SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative)
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a partnership between CDP, WRI, the UN Global Compact, and WWF that defines and validates corporate greenhouse gas reduction targets consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
SBTi provides sector-specific target-setting methodologies and validates whether a company's proposed emission reduction targets are ambitious enough to align with climate science. Once validated, targets are publicly listed on the SBTi website. Over 11,000 companies have set targets through SBTi to date.
The Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0, published June 2026, is a major revision of SBTi's flagship framework. V2.0 introduces company categorization (Category A for larger companies, Category B for SMEs), separates Scope 1 and 2 targets with multiple target-setting methods, overhauls Scope 3 requirements to focus on categories representing 5% or more of Scope 3 emissions, and adds an implementation hierarchy, governance requirements, and the Ongoing Emissions Responsibility (OER) program. V2.0 becomes mandatory for all new target submissions from February 2028.
Key V2.0 requirements include: near-term targets covering Scope 1, 2, and (for Category A companies) Scope 3; board-level approval and transition planning; a formalized assurance model with end-of-cycle progress assessments; and from 2035, mandatory carbon removal purchasing for Category A companies.
Tracking progress against SBTi targets requires consistent, auditable emissions data across reporting periods. Companies need reliable base-year inventories, annual inventory updates, and the ability to recalculate base years when structural changes occur. Gravity's carbon accounting platform provides the continuous measurement foundation that makes SBTi compliance sustainable.
Frequently asked questions
What is SBTi? +
What does it mean to have a science-based target? +
Does SBTi require Scope 3 targets? +
Under V2.0, Scope 3 targets are required for Category A companies (annual turnover above €50M in high-income countries) and optional for Category B (SMEs and lower-income country companies). Targets must cover Scope 3 categories representing 5% or more of total Scope 3 emissions. Companies can choose from three approaches: overarching emissions reduction, supplier/customer alignment, or category-specific targets.
Related terms
Carbon Accounting
Carbon accounting is the systematic process of measuring, recording, and reporting the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by an organization, product, or activity. It follows standardized methodologies — most commonly the GHG Protocol — to quantify emissions across Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (purchased energy), and Scope 3 (value chain) categories, producing an auditable inventory that underpins disclosure, reduction planning, and regulatory compliance.
Scope 3 Emissions
Scope 3 emissions are all indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur in an organization's value chain — both upstream (suppliers, purchased goods, business travel, employee commuting) and downstream (product use, end-of-life treatment, investments). Scope 3 typically represents 70–90% of a company's total carbon footprint.
Net Zero
Net zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as close to zero as possible, with any remaining residual emissions balanced by an equivalent amount of carbon removal from the atmosphere. The SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard requires at least 90–95% absolute emission reductions before carbon removals can be used.
CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)
CDP is a global non-profit organization that operates the world's largest environmental disclosure system. It collects self-reported climate, water, and forest data from thousands of companies, cities, and subnational governments on behalf of investors and purchasers, scoring disclosures from A (leadership) to D– (minimal).
GHG Protocol
The GHG Protocol is the world's most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standard. Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), it provides frameworks for organizations, cities, and countries to measure and manage their emissions across three scopes.