Developing the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2

The SBTi is developing Version 2 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard. The draft Standard aims to be science-based, innovative and practical – in line with feedback from businesses about what they need.

Read the updated Draft Standard V2

Over the past decade, more than 11,000 companies and financial institutions have set or committed to set science-based targets. The revision of our flagship Corporate Net-Zero Standard is designed to give businesses worldwide the tools they need to successfully manage transition risks and opportunities, while remaining competitive in an increasingly carbon-constrained world—building on lessons learned from implementation, evolving science, and stakeholder feedback. Read more about the project in its Terms of Reference.  

 

Your expertise is needed: Feed back on the updated draft of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2

We are releasing a revised draft of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard for a second public consultation.

The updated draft Standard introduces a simpler, more streamlined structure and innovative approach to make net-zero target setting easier to understand, apply, and scale across sectors and regions, while maintaining alignment with global climate goals. It draws on feedback from the first public consultation and expert working groups to create a science-based and practical Standard to accelerate corporate climate action.

 

Our CEO, David Kennedy, Chief Technical Officer, Alberto Carrillo Pineda and Head of Corporate Standards, Emma Watson, provide an overview of the contents of the draft Standard:

How to participate

The second public consultation is open until December 8, 2025 (9:00 AM GMT).

1. Understand the draft Standard:

2. Provide input: When you are ready, complete the public consultation survey. You can view the full survey before submitting your responses by downloading the survey questions. Respondents can choose to complete the full survey (estimated completion time: 2 hours) or respond only to selected sections.

Feedback and consultation are critical to the development of a Standard that is scientifically robust, credible, and workable for businesses—helping translate science-based ambition into credible action. Add your voice to the public consultation, and help shape the future of corporate climate action.

Following the public consultation and pilot testing, all feedback will be reviewed alongside insights from our expert working groups. These will inform the Standard which will be published for companies to use to set targets. Before publication, it will undergo internal review and approval in line with the SBTi’s Standard Operating Procedure for Development of Standards. This process includes review and approval by the Technical Council, and formal adoption by the Board of Trustees.

Moving from the current Standard (V1.3) to the new Standard (V2)

For companies setting new targets 

Version 1.3 of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard continues to be a credible, well–established framework for companies worldwide to set science-based targets. Companies that have not yet set targets are strongly encouraged to do so now, as efforts undertaken under Version 1.3 will continue to be relevant and provide a strong foundation for future alignment with Version 2.

Companies may continue to set new targets under the current Corporate Net-Zero Standard (V1.3) and Near-Term Criteria (V5.3) until December 31, 2027. Once published, companies are encouraged to adopt the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2. From January 1st, 2028, all companies will be required to use Version 2.

For companies with existing commitments

Companies with existing commitments are required to use a version of the Standard that is in effect at the time of submission. 

For companies with existing near-term targets

Existing near-term targets are expected to remain valid until the end of the target timeframe. The SBTi will provide further details through publication of transition guidance in due course.

About the draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2

We’ve listened to hundreds of businesses and experts across the ecosystem, and are addressing their feedback through three overarching themes:

  1. Reinforced ambition: The updated draft Standard requires company-backed ambition to work towards net-zero and clear internal accountability, and provides a strong link with transition planning and transparency over dependencies.
  2. Enhanced clarity on purpose and scope: We have updated the cross-sector net-zero framework to align with the latest science and best practice, while enabling a clean interface with SBTi Sector-Specific and Financial Institution Standards, as well as other external frameworks, standards, and regulations—driving interoperability and alignment.
  3. Cyclical validation system: The three stage process (Entry Check → Initial Validation → Renewal Validation) introduced in the initial consultation has been maintained, with optional spot checks to drive continuous improvement and accountability across target cycles.

