We empower communities using nature-based solutions
We drive large-scale climate action by using science, technology and innovative financing.
About us
Verity Nature is taking action to help solve climate, biodiversity and poverty crises.
Our projects restore blue (coastal), teal (freshwater) and green (terrestrial) ecosystems using nature-based solutions that generate high integrity carbon credits and co-benefits at scale, translating into real action on climate change.
We contribute to the societies in which we operate through positive social, cultural, environmental and economic co-benefits through the jobs we create, the communities we support and the wealth we generate in the form of wages, taxes, business opportunities and carbon royalties.
Our projects offer lasting stakeholder benefits, spanning 25-100 years for intergenerational impact.
What we do
We deliver a “one-stop shop” solution for our projects by:
Using the best available science and techniques.
Providing training, nursery, laboratories, and equipment at our Institutes
Adhering to international standards and methodologies.
Maximising carbon credits and co-benefits (volume and price).
We do this through:
Project planning
Project funding
Project delivery
Project reporting
Accreditation of carbon credits and co-benefits
Trading of carbon credits and co-benefits
Science, Technology & Innovation
We employ the latest innovations to deliver the highest quality, highest integrity projects. While we adhere to the requirements of existing standards, we extend beyond what is sufficient to what achieves the best outcomes for stakeholders, communities and ecosystems.
Leveraging our software platform Verity Carbon™ we digitise every step of the operational process from baseline inspections through to measurement, reporting and verification. Every step is transparently and immutably shared for public verification using web3 technologies.
We provide end-to-end hardware and software solutions supporting every aspect of project operations, from sequestration to credits. Our platform includes applications for planning, reporting and administration, and ruggedised field systems for data acquisition.
Meet the Team
DUNCAN VAN DER MERWE
Chair / CEO / Co-founder BSc, MSc, GAICD
Responsibility
Duncan is responsible for the leadership of the Board and the Company and for delivering the company’s strategy in this early stage. In due course, the Chair and CEO roles will split in line with good governance.
Skills and experience
Duncan has extensive experience developing companies from early-stage concept through approvals, studies, funding, construction, commissioning and into sustainable operations.
Current roles
VanDyson Investments (Director of the family office), VanDyson Marine Fund (Director), Scipher Technologies (Non-Executive Director and major shareholder).
Previous roles
Duncan was the founder, MD and significant shareholder of Tellus Holdings Ltd, where he took the waste management business from concept to >$400m market capitalisation. Duncan also co-founded two other companies (one had a >$200m market cap at its peak). In the UK, Duncan was Corporate Finance PFI/PPP Manager at the Noble Group and Project Finance PFI/PPP Manager at the Bank of Scotland. Duncan started his career as a bursary holder at Gencor (Billiton) in RSA.
RICHARD PHILLIPS
Director/ Chief Scientist & CDO / Co-founder
Responsibility
Richie is responsible for the leadership of the project development and credit generation team. He will work closely with the CEO of the BlueCarbon Institute, the head of the credit trading team, and the CFO & CTO. Richie has been responsible for blue carbon site selection studies and managing pilot projects throughout Australia.
Skills and experience
He has 24 years of experience taking projects through planning approvals, feasibility and impact assessment study stages, designing and managing environmental compliance and management systems through construction and operations stages. He also has substantial IMS compliance and ongoing stakeholder engagement experience.
Previous roles
GM Health, Safety, Environment, Compliance & Quality Manager and other senior roles at Tellus Holdings Ltd. Senior Environmental Scientist with various consultancies in Australia. Richie has eight years of blue carbon/ wetland management realignment and ecosystem restoration experience with WS Atkins in the UK and Qatar. These projects resulted in hundreds of hectares of nature-based solutions on private land, bringing significant biodiversity and socio-economic co-benefits.
JUSTIN BAIRD
Director, Verity Innovation / Chief Technology Officer / Co-founder
Responsibility
Justin is our co-founder and CTO, delivering the Verity Carbon™ blockchain enabled web3 platform to improve information management systems, carbon credit, and co-benefit integrity. Verity Carbon helps carbon project developers complete every aspect of nature-based carbon project operations, from sequestration through to credits
Skills and experience
Justin Baird, Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA) brings over 25 years of management and high-tech experience, in areas ranging from research and development engineering, analog and digital signal processing, embedded systems development, hardware and software product management, high speed digital networks, large scale audio processing systems, mobile and web application deployment, android and iOS mobile applications, multimedia technologies, agile team management, and impact focused technologies. He holds two U.S. Patents, four pending U.S. Patents, and has written a number of technical papers within these areas of research.
Justin’s primary focus throughout his career has been to drive positive change through technology, and he has done this at Google, at other corporates, with NGOs including the United Nations, with non-profit organisations, and startups.
He has founded, advised and invested in numerous startups, with a focus on the development of emerging technology solutions that deliver societal benefit across many sectors.
