(A practical guide to how we behave — and how we expect others to behave — so that trading environmental certificates doesn’t become harder than it needs to be.)
Purpose
Most problems in business are not technical.
They are behavioural.
Markets function on discipline, clarity, and the basic decency of grown adults.
This policy explains the standards of human behaviour that keep trading efficient, civil, and sane.
It is entirely serious.
It just happens to be honest.
1. We answer messages
If you email, call, or send a message — we respond.
Not instantly. Not at midnight.
But within a reasonable period, and without requiring a search party.
Silence is not a strategy.
2. We don’t ghost people
If a trade isn’t moving forward, we say so.
If we can’t quote yet, we tell you why.
If we’re waiting on a supplier, we say that too.
Vanishing into the ether is not professional, even if it’s common elsewhere.
3. We tell the truth (even when it’s inconvenient)
- If the price moved — we say so.
- If the product isn’t available — we say so.
- If we need more time — we say that as well.
We do not hide behind vague platitudes like “checking with the desk” when no desk has been checked.
4. We avoid melodrama
Markets move. Deadlines slip. Registries crash.
None of this is improved by panic, theatrics, or five-paragraph crisis emails.
We deal with issues calmly and directly.
No hand-waving. No catastrophising.
5. We read documents before debating them
We don’t argue about things that are already written down.
We don’t dispute terms that we haven’t actually read.
We don’t pretend to misunderstand basics to stall for time.
Reading solves most arguments.
6. We ask questions instead of making assumptions
If something is unclear, we ask.
If we’re unsure about a detail, we check.
Guesswork is not an acceptable risk management strategy.
7. We keep our promises
If we commit to a timeline, we meet it.
If we can’t meet it, we update you early — not at the moment the deadline expires.
Last-minute surprises are only fun at birthdays.
8. We treat people the same on good days and bad days
We don’t take market frustration out on counterparties.
We don’t get short when prices tighten.
We don’t become mysteriously friendly only when we want liquidity.
Professionalism is a consistent behaviour, not a mood.
9. We don’t use jargon to sound important
If something can be said clearly, it is said clearly.
If something is complex, we explain it without theatrics.
We do not weaponise terminology.
Plain English is our default setting.
10. We never blame “the system” when we simply forgot
Registry outages are real.
Human forgetfulness is also real.
We know the difference, and we admit to the latter.
11. We treat time as a shared resource
We prepare before meetings.
We arrive on time.
We keep calls focused.
We don’t drag 20-minute questions into 90-minute monologues.
Time is the only commodity more valuable than certificates.
12. We don’t surprise each other at the last minute
If something important is missing — we flag it before it explodes.
If a trade might slip — we give warning.
If a document needs revising — we say so early.
Ambushes belong in films, not in settlement cycles.
13. We share credit
When things go well, we acknowledge everyone involved.
When things go badly, we take responsibility rather than seeking scapegoats.
It’s not complicated. It’s just rare.
14. We behave like we’ll meet again tomorrow
Because we will.
Markets are small.
Reputations are even smaller.
We operate accordingly.
Why this matters
Certificate trading is complex enough without adding poor behaviour on top.
Professional conduct:
- reduces errors
- increases trust
- shortens cycle times
- prevents disputes
- improves liquidity
- makes the market nicer for everyone
Good systems matter.
Good people matter more.