The Science Based Targets initiative launches Version 2 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard, prioritising five-year targets, flexible Scope 3 emissions rules, and enhanced accountability, marking a shift towards more practical climate commitments for companies.
The Science Based Targets initiative has moved to reshape one of the most influential frameworks in corporate climate strategy, unveiling Version 2 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard with a sharper focus on short-term accountability, greater flexibility on Scope 3 emissions and a looser relationship with long-term net-zero pledges.
The overhaul arrives almost five years after the original standard was published and marks the first major test of the direction set by David Kennedy, the former EY consultant and UK government climate adviser who has led SBTi for around a year. In recent months, the group has recast itself less as a rule enforcer and more as a practical partner for companies trying to translate climate ambition into implementation, and the new standard reflects that shift.
One of the most consequential changes is the emphasis on five-year target cycles. Under the previous model, companies seeking validation were generally expected to pair near-term goals with a long-term commitment to reach net zero by 2050 or earlier. Version 2 largely replaces that requirement with a continuing cycle of five-year targets, annual progress reporting and end-of-cycle assurance. Kennedy has argued that many firms are reluctant to make commitments stretching two decades into the future, saying that such horizons are not common business practice.
The update also gives companies more ways to deal with Scope 3 emissions, which usually make up the bulk of a manufacturer’s or industrial supplier’s footprint. Alongside existing options such as emissions-based targets and supplier engagement, firms will be able to link targets to purchases or sales of lower-carbon products. Where those products are not readily available, they can use environmental attribute certificates to help finance supply-chain decarbonisation and count the associated Scope 3 benefit. The new rules also narrow exclusions, allowing companies to leave out only those Scope 3 categories that account for less than 5 per cent of the total, while emissions over which a company has no practical influence may be omitted if it can demonstrate credible action elsewhere in the sector.
On electricity, SBTi has stopped short of taking a hard line on hourly matching, one of the most contested questions in corporate carbon accounting. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is still weighing whether companies should have to match consumption with local low-carbon supply on an hourly basis. SBTi says the evidence remains limited, but it will require companies using at least 10 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year in any part of their business to report how much of that power was matched hourly with renewable generation. It is also introducing a voluntary recognition scheme, with thresholds rising from 50 per cent to 75 per cent in 2030 and 90 per cent in 2035.
The standard also introduces a new framework for what SBTi calls ongoing emissions responsibility, giving companies credit for supporting climate solutions while their residual emissions persist. Larger businesses can qualify for different recognition tiers depending on how much of their emissions they cover with carbon credits or internal carbon pricing, with the most demanding level reserved for firms that address all emissions at an $80 per tonne rate. From 2035, a separate mandatory requirement will begin to phase in, obliging companies to buy carbon removal credits for a small and rising share of ongoing emissions until it reaches 100 per cent by 2050, or sooner if the company chooses an earlier net-zero date.
For companies already working to the current system, the transition will be gradual rather than abrupt. SBTi says firms with existing validated targets do not need to reset them immediately, while the current standard will remain available until the end of 2027. Validation against Version 2 is due to begin in February 2027, following further technical guidance and assurance rules due later this year and early next year. For industrial groups with complex value chains and long investment cycles, the message is clear: the era of distant net-zero declarations is giving way to a more measured regime of delivery, evidence and recurring scrutiny.
- https://geekfence.com/sbtis-net-zero-overhaul-prioritizes-short-term-accountability/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/news/the-sbti-releases-corporate-net-zero-standard-v2-0-to-accelerate-corporate-climate-action – The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released its Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, marking a significant evolution in corporate climate action. This comprehensive framework introduces a suite of options to reflect business realities while maintaining scientific rigor. The Standard is designed to drive real-world business transformation by embedding science-based targets into core decision-making across operations, value chains, and capital allocation. It emphasizes implementation, mobilizing all available levers in line with a clear implementation hierarchy, and recognizes targets set on a ‘best efforts’ basis. Additionally, it introduces a voluntary recognition mechanism for companies addressing ongoing emissions and outlines a progressive responsibility for larger companies to take action on these emissions. The updated Standard builds on over a decade of experience supporting more than 11,000 companies to set science-based targets, reinforcing the SBTi’s evolving role in helping companies translate ambition into credible action and accelerate progress toward net-zero by 2050 at the latest.
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/blog/the-corporate-net-zero-standard-v2-0-is-here-what-comes-next – The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has introduced the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, its most comprehensive framework for corporate climate action to date. This blog outlines the next steps to support the operationalization of the Standard, with validation against the Standard opening in early 2027. The Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 is now available, and companies with existing validated targets do not need to set new ones. Those currently setting or renewing targets can proceed without delay. Starting February 1, 2027, the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 will be available for target setting, alongside a comprehensive suite of methods, pathways, and resources for companies to utilize the new Standard. A Renewal Policy, expected in Q4 2026, will set out how new elements introduced by the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 related to target implementation, end-of-cycle assessment, and Ongoing Emissions Responsibility (OER) will be accessible to all companies within the SBTi system. Transition guidance is already available for companies navigating the shift to Version 2.0. For more details about the applicability of Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 benefits for companies already in the SBTi system, please refer to the dedicated document.
