Net Zero Consultancy: UK Guide to Targets & Transition Plans (2026)

What a net zero consultancy does

A net zero consultancy is a specialist advisory firm focused on the forward-looking side of decarbonisation: setting targets and building the plan to hit them.

The work usually starts from a greenhouse-gas baseline and produces near-term and long-term targets, a decarbonisation roadmap across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, and a transition plan with governance and milestones.

A net zero carbon consultancy — the same role, described from the carbon angle — then helps embed the plan into reporting under UK SRS S2 4.

Science-based target setting

The most widely recognised standard for credible corporate targets is the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard2.

A net zero consultancy typically scopes a near-term target (this decade) alongside a long-term net zero target, with most of the abatement coming from actual emissions cuts rather than offsets.

Targets are not a legal requirement, but investors and customers increasingly treat SBTi validation as the mark of a serious plan.

Transition plans

A transition plan sets out how a company will move from its current footprint to its targets — the levers, capital, dependencies and governance.

UK SRS S2 requires a company to disclose information about any transition plan it has, which makes the plan a reporting artefact as well as a strategy document4.

Companies bidding for major UK government contracts also need a Carbon Reduction Plan under PPN 006 3.

UK net zero drivers

The UK is legally committed to net zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050 under the Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 1.

That national target cascades to companies through procurement (PPN 006)3, disclosure (UK SRS S2)4, and investor and supply-chain expectations.

A net zero consultancy helps translate these external pressures into a target and plan that withstand scrutiny.

Net zero consultancy vs carbon consultancy

The two specialisms sit either side of the same data.

Focus	Carbon consultancy	Net zero consultancy
Primary job	Measure the footprint	Set targets & plan to cut it
Orientation	Backward-looking inventory	Forward-looking strategy
Key output	Scope 1-3 footprint, SECR	SBTi targets, transition plan
Standards	GHG Protocol, SECR	SBTi, UK SRS S2 transition plan
Typical sequence	First	After the baseline exists

In practice you measure with a carbon consultancy or carbon reporting software, then set strategy with a net zero consultancy.

How to choose a net zero consultancy

Prioritise firms with a track record of validated targets and delivered transition plans, not just pledges.

Confirm they work to the SBTi Net-Zero Standard 2 and can align the plan with your UK SRS S2 disclosure and, if relevant, a PPN 006 Carbon Reduction Plan3.

Ask how much of the proposed net zero pathway depends on offsets versus real abatement — a credible plan minimises reliance on offsetting.

Frequently asked questions

What does a net zero consultancy do?

A net zero consultancy helps a company set a credible long-term decarbonisation goal and a plan to reach it: a greenhouse-gas baseline, near-term and net zero targets (often validated through the Science Based Targets initiative), a transition plan, and the governance to deliver it.

What is the difference between a net zero consultancy and a carbon consultancy?

A carbon consultancy focuses on measuring the footprint — Scope 1, 2 and 3 — and reporting it. A net zero consultancy starts from that footprint and focuses on the forward-looking strategy: target-setting, decarbonisation levers, and the transition plan. Many firms do both.

Do net zero targets need to be science-based?

Not legally, but the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is the most widely recognised standard for credible corporate targets, and investors increasingly expect it. SBTi validation signals that targets are aligned with limiting warming in line with the Paris Agreement.

Is a transition plan mandatory in the UK?

Transition plan disclosure is becoming an expectation rather than yet a universal mandate. UK SRS S2 requires disclosure of any transition plan a company has, and the FCA regime for listed companies references transition planning; many companies also need a Carbon Reduction Plan under PPN 006 to bid for major government contracts.

When should a UK company hire a net zero consultancy?

Typically once it has a reliable carbon footprint and needs to commit to targets — for investors, customers, an SBTi submission, or a Carbon Reduction Plan for procurement. Before that point, a carbon consultancy or carbon software to establish the baseline is usually the first step.