RYAN MILLAR
Non-Executive Director / Co-founder
Skills and experience
Ryan has extensive experience in CEO leadership, technology start-up, scale-up, and advisory board-level roles. He has started, built, and led high-performing teams, developed and commercialised IP assets, and driven business performance and outcomes aligned with core business objectives. At ESSI, he was a transformational CEO, rebuilding operations, finances, technology, systems and people, including developing a world-leading SaaS platform built on patented algorithms into a new wholly owned and funded start-up business called Carbon Count. This platform maximises the measurement and value of carbon credits and has been adopted by carbon project developers, the Clean Energy Regulator and large financial institutions.
Other directorships and offices (current and recent):
Current CEO and Exec. Director at AML3D Previous CEO of EESI Group Co-founder & Advisory Board Member of Carbon Count
LUKE STEWART
Non-Executive Director/ Co-founder
Skills and experience
Luke is a dynamic and strategic leader, driving sustainable growth, reinforcing core values and encouraging strong governance as a Non-Executive Director across the environmental advisory and mining industries.
He is a founder and Board member at EMM Consulting, a leading environmental advisory firm. Formerly the company’s CEO, Luke guided EMM through a remarkable period of growth, from a NSW-based team of just 30 people to a workforce of now ~ 300 environmental scientists, engineers, planners and specialists around the country and in Canada. EMM is now an acknowledged industry leader in strategic advice and environmental services for the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors. Luke also serves as Chair and Non-Executive Director of Dover Castle Metals, an Australian-owned company focussed on the exploration and processing of strategic and critical metals and minerals in Far North Queensland. These much sought after commodities are critical to renewable energy generation and other ‘green’ technologies. Together, these roles provide a holistic view of the transition to the green economy, its challenges, opportunities and the fundamentally important role sequestration and the carbon market play.
Luke is a big believer in making a positive impact and giving back to the community. He has fundraised for charity Running for Premature Babies, enabling the purchase of life saving medical equipment for both Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, and Alice Springs Hospital NICU. Luke is now involved with the establishment of a permanent east coast chapter of Ocean Heroes, a non-for-profit providing children on the Autism spectrum with the opportunity to surf in a safe, fun and inclusive environment.
Other directorships and offices (current and recent):
Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director at EMM Consulting; Chair and Non-Executive Director at Dover Castle Metals.
IZZY JENSEN
Non-Executive Director
Skills and experience
Izzy is the founder at Chief Investment officer at Kakariki Capital, a specialist fund manager with a focus on carbon and environmental assets. Izzy founded Kakariki Capital after identifying what she believes will be one of the biggest, and most important investment opportunities of our time, the decarbonisation of our planet. Previously, Izzy spent 7 years at Morrison & Co, a leading global alternative asset manager with excess of $25bn+ FUM, where she was responsible for research and origination in carbon and environmental markets. Izzy has experience across a range of disciplines, including portfolio strategy management, and unlisted and listed investment management.
Other directorships and offices (current and recent):
Executive Director of Kakariki Capital. Izzy is also the Treasurer of the Montessori East Foundation.
ROBBIE RUSCA
Director, Verity OnCountry
Responsibility
BlueCarbon On-Country Pty Ltd has appointed an experienced Indigenous (Aboriginal) Director. Robbie will also ensure social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits flow to Aboriginal people from the BC-OC and supported carbon projects.
Skills and experience
Robbie has a track record of building successful Indigenous (Aboriginal) owned businesses, training and supporting Indigenous jobs, building sustainable capacity within the communities where they deliver projects and caring for the environment– especially blue carbon ecosystems where the land and sea meet.
Other directorships (current):
Robbie Rusca (MD of Rusca Group)
SHANNON RUSCA
Director, Verity OnCountry
Responsibility
BlueCarbon On-Country Pty Ltd has appointed an experienced Indigenous (Aboriginal) Director. Shannon will also ensure social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits flow to Aboriginal people from the BC-OC and supported carbon projects.
Skills and experience
Shannon has a track record of building successful Indigenous (Aboriginal) owned businesses, training and supporting Indigenous jobs, building sustainable capacity within the communities where they deliver projects and caring for the environment– especially blue carbon ecosystems where the land and sea meet.
Other directorships (current):
Shannon Rusca (Director of Rusca Group)
SCOTT CALLENDER
Project Advisor (South East Asia)
Responsibility
Scott is providing advice on commercial and project opportunities in Singapore and South East Asia.
Skills and experience
Scott brings more than 30 years of successful involvement in real estate investment and development, private equity, investment management, and business building (both start-ups and larger established businesses) to the venture, along with extensive and valuable relationships. Having left Australia in 1993, Scott has lived in HK, Philippines, Thailand, and currently Singapore, and during the past 15 years has increasingly shifted his focus to clean energy/renewables, climate tech, and the circular economy.
Current roles
Avila Capital – Founder & Managing Partner (Private equity and investment management) Assetz Group Partners – Director (primarily renewable energy and real estate development) Holos Life Sciences – Founder and Executive Director (3D genomics & epigenetics)