(Bloomberg) -- The board and chief executive officer of the Science Based Targets initiative were asked to resign after the United Nations-backed group loosened guidelines for how companies can use carbon credits to reduce their reported emissions.

In a letter sent Wednesday, SBTi employees said the board of trustees who made the statement failed to adhere to the nonprofit’s governance structures and the CEO failed to adequately inform the staff about the board’s decision.

The SBTi announced Tuesday that it will allow the use of credits to cut emissions from value chains, otherwise known as Scope 3. Market participants were quick to respond to the move, with some saying the decision could be “massively consequential” for the future of carbon prices.

The staff letter from the heads of several SBTi departments asks for the statement related to carbon credits to be withdrawn and corrected as it raises serious questions about “the future direction and integrity of our organization.”

Spokespeople for SBTi weren’t immediately available to comment. The internal tumult at SBTi was earlier reported by Reuters.

--With assistance from Frances Schwartzkopff, Benjamin Elgin and Alastair Marsh.

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