Developing the Corporate Net-Zero Standard
The SBTi is developing V2 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard. The draft standard aims to be science-based, innovative and pragmatic – in line with feedback from businesses about what they need.
The SBTi’s flagship Corporate Net-Zero Standard has become the global benchmark for businesses committed to ambitious climate action – more than 3,000 companies have science-based net-zero targets or have committed to make them.
Now, we are revising this standard to support more companies to set targets and make corporate climate action more effective, to accelerate the pace of decarbonization. Read more about the project in its Terms of Reference.
Public consultation closed - thank you for your input
Thank you to the more than 855 stakeholders who contributed their expertise and input during the public consultation on the draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2 – open from March to June 2025. Feedback and consultation are critical to developing a practical and robust standard that works for businesses and accelerates climate action.
With the public consultation now closed, the SBTi is moving into the next phase. We will review all the feedback received and use it to help develop the next draft of the standard. This will go for a second round of consultation and pilot testing. Details of how to apply to the pilot will be made available at a later date – stay tuned via our mailing list and social channels.
Moving from the current standard to the new standard
Companies Setting New Near-Term Targets in 2025 and 2026
Companies will continue to be able to set near-term targets for 2030 under the current versions of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard (V1.2) and Near-Term Criteria (V5.2) in 2025 and 2026. It is intended that from 2027 companies will use V2 to set new near-term and long-term targets.
Near-term targets set in 2025 and 2026 under Corporate Net-Zero Standard V1.2 and Near-Term Criteria V5.2 will remain valid for five years or until the end of 2030, whichever is earlier. Companies validating near-term targets for this period should develop near-term targets for the subsequent period using V2 by the end of 2030 at the latest.
The SBTi will provide a pathway for companies with targets validated in 2025 and 2026 to align their scope 3 targets with V2. This transition pathway will ensure a smooth process, preventing duplication of previously completed work. Further details will be released soon.
Companies with Existing Near-term Term Targets
Existing near-term targets are expected to remain valid until 2030, or the end of the target timeframe, whichever comes first.
SBTi will provide further details on the intended renewal process for companies with previously validated near-term targets in the second public consultation, scheduled for later this year.
About the draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2
Our Chief Technical Officer, Alberto Carrillo Pineda and Head of Corporate Standards, Emma Watson, provide an overview of the contents of the draft standard:
To understand the draft standard:
- Read our blog series, covering key themes in the draft: scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, progress and environmental attribute certificates (EACs).
- Watch our deep dive training video series on eight topics explored in the draft standard.
- Watch the recording of our Q&A webinar on the draft standard and access the slides.
- Sign up our mailing list and follow us on social media to receive the latest updates.
The evolution of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard is at the frontier of best practice while ensuring it is actionable and effective for companies. The draft of V2 aims to introduce clarity on critical areas, including:
- Categorization: To ensure inclusivity and relevance, a new categorization system tailors requirements based on company size and geography, making the standard more accessible.
- Progress and transparency: The draft standard helps companies understand how to credibly report progress against their goals and the process for setting updated targets in line with relevant external requirements.
- Focus on action: The draft standard splits out scope 1 and scope 2 emissions to reflect the unique challenge decarbonizing each of these categories. The scope 2 approach increases the focus on action by requiring companies to source their electricity from zero carbon sources.
- Value chain emissions (scope 3): Addressing value chain emissions is one of the biggest challenges in corporate decarbonization. The SBTi is exploring several ways to increase the effectiveness of scope 3 target-setting and implementation. This includes considering a wider set of metrics, methods and tools that companies can use to set targets, report progress and manage emissions in their value chain.
- Carbon removals: The draft standard sets out options for consideration to address unabated and residual emissions. This includes looking at formally recognizing companies which are investing in Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) and the introduction of interim carbon removal targets.
- Interoperability: The relationship to other SBTi standards, such as the upcoming Financial Institutions Net-Zero Standard, and other relevant frameworks, standards, and regulations is clarified in the public consultation draft.
The SBTi has convened five expert working groups (EWGs) to support the revision of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard.