These overarching themes are supported by technical updates in five key areas:

  1. Performance and transparency. The revised Standard sets clear expectations on how performance should be measured, driving continuous improvement and accountability to help companies remain aligned with their net-zero ambitions.
  2. Diversified scope 1 target-setting methods. Dedicated scope 1 target-setting requirements and more granular pathways are introduced, enabling companies to use metrics and benchmarks that better reflect their activities and priority emission sources.
  3. Tightened integrity for low-carbon electricity (scope 2). The draft Standard sets clear criteria for scope 2 decarbonization, including the use of credible contractual instruments and geographic and temporal matching, implemented through a phased approach that begins with the very largest electricity consumers.
  4. Focused and flexible scope 3 framework. Building on the Scope 3 Discussion Paper, published in July 2024, and informed by extensive feedback and further research, the draft Standard refines the target-setting approach, refocusing on the highest-priority value chain emission sources. It allows exclusions for lower-impact activities and areas where influence is limited, and includes action-based targets that consider value chain complexity and data maturity.
  5. Progressive responsibility for ongoing emissions. While the focus remains on direct decarbonization, the updated draft introduces a new recognition mechanism to incentivize companies that take early, voluntary action to address their ongoing emissions through removals, with all Category A companies—i.e., large companies and medium-sized companies in high-income countries—expected to take progressive responsibility for their ongoing emissions from 2035.

You can read more about the specifics of these technical updates on the ‘key elements at a glance’ page of our digital consultation guide. 

Second public consultation [now open]

First public consultation [now closed]

Frequently asked questions

Through public consultation, we are empowering businesses and other stakeholders to feed back on proposed updates to the draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard, ensuring it remains scientifically robust, credible, and workable for businesses—helping accelerate climate action in line with global net-zero goals.

The second draft reflects extensive input from hundreds of companies and experts in the ecosystem across the first consultation and expert working groups. It introduces a simpler, more streamlined structure and innovative approach to make net-zero target setting easier to understand, apply, and scale across sectors and regions. Key areas of proposed revision include:

Net-zero as the north star, with emphasis on urgent action – Companies are expected to align near-term actions in their operations and value-chains with long-term climate objectives, and publish transition plans setting out their roadmap of actions to demonstrate this.

Scope-specific target approach to enhance integrity and actionability – Tailored target-setting approach for each scope–including maintaining separate requirements for scope 1 and 2 targets–to reflect their unique challenges and decarbonization levers.

Science-based options to reflect different corporate contexts – The revised draft introduces a range of options that better reflects the range of levers that companies have in different contexts, and allows them to focus on priority emissions sources where they can have the most impact. These options include actions to reduce emissions directly and indirectly.  

Recognition for companies taking responsibility for ongoing emissions – While the focus remains on direct decarbonization, the updated draft introduces a new recognition mechanism to incentivize companies that take early, voluntary action to address the impact of their ongoing emissions.

Transparency as a lever for impact – The revised Standard sets clear expectations on how progress against targets should be measured and disclosed, driving continuous improvement and accountability to help companies remain aligned with their net-zero ambition.

Your input is essential to help us shape a final Standard that is science-based, innovative and practical. We invite all stakeholders to understand the draft Standard by:

When you are ready to provide feedback, complete the public consultation survey before December 8, 2025 (9:00 AM GMT).

Absolutely. The current Corporate Net-Zero Standard is the best framework available to set net-zero targets. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition from the current to new Standard:

For companies setting new targets 

  • Version 1.3 of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard continues to be a credible, well–established framework for companies worldwide to set science-based targets.
  • Companies that have not yet set targets are strongly encouraged to do so now, as efforts undertaken under Version 1.3 will continue to be relevant and provide a strong foundation for future alignment with Version 2.0.
  • Companies may continue to set new targets under the current Corporate Net-Zero Standard (V1.3) and Near-Term Criteria (V5.3) until December 31, 2027.
  • Once published, companies are encouraged to adopt the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2. From January 1st, 2028, all companies will be required to use Version 2.0.
     

For companies with existing commitments

  • Companies with existing commitments are required to use a version of the Standard that is in effect at the time of submission. 

 

For companies with existing near-term targets

  • Existing near-term targets are expected to remain valid until the end of the target timeframe.
  • The SBTi will provide further details through publication of transition guidance in due course. 

Version 1.3 of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard continues to be a credible, well–established framework for companies worldwide to set science-based targets. Companies that have not yet set targets are strongly encouraged to do so now, as efforts undertaken under Version 1.3 will continue to be relevant and provide a strong foundation for future alignment with Version 2.

The Standard revision is being carried out in line with our Standard Operating Procedure for Development of Standards, with our Technical Department leading its development, the independent Technical Council approving it and, finally, the Board of Trustees adopting it.

