Posted on March, 18 2025

Tuesday 18 March 2025: The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has published a consultation draft with proposed changes to its flagship Net-Zero Standard. With over 10,000 companies and financial actors committed to setting climate goals with SBTi, and some companies facing challenges in setting and meeting their value chain emission reduction targets, this standard revision will be critically important for accelerating corporate action.

The proposed standard would expand SBTi’s scope beyond target setting to encompass target delivery and the full corporate net zero journey. Among other changes, the SBTi proposals could make it more feasible for companies to set and track value chain (Scope 3) emissions targets. For example, the proposal includes new non-emission metrics and targets based on the alignment of a company's operations and value chains with global climate goals, and the option to also use in-value-chain market mechanisms where necessary, such as commodity Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs).

The draft also opens a number of technical questions and new challenges that will need to be resolved to ensure this standard delivers the simpler processes and increased feasibility businesses are looking for. That is why it is so important for companies and civil society groups to provide input in this consultation process. 

It is essential that the standard supports and enables credible corporate climate action; for WWF that means reflecting the most recent climate science, market transformation led by corporate action, market integrity that enables impactful investments, and a more simple and feasible process to set targets and meet them.

Responding to the release of the draft consultation paper on behalf of WWF, Kirsten Schuijt, WWF Director General, said: “This draft puts forward a promising approach that could move us toward a more effective Net-Zero Standard. While challenges remain, we are encouraged to see key elements that WWF has advocated for in this draft. These could make accelerating climate action and meeting targets more feasible for many companies, particularly those who are struggling to cut emissions from distant parts of their value chains. Overall, it is welcome to see that the draft standard maintains its focus on climate action within company value chains, where companies can have the most significant impact in tackling climate change, while at the same time recognising the critical role of corporate finance for climate and nature action in places beyond their value chains. We look forward to continuing to engage in this process and encourage other stakeholders to participate in the public consultation too.”

ENDS

NOTES
For more information please read WWF’s approach to corporate climate action you can read our corporate guidance here and for WWF’s perspective on SBTi’s Scope 3 Requirements, you can read our discussion paper here

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