Standards and reporting
SBTi Net-Zero Standard
The SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard supports science-based target setting, but its published version, validation availability and target status must be distinguished SBTi corporate standard overview.
What is the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard?
The standard provides a framework for corporate science-based emissions targets, with target validation distinct from the company’s wider sustainability-reporting obligations SBTi standard overview Target validation scope.
Module 01 / 04
Inventory
Start with a defensible account of emissions and the organisational boundary.
Module 02 / 04
Target
Select the applicable route, methods, boundary and time horizon.
Module 03 / 04
Implementation
Connect the target to actions, dependencies and management responsibilities.
Module 04 / 04
Review
Retain evidence for validation, progress reporting and later reassessment.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
SBTi develops the standards, while SBTi Services operates target validation SBTi Services role.
The standards overview helps distinguish target setting from financial and impact reporting frameworks.
Which version applies on 26 October 2026?
V1.3.1 remains the applicable corporate validation framework in 2026, while final V2.0 has been published but general corporate validations do not open until 1 February 2027 Current corporate framework Transition guide: Table 1.
| Milestone | Date or period | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| V2.0 published | 11 June 2026 | Final standard available for preparation |
| V2.0 general corporate validations open | 1 February 2027 | Eligible companies can begin using the new validation route |
| Transition window closes | 31 January 2028 | Last day of the stated V1.3.1 submission window |
| V2.0 mandatory for new general corporate submissions | 1 February 2028 | Use the applicable V2.0 route rather than assuming V1 remains open |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
Sector and financial-institution routes need separate checks before applying this general corporate timetable V2 validation scope and sector availability.
How should a company choose its submission route?
Choose the route using company eligibility, submission timing and sector requirements rather than selecting the newest document solely because it has been published Transition guide Sector resources summary.
Module 01 / 04
Timing
Identify the actual submission or review deadline and which standards are eligible then.
Module 02 / 04
Company
Check the applicable corporate, smaller-company or financial-institution route.
Module 03 / 04
Sector
Read relevant sector criteria because availability and required methods can differ.
Module 04 / 04
Existing target
Check the target year and review position before deciding that immediate replacement is necessary.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
SBTi’s continuing-use guidance allows companies to retain existing targets through the applicable cycle and plan the next one rather than treating publication of V2.0 as automatic invalidation Continuing use guidance.
Record the chosen route and reason before commissioning a target-setting project.
What remains useful under V1.3.1?
V1.3.1 continues through the transition window, and some innovations associated with V2.0 are already made available under the existing framework Continuing-use guidance.
| Question | Current practical check | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Can targets be submitted during 2026? | Use the applicable V1.3.1 criteria and current near-term criteria | Waiting for V2 solely because it is published |
| Has the calculation method changed? | Check the April 2026 Absolute Contraction Approach update | Using an obsolete workbook formula |
| Are sector pathways superseded? | Check current sector resources and their applicability | Assuming every sector resource changed with CNZS V2 |
| Must existing targets be replaced now? | Assess the company’s target cycle and transition guidance | Calling every V1 target obsolete |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
A version transition is a combination of criteria, methods, tools and validation availability rather than one date applied to every task.
What should the emissions evidence contain?
Retain an inventory boundary and supporting records that allow the target boundary, exclusions and calculation method to be checked against the selected criteria V1.3.1 emissions accounting criteria.
Module 01 / 04
Organisation
Document the entities and consolidation approach used for the inventory.
Module 02 / 04
Sources
Identify relevant direct, purchased-energy and value-chain emissions.
Module 03 / 04
Methods
Retain activity data, factors, estimates and the reasons for methodological choices.
Module 04 / 04
Exclusions
Keep inventory exclusions and target exclusions explicit rather than hiding them inside a reported total.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
The Scope 3 guide helps organise the value-chain inventory before target-setting decisions are made.
A complete-looking target calculator cannot resolve an undocumented reporting boundary.
Is target coverage the same as the reduction ambition?
Coverage identifies which emissions fall within a target, while ambition describes the required change within that boundary V1.3.1 coverage and ambition criteria.
| Item | Meaning | Evidence question |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory coverage | The emissions represented in the accounting record | Which relevant sources were included or excluded? |
| Target coverage | The emissions included in the target boundary | Does the selected criterion require more coverage? |
| Reduction ambition | The change required by the applicable method and pathway | Was the correct tool, period and method used? |
| Reported progress | Change measured against the target’s defined basis | Are recalculations and methodological changes visible? |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
Do not describe 90% Scope 3 coverage as a universal requirement to reduce every Scope 3 category by exactly 90%.