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/news/the-sbti-updates-the-absolute-contraction-approach-to-improve-consistency-and-implementation-while-maintaining-net-zero-ambition – The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has updated the Absolute Contraction Approach (ACA), the methodology companies use to set absolute emissions reduction targets under the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V1.3 and Corporate Near-Term Criteria V5.3. This update aligns the method with the forthcoming Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0, supporting a smoother transition for companies from Version 1.3 to Version 2.0 over time. The refinement of the ACA addresses an unintended issue with the previous method, which was designed to set targets in the early 2020s but resulted in increasingly prohibitive reduction rates for those setting targets now, given the compressed period this implies to achieve emissions reductions. The new method informs this revision and has already been consulted and pilot-tested as part of Corporate Net Zero Standard Version 2. The adjustment to enable this method for companies setting targets under Version 1.3 of the Corporate Net Zero Standard and Near-Term Criteria Version 5.3 was treated as an urgent revision, following approval by the SBTi’s independent Technical Council. The update is effective immediately for all companies using the Absolute Contraction Approach, including energy and industrial targets as well as forest, land, and agriculture (FLAG) targets. No new data or inputs are required. Updated tools within the Validation Portal automatically apply the revised calculation. Companies may update their targets if they choose, but no action is required for those with already validated targets. These updates reflect the minimum required ambition; more ambitious targets are welcome and encouraged. The update to the Absolute Contraction Approach for companies setting targets in 2026 and 2027 supports practical implementation and alignment with the Corporate Net Zero Standard Version 2.0.
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/corporate-net-zero-standard-v2 – Version 2.0 of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard is available to view digitally. This version is relevant for companies preparing to renew existing targets in 2027, companies planning target submissions from Q1 2027, and companies seeking to understand future requirements. Companies planning to set, update, or renew targets in 2026 are strongly encouraged to prepare them for submission at the earliest opportunity using the Corporate Net-Zero Standard V1.3.1—the most credible and robust framework for net-zero target setting available. The SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard provides companies with the guidance and tools needed to set science-based targets aligned with reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/corporate-net-zero – The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) offers the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 1.3.1 for companies ready to set targets now. Companies setting targets against the current Standard will be able to take advantage of the flexibilities of the current requirements, such as combined scope 1 and 2 targets, and at the same time benefit from many of the innovations introduced in Version 2.0. Companies updating or renewing targets in 2026 or 2027 will be able to take advantage of the flexibilities of the requirements in the current Standard, such as combined scope 1 and 2 targets, and at the same time benefit from many of the innovations introduced in Version 2.0. If you are planning to update your targets in 2028 or later, review the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0.
- https://sciencebasedtargets.org/blog/introducing-the-sbti-corporate-net-zero-standard-version-2-0 – The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has introduced the Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, its most comprehensive framework for corporate climate action to date. This blog outlines the main changes introduced in Version 2.0 and how companies with validated targets and active commitments can navigate the transition in a way that maintains continuity with the decarbonization efforts already underway. Companies should not delay setting science-based targets—Version 1.3.1 remains the most well-established framework available. 90% of companies with science-based targets report an overall positive impact on their business, along with improved strategic cohesion and strengthened investor perception. Companies that already have targets can benefit from new elements introduced by Version 2.0 right away, including the pursuit of targets on a best-efforts basis, company categorization, and ongoing emissions responsibility. Companies setting, updating, or renewing targets in
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article was published on June 11, 2026, aligning with the official release date of the SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0. ([sciencebasedtargets.org](https://sciencebasedtargets.org/news/the-sbti-releases-corporate-net-zero-standard-v2-0-to-accelerate-corporate-climate-action?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from David Kennedy, CEO of SBTi, and Kornelis Blok, Chair of SBTi’s Technical Council. These quotes are consistent with statements found in the official SBTi release. ([sciencebasedtargets.org](https://sciencebasedtargets.org/news/the-sbti-releases-corporate-net-zero-standard-v2-0-to-accelerate-corporate-climate-action?utm_source=openai))
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article is published on geekfence.com, a niche technology news website. While it provides detailed information, the site’s credibility is not well-established, which raises concerns about the reliability of the information presented.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the SBTi’s updated standard are plausible and align with the organization’s known objectives. However, the lack of independent verification from more established news outlets slightly diminishes the confidence in the information.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
While the article provides timely information about the SBTi’s updated standard, it heavily relies on the SBTi’s official release and includes direct quotes from SBTi representatives. The source, geekfence.com, is a niche technology news website with limited credibility, and there is a lack of independent verification from more established news outlets. These factors raise concerns about the reliability and independence of the information presented.
