Supporting a Climate Project
5.1 A Contribution is made to the Project Organisation, which receives it directly through the Payment Processor. Any agreement that might arise from a Contribution is concluded solely between the Supporter and the Project Organisation.
5.2 Climate Projects post Funding Requests to generally inform potential Supporters what their Contributions will be used for. However, a Project Organisation may use funds received for any purpose that supports the Climate Project as a whole. Project Teams are encouraged to submit multiple Funding Requests if appropriate to create a project road map with discrete milestones that would mark their progress over time.
5.3 Before making a Contribution, a Supporter is responsible for forming their own judgement of the Climate Project and the Project Team. The Supporter acknowledges that a Climate Project may be delayed, change or be abandoned for a variety of reasons, even despite the best efforts of a Project Team.
5.4 Requests for refunds of a Contribution to a Climate Project are to be addressed to the Project Organisation, which alone decides on them and makes them through its account with the Payment Processor. CarbonZero has no obligation to refund a Contribution to a Climate Project.
5.5 CarbonZero's share of a Contribution (clause 8.8) is deducted by the Payment Processor when the Contribution is made.
6. Volunteers
6.1 A Volunteer must be at least 18 years of age.
6.2 CarbonZero introduces Volunteers and Project Teams to each other and takes no further part. Volunteering through the Platform creates no employment or other relationship with CarbonZero. Being contacted by a Project Team, or answering a Request for Help, commits a Volunteer to nothing, and any arrangement that follows is made solely between the Volunteer and the Project Organisation.
6.3 A Volunteer may choose to have their first name, photo and skills shown on our Climate Volunteers page, and may change them, mark themselves unavailable or delete their profile at any time. CarbonZero checks every name, photo and skill before it is shown, and may remove any of them without prior notice if CarbonZero considers it inappropriate.
6.4 A Project Team may use a Volunteer's contact details only to discuss help with its Climate Project, and never for marketing or sales. CarbonZero may hold back, suspend or remove any Request for Help.
6.5 A Volunteer may use the form on a Request for Help only to write to the Project Team about that request.
7. Project Organisations: application and review
7.1 A Project Organisation may apply to CarbonZero to host a Climate Project that addresses climate change in some way as its primary objective. It must be registered in a country in which one of our Payment Processors operates, and the person applying must be authorised to act for it.
7.2 CarbonZero reviews each application to determine whether it meets the criteria generally set out in clause 7.1 and decides, at its sole discretion, whether to approve it for publication on our Platform. CarbonZero may request additional information or identification at any time, need not give reasons for refusing an application but will in any case attempt to provide feedback that could bring a proposed Climate Project into conformance with our criteria, and has no obligation to approve any application. A refused Project Organisation may apply again.
7.3 The Payment Processor carries out its own verification of the Project Organisation. Opening and keeping an account with the Payment Processor is a condition of receiving Contributions and is subject to the Payment Processor's own terms.
7.4 The Project Organisation is bound by, and responsible for, all acts of its Project Team on the Platform.
8. Project Organisations: obligations
8.1 Once approved, a Project Team decides when to publish its project page and may unpublish it at any time.
8.2 The Project Organisation undertakes to CarbonZero:
8.3 The Project Organisation is solely responsible for carrying out the Climate Project, for its dealings with Supporters, and for all obligations arising from Contributions.
8.4 The Project Organisation is solely responsible for declaring and paying any taxes, duties and charges on Contributions, and for issuing any receipts or confirmations a Supporter may require.
8.5 CarbonZero may suspend a Climate Project or a single Funding Request, or withdraw its approval, with immediate effect and without liability, if it has reason to believe that information provided is untrue, that Contributions are not used for the Climate Project, that these Terms or the law have been breached, or that continuing would harm Supporters or CarbonZero. CarbonZero will inform the Project Organisation of the reason in writing.
8.6 Suspension or withdrawal of approval does not affect Contributions already received, which remain the Project Organisation's responsibility.
8.7 The Project Organisation shall indemnify and hold harmless CarbonZero, its officers and its own Volunteers against all claims, losses, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising from the Climate Project, the Project Organisation's Content, its use of Contributions, or its breach of these Terms or of the law.
8.8 CarbonZero may charge a percentage of each Contribution as its fee for the Platform and the services CarbonZero provides to Climate Projects. The percentage is communicated to the Project Organisation before its project page is first published, and is deducted by the Payment Processor when each Contribution is made. It is not refunded if the Project Organisation refunds a Supporter, unless the law requires otherwise.
9. Content
9.1 Users keep ownership of the Content they submit. Each User grants CarbonZero a free, worldwide, non‑exclusive licence, for as long as the Content remains on the Platform and for a reasonable period after, to host, reproduce, adapt for display and publish the Content on the Platform, and to use it to promote both CarbonZero and the Climate Project it describes.
9.2 Each User warrants that their Content does not infringe the rights of any third party and is not unlawful, and shall indemnify CarbonZero against any claim that it does. In particular, images and videos owned by a third party may not be used in Content without the rights holder's permission.