The EWGs brings together subject-matter experts from across business, civil society and academia to provide in-depth input on key topics. These groups focus on five key themes that are critical to businesses setting effective, practical and ambitious targets:
- Scope 2: Addressing emissions from purchased or acquired electricity to ensure effective decarbonization.
- Scope 3: Target-setting approaches, strategies and interventions for addressing scope 3 emissions.
- Removals: Neutralization and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR), particularly regarding removals targets.
- Ongoing emissions and BVCM: Addressing ongoing emissions in the transition to net-zero through Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) activities, including the scale of action and allowable measures.
- Data quality, data assurance and claims: Data quality and assurance and substantiation of claims.
The SBTi held an open call for applicants, which closed in February 2025. Thank you to all those that applied. The members of each EWG have now been selected - you can view the full lists below. Want to learn more? Read the EWG Terms of Reference.
The members of the Expert Working Group on scope 2 are:
- Drew Beyer – RMI
- Lucile Bourguet – Fortescue
- Matthew Brander – University of Edinburgh
- Elliott Engelmann – World Resources Institute / GHG Protocol
- Nicholas Fedson – CDP
- Peggy Kellen – Center for Resource Solutions (CRS)
- Rachel Kitchin – Stand.earth
- Matt Konieczny – Watershed
- Erik Landry – GRESB
- Aindrias Lefévère – EDF Group
- Skye Lei – ServiceNow
- Doug Miller – Energy Peace Partners
- Alex Piper – EnergyTag
- Mohamad Salah – Sidi Kerir For Petrochemicals company (SIDPEC)
- Emma Saraff – Asia Clean Energy Coalition
- Chris St John Cox – Energy Systems Catapult
- Rachel Swiatek – Climate Group
- Kae Takase – Renewable Energy Institute
- Roble Velasco-Rosenheim – The I-TRACK Standard Foundation
- Molly Walton – We Mean Business Coalition
- Jinfeng ZHOU – China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF)
The members of the Expert Working Group on scope 3 are:
- Kaya Axelsson – Oxford Net Zero
- Eleanor Bastian – Amazon
- Alissa Benchimol – Greenhouse Gas Management Institute
- Derik Broekhoff – Stockholm Environment Institute - US Center
- Andres Chang – Greenpeace USA
- Nicolas Clerget – The Heineken Company
- Alli Devlin – ResponsibleSteel
- Lydia Elliott – We Mean Business Coalition
- Frederic Hans – NewClimate Institute
- Svend Hansen – Ørsted
- Laura Hutchinson – Center for Green Market Activation
- Krutarth Jhaveri – Apple
- Miriam Kugele – Aga Khan University
- Leonardo Lemmi Boeri – A.P. Møller-Maersk
- Alan Lewis – Smart Freight Centre
- Asmita Marathe – Bureau Veritas
- Aditya Mishra – Proforest Europe
- Silvana Paniagua Tufinio – VCI - Value Change Initiative
- Sriram Rajagopal – IKEA (Inter IKEA Group)
- Sam Van den plas – Carbon Market Watch
- Gibran Vita – Rabobank
- Lachlan Wright – Rocky Mountain Institute
The members of the Expert Working Group on removals are:
- Shantanu Agarwal – Mati Carbon PBC
- Toby Bryce – Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture
- Mai Bui – Supercritical
- Fabiola De Simone – Carbon Market Watch
- John Dulac – Saint-Gobain
- Ankita Garg – Varaha ClimateAg Private Limited
- Noel Gurwick – University of Maryland
- Hannah Hunt – Heineken
- Injy Johnstone – University of Oxford
- Sifa Kinoti – Octavia Carbon
- Thea Lyngseth – ECOS - Environmental Coalition on Standards
- Ryan Maloney – Apple
- Eva Masa Pinto – Cemex
- Kelly McNamara – Food System Innovations
- Silke Mooldijk – NewClimate Institute
- Jose Moreira – Institute of Energy and Environment University of Sao Paulo (IEE-USP0)
- Fiona Perera – Gold Standard
- Lene Petersen – WWF
- Thuy Phung – PepsiCo
- Matt Ramlow – World Resources Institute / GHG Protocol
- Sarita Severien – Suzano
- Hilde Stroot – Oxfam
- Eve Tamme – Climate Principles
- Louis Uzor – Climeworks (until end of February 2025)
The members of the Expert Working Group on ongoing emissions and BVCM are:
- Giulia Carbone – WBCSD