The first draft of the revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2 was published in March 2025. Over 855 stakeholders provided feedback through the first public consultation and more than 320 companies participated in phase 1 of the pilot testing. Insights from these activities, along with input from expert working groups, have informed the next draft of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2 which is now undergoing public consultation and pilot testing.

Feedback from those involved in putting the Standard into action is critical—it’s only through marrying rigor with practicality that we can accelerate businesses' net-zero ambitions.

The second draft of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard maintains ambition while making science-based target setting more accessible, practical, and actionable––to support more companies set targets, make corporate climate action more effective, and accelerate the pace of decarbonization.

This updated draft reflects the latest climate science, evolving best practice and recognized standards and frameworks. It also incorporates feedback from businesses and stakeholders on what they need to achieve the collective ambition of a net-zero future.

Through this public consultation, we are empowering businesses and other stakeholders, including civil society, academia and all those interested in and affected by the Standard, to feed back on the proposed updates, ensuring that the Standard remains both rigorous and practical. 

No. The draft Standard maintains SBTi’s core position: fast and deep value chain decarbonization must be front and center.

We recognize that scaling removals capacity can help companies to address their residual emissions, and use this tool effectively. In response to feedback from the first consultation and further research, the draft Standard introduces the Ongoing Emissions Responsibility framework––a new recognition mechanism for supplementary mitigation, while companies are still reducing their own emissions.

Under the Ongoing Emissions Responsibility framework, companies may contribute by  delivering verified mitigation outcomes (i.e., reductions, avoidance, or removals) and/or by deploying climate finance (e.g., towards research and development, adaptation, loss and damage). These actions are reported separately, and do not count toward achieving a company’s science-based targets. 

The first draft of the revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2 was published in March 2025 for public consultation. We received input from over 855 stakeholders and more than 320 companies participated in phase 1 of the pilot testing. This feedback, along with insights from our expert working groups and additional research, has been central to developing the next draft of the Standard.

The result is a practical and accessible science-based framework that balances climate ambition with the operational realities of different sectors and geographies. It introduces a clearer, more streamlined structure to improve usability and make it easier for companies to understand and apply.

A summary of stakeholder input is available in the first public consultation feedback report. When the Standard is released, we will publish a Basis for Conclusion report summarizing the development process, including public input, key issues raised and how they were addressed. 

The second public consultation is open from November 6 to December 8, 2025 (9:00 AM GMT).

How to participate:

Feedback and consultation are critical to the development of a Standard that is scientifically robust, credible, and workable for businesses—helping accelerate climate action in line with global net-zero goals. Add your voice to the public consultation, and help shape the future of corporate climate action.

Following the public consultation and pilot testing, all feedback will be reviewed alongside insights from our expert working groups. These will inform the Standard which will be published for companies to use to set targets in 2026. Before publication, it will undergo internal review and approval in line with the SBTi’s Standard Operating Procedure for Development of Standards. This process includes review and approval by the Technical Council, and formal adoption by the Board of Trustees.

While the work of other standard-setting groups is often complementary to the SBTi’s, it can also carry the risk of fragmentation. Through the revision of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard, we are working to clarify how it relates to other SBTi Standards––such as the Financial Institutions Net-Zero Standard and other Sector Standards––and making it easier to use alongside other relevant frameworks, standards, and regulations. This work aims to help companies streamline their climate strategies and reduce duplication of effort to navigate the evolving landscape while driving credible climate action. 

Expert Working Groups

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. You can view the full lists of selected members for each EWG below. Want to learn more? Read the EWG Terms of Reference.

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the EWGs, meeting minutes are available to download. General EWG minutes are provided below, and minutes for each EWG can be found in the sections that follow.

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)

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the Expert Working Group on scope 2, its meeting minutes are available to download below.

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 – University of Toronto
  • 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

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the Expert Working Group on scope 3, its meeting minutes are available to download below.

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 – Carbon Gap

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the Expert Working Group on removals, its meeting minutes are available to download below.

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

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the Expert Working Group on ongoing emissions and BVCM, its meeting minutes are available to download below.

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

To provide transparency regarding discussions and actions taken by the Expert Working Group on data quality, data assurance and claims, its meeting minutes are available to download below.

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:

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 [email protected].

Subscribe to the SBTi mailing list to receive our newsletters and stay up-to-date on the progress of the project.

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