9.3 CarbonZero does not monitor Content in advance and is not responsible for it. CarbonZero may remove or refuse any Content, at its sole discretion and without notice.
9.4 The Platform's design, text, software and marks belong to CarbonZero or its licensors. They may not be copied or used without our prior written consent.
9.5 The Platform may link to or embed content from third parties, such as video services. CarbonZero is not responsible for that content or for those services.
10. Accounts and use of the Platform
10.1 A User is responsible for keeping access to their account secure, including access to the email address used to sign in, and for all activity carried out through it.
10.2 Users shall not use the Platform for any unlawful, fraudulent or misleading purpose; submit false information; interfere with the Platform's operation or security; or access it by automated means without our consent.
10.3 CarbonZero may suspend or close any account that breaches these Terms. A Climate Patron may close their account at any time. Closing it first stops any recurring Contribution with the Payment Processor; if the Payment Processor does not confirm that the Contribution has been stopped, the account is not closed. Any other account is closed by CarbonZero on request, once it is no longer needed for a Climate Project or a sponsorship.
11. Payment Processors
11.1 All payments are processed by a Payment Processor under its own terms. CarbonZero never receives or stores card or bank details.
11.2 CarbonZero is not responsible for the acts, omissions, availability, fees or decisions of any Payment Processor, including any refusal, delay, reversal or withholding of a payment.
11.3 CarbonZero may change a Payment Processor at any time, and may use multiple Payment Processors.
12. Company sponsorship
12.1 A company sponsorship supports CarbonZero's work of promoting the Climate Projects on the Platform. In return, CarbonZero presents the Sponsor as a supporter of that work, including on its Corporate Sponsors page. Sponsorship is additionally governed by a separate written agreement, and the terms of that agreement apply in addition to these Terms and prevail over them.
12.2 Sponsorship gives the Sponsor no influence over CarbonZero's decisions or activities, including which Climate Projects are published, shown or funded, except as expressly set out in its written agreement.
13. Availability of the Platform
13.1 The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available". CarbonZero does not warrant that it will be uninterrupted or error‑free.
13.2 CarbonZero may change, suspend or discontinue the Platform or any part of it at any time, in particular for maintenance, security or legal reasons.
14. Liability
14.1 To the fullest extent permitted by law, CarbonZero's liability is excluded. CarbonZero is liable only for damage caused by its unlawful intent or gross negligence.
14.2 Without limiting clause 14.1, CarbonZero is in particular not liable for: the acts or omissions of Project Organisations, Project Teams, Supporters, Sponsors or other Users; any dealings between a Volunteer and a Project Team, including work done in person; the success, failure, delay or results of any Climate Project; the use or misuse of any Contribution; the accuracy of any information or Content provided by Users; the acts or omissions of any Payment Processor; interruptions of the Platform or loss of data; or any indirect or consequential damage, loss of profit or loss of opportunity.
14.3 To the extent permitted by law, liability for persons CarbonZero engages to perform its obligations, including its own Volunteers, is excluded entirely.
14.4 Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under mandatory law.
15. Force majeure
CarbonZero is not liable for any failure or delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, epidemics, war, acts of authorities, strikes, and failures of networks, hosting services or Payment Processors.
16. Changes to these Terms
16.1 CarbonZero may amend these Terms at any time. The amended Terms are published on this page with a new date and apply from that date.
16.2 Where an amendment materially affects the rights or obligations of Project Organisations, CarbonZero shall notify each Project Organisation concerned by email no less than 30 days before the amendment takes effect. A Project Organisation that does not accept the amendment may, before that date, unpublish its project page. Contributions received before unpublication remain the sole responsibility of the Project Organisation.
16.3 Any use of the Platform after an amendment has taken effect constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. A Climate Patron who does not accept an amendment may stop a recurring Contribution at any time in accordance with clause 4.4; this shall be the Climate Patron's sole remedy in respect of the amendment.
17. General provisions
17.1 If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in force. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid one that comes closest to its intended purpose.
17.2 A failure or delay by CarbonZero in exercising a right does not waive it.
17.3 CarbonZero may transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms to another company. Users may not transfer theirs without our prior written consent.
17.4 Notices to Users are given by email to the address they provided, or by publication on the Platform. Notices to CarbonZero are given in writing to the address in clause 1.1 or through our contact page.
17.5 These Terms may be published in several languages. If versions differ, the English version prevails.
18. Governing law and jurisdiction
18.1 These Terms and all disputes arising from them are governed by Swiss law, excluding its conflict‑of‑laws rules and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.
18.2 The exclusive place of jurisdiction is Lugano, Switzerland.
18.3 Mandatory provisions protecting consumers, including those on applicable law and on a consumer's right to bring or defend proceedings at their place of residence, remain reserved.
19. Contact
Questions about these Terms may be sent through our contact page, or by WhatsApp to +41 76 707 66 34 (European business hours).
Last updated 4 October 2026.