What preparation does V2.0 introduce?
V2.0 formalises company categorisation, governance, transition-plan evidence and an assessment cycle, with requirements depending on the company’s category and selected methods V2 criteria Main changes.
Module 01 / 04
Category
Identify the applicable category using the standard’s criteria rather than carrying forward a company-size label.
Module 02 / 04
Governance
Prepare evidence of responsibilities and the governance arrangements required by the applicable criteria.
Module 03 / 04
Transition plan
Connect actions, timeframes and important dependencies with the target.
Module 04 / 04
Assessment
Plan for category-dependent evidence and the cycle of target validation and progress assessment.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
These are preparation questions for V2.0 rather than a claim that all new criteria apply to V1 submissions today.
The new category system replaces a separate SME route within V2.0, so smaller-company eligibility should be checked against the new text Company categorisation changes.
How should target-cycle assumptions be recorded?
Read the criteria for the selected route before setting the target period, and retain the decision alongside the business and reporting calendars V2 criterion C9.2.
| Working field | Record | Review question |
|---|---|---|
| Framework and edition | Exact criteria used | Does this match the submission route? |
| Target period | Start and end dates with the criterion reference | Which conditions govern this period? |
| Business calendar | Relevant reporting and planning dates | Has the proposed alignment been explained? |
| Decision | Owner, reviewer and any unresolved condition | Can another preparer reproduce the reasoning? |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
Consult the actual criteria before translating a summary into a target-setting formula.
Can carbon credits replace the required reductions?
Under V1.3.1, carbon credits do not count as emissions reductions towards near-term or long-term science-based targets V1.3.1 criterion C12.
Module 01 / 04
Reductions
Measure progress within the applicable target boundary and method.
Module 02 / 04
Residuals
Distinguish neutralisation of remaining emissions at the net-zero target date from ordinary target progress.
Module 03 / 04
Additional action
Keep additional mitigation financing separate from achievement of the science-based reduction target.
Module 04 / 04
Accounting
Record the basis and reporting treatment of any instrument rather than silently netting it against inventory emissions.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
V2.0 criterion C5.4 requires a physical GHG inventory and, where applicable, separate reporting of actions and instruments outside it in accordance with relevant accounting standards where available V2 criterion C5.4.
Those qualifiers matter and should not be replaced with an invented blanket statement about every carbon instrument.
What would a useful preparation case look like?
This fictional manufacturer illustrates a target-evidence discussion rather than a validation result or an endorsed target.
| Fictional circumstance | Question to resolve | Evidence to retain |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate submission planned for November 2026 | Which route is eligible at submission? | V1.3.1 criteria and submission plan |
| Major purchased-goods emissions | Is the inventory complete and target coverage sufficient? | Category record, method, assumptions and exclusions |
| Possible acquisition before the next review | Could the baseline or target need recalculation? | Boundary-change assessment and decision record |
| A proposed credit purchase | What separate claim and accounting treatment applies? | Instrument record separated from reduction progress |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
The useful output is a decision log and evidence pack, not a consultant’s promise that a target will be approved.
What does target validation establish?
SBTi Services assesses submitted targets and supporting evidence against the applicable SBTi requirements rather than certifying the whole company SBTi Services validation SOP.
Module 01 / 04
Preparation
The company develops its inventory and targets before submitting them.
Module 02 / 04
Submission
Provide the required information and select the applicable validation service.
Module 03 / 04
Queries
Resolve questions about evidence, definitions and criterion conformity.
Module 04 / 04
Decision
Use the actual validation decision and target wording when communicating the result.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
SBTi Services distinguishes validation from consultancy and does not choose the company’s target-setting method or calculate its emissions for it Validation service scope.
A readiness or preparation exercise should not be described as an already validated target.
What should tools or advisers demonstrate?