- Melissa Chavana – SIG Combibloc
- Cindy Chiang – Netflix
- Tim Clairs – Forest Integrity
- Gilles Dufrasne – European Commission
- Omonigho Erigha – Persistent Energy Capital
- Robert Höglund – Marginal Carbon AB
- Elijah Innes-Wimsatt – Conservation International
- Nicolas Kreibich – Wuppertal Institute
- Sophie Louise Gladov – Ørsted
- Jessica Omukuti – University of Oxford
- Abigail Paris – As You Sow
- Jacqueline Persson – Oxfam
- Sunita Purushottam – Mahindra Lifespaces
- Aisha Rodriguez – VCMI
- Morten Rossé – Lombard Odier Asset Managers
- Seruni Salsabila – Catalyst of Change ASEAN (CoC ASEAN)
- Daniel Schneiders – Bayer AG
- Nathan Truitt – American Forest Foundation
- Billie Wilcox Brooke – ISEAL
The members of the Expert Working Group on data quality, data assurance and claims are:
- Chris Bayliss – Aluminium Stewardship Initiative
- Anastasia Behr – UL Solutions
- Tatiana Boldyreva – CDP
- Paola Delgado Luna – Accountability Accelerator
- Max Eichelbaum – RSB - Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials
- Stephanie Glazer – RMHC. Inc.
- Akshita Gupta – Greengage Environmental Ltd.
- Polly Hemming – The Australia Institute
- Vita Jarolimkova – SRT Group
- Vincent Kong – Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited
- Dan Magrath – Gold Standard
- Patrick Mallet – ISEAL
- Wren Montgomery – Western University
- Laura Mora – Ecoverify
- Laurence Opie – Green Guarantee Company
- Florian Pothin – Toovalu / University of Rennes
- Brad Schallert – Winrock International
- Martha Stevenson – WWF
- Sangwon Suh – Watershed
- Claire Wigg – Exponential Roadmap Initiative
- Aaron Wu – Slaughter and May
The SBTi has gathered insights from a range of sources to inform the development of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2 to date. This includes working sessions with key stakeholders including businesses.
We have also carried out the following research:- Scope 3 discussion paper: A discussion paper setting out the SBTi’s initial thinking on potential changes being explored around scope 3 target setting, including underlying principles and concepts. The paper is informative in nature and does not propose requirements or criteria. Published July 2024. The feedback report from this paper is available here.
- Evidence received on the effectiveness of Environmental Attribute Certificates: The release of all evidence received as part of the open call on the effectiveness of environmental attribute certificates (EACs) without SBTi assessment. Published July 2024.
- Environmental Attribute Certificate reports presenting the SBTi’s synthesis of the evidence submitted through the call for evidence on EACs:
- Synthesis report of evidence on the effectiveness of Environmental Attribute Certificates in corporate climate targets – Part 1: Carbon credits. Published July 2024.
- Evidence synthesis report part 2: Energy carries and commodity certificates. Published March 2025.
- Evidence Synthesis Report Part 2: Environmental Attribute Certificates – Fuels. Published March 2025.
- Evidence Synthesis Report Part 2: Environmental Attribute Certificates – Electricity. Published March 2025.
- Evidence Synthesis Report Part 2: Environmental Attribute Certificates – Commodities. Published March 2025.
- Findings of independent systematic review on the effectiveness of carbon credits in corporate climate targets: A statement summarizing the assessment conducted by an independent third party on peer-reviewed academic literature on the effectiveness of carbon credits when used as a substitute for direct abatement. The statement summarizes the process followed, findings and limitations of this research exercise. The Annex describes the methodology. Published July 2024.
The SBTi welcomes and invites feedback on this project at any time via the project feedback form.
For enquiries about the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard, email the team at standards@sciencebasedtargets.org.
Subscribe to the SBTi mailing list to receive our newsletters and stay up-to-date on the progress of the project.
