Written By: Tim Holman – Head of Consultancy, MSc, MEng, CEng, MEI
Tim leads TEAM Energy’s consultancy practice and has extensive experience supporting organisations through ESOS compliance, audits and regulatory review.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released Version 2.0 of its Corporate Net-Zero Standard. This change to the framework places greater emphasis on real-world delivery, reflecting growing pressure on organisations to demonstrate measurable progress rather than simply commit to long-term targets.
A central theme of the revision is combining accountability for organisations with the flexibility. The new Standard moves away from a one-size-fits-all approach, allowing businesses to set specific targets based on their sector, geography and available decarbonisation pathways. At the same time, it introduces stronger expectations around near-term emissions reductions, particularly for Scope 1 and 2, and more targeted requirements for Scope 3 depending on an organisations size and influence.
SBTi has become very popular amongst businesses looking to make their net zero commitments public. In January 2026, SBTi verified the targets of its 10,000th business, as organisations across more than 90 countries ensure they set validated science-based targets to successfully reduce their business carbon emissions.
Watch our short video summary of this Market Briefing, where TEAM Energy highlights the key topics covered in this briefing, explains what the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0 means for UK organisations and outlines the practical takeaways to support your next steps.
Is Net Zero by 2050 Still Essential?
Notably, the universal expectation to commit to net zero by 2050 has been relaxed. Instead, the SBTi is prioritising practical implementation, encouraging organisations to focus on achievable actions and continuous progress. Organisations can set two or more near-time climate targets and then choose if they want to set longer-term net zero goals. This is reinforced by a requirement for credible transition plans that outline how emissions reductions will be delivered in practice.
Alongside these changes, the Standard acknowledges the growing complexity of the reporting landscape. Organisations are increasingly required to align with multiple frameworks while maintaining accurate, transparent and auditable data. The SBTi has highlighted interoperability as a priority, working with initiatives such as the GHG Protocol and ISO to improve alignment and reduce data and reporting duplication.
The Role of Emissions Reporting
The updates made to the SBTi framework raises the importance of robust carbon emission reporting for organisations. As reporting becomes more frequent and detailed, businesses must move beyond fragmented, manual approaches towards structured systems that can handle large volumes of emissions data across operations and value chains. A dedicated carbon management system is becoming essential to support this shift, enabling organisations to collect, validate and analyse data with greater accuracy and consistency.
The updated Standard also reinforces the need to move beyond measurement alone. While carbon accounting remains the foundation for understanding emissions across Scope 1, 2 and 3, it is no longer sufficient as a standalone activity. The focus is now on how that data is used to drive decision-making and deliver reductions. Carbon management software plays a key role here, allowing organisations to identify emissions hotspots, prioritise interventions and track progress over time.
This closely reflects the SBTi’s focus on using every available method to drive decarbonisation, from operational improvements to supply chain engagement and market-based solutions. In this context, a carbon management platform provides the visibility needed to understand where to act and the governance needed to ensure those actions translate into measurable outcomes.
For organisations, accountability is increasing, with a stronger expectation to prove progress through reliable data. Reporting is becoming more continuous, requiring up-to-date insights rather than periodic disclosures. At the same time, climate action is becoming more embedded within business strategy, requiring coordination across departments rather than siloed sustainability activity.
What Does This Change Mean for Organisations?
Ultimately, Version 2.0 reflects a more mature phase of corporate climate action.
Success will depend not just on setting science-based targets, but on the ability to deliver against them. In practice, this means combining credible carbon emission reporting with detailed carbon accounting and embedding both within a structured carbon management system. Supported by this, organisations will be better equipped to navigate increasing expectations and demonstrate meaningful progress towards net zero.
If you would like to understand more about the difference between Carbon Management, Carbon Reporting and Carbon Accounting, access our Guide.