Ask for a versioned evidence trail and a clear allocation of preparation responsibilities rather than a guaranteed validation outcome.
| Demonstration | Inspect | Useful limitation check |
|---|---|---|
| Route selection | Version, submission date and sector assumptions | Does the general corporate timetable apply to this entity? |
| Target calculation | Inputs, tool version and method | Can an independent reviewer reproduce it? |
| Transition planning | Actions, dependencies, owners and timeframes | Which assumptions remain unresolved? |
| Handover | Inventory, target record, query log and exports | Can the team maintain the evidence after the engagement? |
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
October 2026 V2 preparation materials distinguish preliminary tool data requirements from the operational target-setting tool Preliminary V2 tool data points.
Use the carbon-software guide and net-zero consultancy guide to specify the relevant support.
What happens after a target is validated?
Maintain progress reporting and assess changes that could affect the target rather than treating approval as the end of the reporting work Near-Term Criteria: reporting and review Annual disclosure process.
Module 01 / 04
Progress
Retain annual inventory and target-progress information on a consistent basis.
Module 02 / 04
Changes
Investigate acquisitions, disposals, boundary changes and calculation-method changes.
Module 03 / 04
Review
Check the applicable review or end-of-cycle requirements for the selected version.
Module 04 / 04
Communication
Keep public wording consistent with the actual target status and evidence.
Read the detailed guidance and evidence
Current Near-Term Criteria require active targets to be reviewed at least every five years, while V2.0 introduces its own end-of-cycle assessment model Criterion C26 V2 assessment-cycle changes.
Keep publication of a standard, validation of a target and achievement of that target as three separate facts.
How can the team organise a submission project?
This nine-stage editorial workflow structures preparation rather than creating an SBTi deadline or guaranteeing validation.
- 101
Check the route
Identify eligibility, sector, submission timing and existing-target position. - 202
Freeze the source versions
Record the issued standard, criteria, methods and tools being used. - 303
Define the boundary
Document entities, scopes, categories and exclusions. - 404
Build the inventory
Retain activity records, calculations, factors, estimates and review. - 505
Set the proposed targets
Apply the eligible methods and separate coverage from reduction ambition. - 606
Prepare implementation evidence
Connect actions, owners, timeframes and external dependencies. - 707
Review the submission
Check calculations, criterion references, unresolved gaps and public wording. - 808
Resolve validation queries
Track questions, evidence supplied and changes to the proposed target. - 909
Maintain and review
Retain the final decision, monitor progress and assess future changes.
Frequently asked
Questions people ask
Is Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 still a draft?
No, final V2.0 was published on 11 June 2026, with general corporate validations opening on 1 February 2027.
Can a company use V2.0 for validation in October 2026?
No, the published transition timetable opens that general corporate validation route on 1 February 2027.
Do V1.3.1 targets become obsolete when V2 is published?
No, existing targets and transition arrangements need to be assessed against the company’s cycle and circumstances.
Does SBTi validate or certify a whole company?
SBTi Services validates targets against applicable criteria rather than certifying the whole company.
Can offsets count as V1.3.1 target reductions?
Carbon credits do not count as reductions towards the near-term or long-term science-based targets under criterion C12.
Does the February 2027 date cover every sector and financial institution?
No, the V2 procedures distinguish financial-institution scope and sector-standard availability, which require separate checks.
Sources
Primary sources
Primary provisions and official owner guidance checked on 26 October 2026; historical and draft resources are labelled in the guide.
- Science Based Targets initiativeCorporate Net-Zero Standard: versions and transition
- Science Based Targets initiativeCorporate Net-Zero Standard V1.3.1
- Science Based Targets initiativeNet-Zero Standard Criteria V1.3.1
- Science Based Targets initiativeCorporate Near-Term Criteria V5.3.1
- Science Based Targets initiativeCorporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0: version table and scope
- Science Based Targets initiativeCorporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 Criteria
- SBTi ServicesTransition guide: Table 1 and company circumstances
- Science Based Targets initiativeContinuing use of V1.3.1 and transition to V2.0
- Science Based Targets initiativeV2.0 Main Changes Document
- SBTi ServicesValidation Procedures for CNZS V2.0: scope and Annex 1
- SBTi ServicesPreliminary data points for the V2.0 target-setting tool
- Science Based Targets initiativeOctober 2026 validation preparation resources
- Science Based Targets initiativeSector resources summary
- SBTi ServicesSOP for target validation V1.2, October 2026
- SBTi ServicesSBTi Services: process and service scope
- Science Based Targets initiativeApril 2026 Absolute Contraction Approach update