The Path to Neutrality: Evaluating Carbon Offsetting Strategies Among Spanish Corporations

ABSTRACT This study examines how offset project characteristics and financial conditions shape the intensity of corporate carbon offsetting in voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). Focusing on a Southern European context, the analysis draws on a longitudinal panel of 357 Spanish firms observed between 2019 and 2022. Firms that retain carbon credits for internal compensation and invest in geographically proximate projects consistently exhibit higher offsetting intensity, suggesting that project design and local commitment play a central role in offsetting strategies. Profitability is positively associated with offsetting intensity, while firm size shows a negative relationship, indicating that smaller firms rely more heavily on offsetting as a strategic response to climate commitments. For companies, the results provide guidance on which project‐related choices are associated with a more consistent alignment between offsetting practices and stated environmental commitments, while guiding policymakers to design incentive‐based frameworks that foster credible and broader participation in VCMs.