This year was a busy one for updates to four widely used corporate climate target-setting and carbon-accounting frameworks.
Next year will be even busier, as companies grapple with shifting geopolitics, review progress against their existing near-term emissions reduction commitments and look beyond 2030 to set new ones.
Here’s a cheat sheet for what to expect next from B Lab Global, the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Certified B Corporation
Governing organization: B Lab Global
What’s new: The seventh edition of the standard used by roughly 9,500 companies carrying the Certified B Corporation logo was released April 8, shaped by four years of consultation and more than 25,000 feedback comments. The rewrite, officially called B Lab Standards V2.1, clocks in at 683 pages. It raises the bar for large companies, requires continuous improvement and sets minimum thresholds in seven areas: stakeholder governance; climate action; human rights; fair work policy; environmental stewardship; government affairs; and justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.
Why it matters: Critics are pushing B Lab to be more selective in its certification process, as more multinationals seek recognition following the lead of the biggest Certified B Corp, Danone, and as some long-time supporters, such as Dr. Bronner’s, bow out. Recertification under the new framework will be managed by independent, third-party assurance providers accredited by the International Organization for Standardization.
Upcoming milestones: Businesses can recertify under the revision starting in January 2026; new companies can apply beginning in March.
Corporate Net-Zero Standard
Governing organization: Science Based Targets initiative
What’s new: Two drafts for version 2.0 of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard were circulated in 2025; the publication consultation process for the latest revision is open until Dec. 12. The overhaul offers refined metrics for setting commitments across all three emissions categories: Scope 1 (covering a company’s operations), Scope 2 (purchased electricity) and Scope 3 (emissions from up- and downstream activities not directly controlled by a company). The many changes include new methods of assessing progress, new rules for low-carbon electricity purchasing and potential recognition for companies investing in high-integrity carbon removal approaches.
Why it matters: About 2,200 companies have validated science-based commitments to become net zero by 2050 or sooner; 2,800 more are in the process of setting them.
Upcoming milestones: The timeline for the widely anticipated framework was delayed amid a leadership change at SBTi. The final draft is anticipated by spring 2026. Companies will be encouraged to use that version for net-zero target setting, but they can use the earlier standard until Jan. 1, 2028.
Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Governing organizations: World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development
What’s new: The GHG Protocol was established in 1998 to standardize the way organizations calculate and report on the accounting frameworks for their greenhouse gas inventory, and the first corporate standard was released three years later. That standard hasn’t been revised since 2015, and the organization has been planning a much-overdue overhaul for three years. Technical working groups were assigned in September 2024 to shape updates; much of the attention has been centered on revisions for Scope 2 and Scope 3.
Why it matters: The GHG Protocol’s carbon accounting rules were used by 97 percent of the companies reporting gas inventories to CDP in 2023. Other standards bodies, including the International Organization for Standardization, are working to align their own disclosure guidelines with the GHG Protocol’s evolving rules.
Upcoming milestones: A public consultation for the controversial proposed changes to Scope 2 ends Dec. 19. A second round of feedback is planned in 2026. GHG Protocol is also collecting comments on guidelines for how companies might report “consequential” actions intended to avoid emissions. The Scope 3 technical working group is finalizing revisions for public consultation in 2026. Final revisions for Scopes 2 and 3, as well as the broader corporate standard, have been pushed into 2027.
ISO Net-Zero Standard
Governing organization: International Organization for Standardization
What’s new: ISO’s net-zero standard began life as guidelines published during COP27 in November 2022 and informed by more than 1,200 experts. The reference document is being turned into a verifiable standard, called ISO 14060. Its intent is to establish best practices for what it means to be “net zero” as an alternative to voluntary frameworks. The original guidelines underscore the role of materials reuse or refurbishment in climate action, along with high-integrity carbon removals. The goal: scale the movement beyond the roughly 10,000 companies that have declared net-zero commitments.
Why it matters: ISO represents more than 170 national standards bodies. It has already published more than 600 standards related to energy, circularity and environmental management, but its credibility as a business management framework extends far beyond sustainability teams.
Upcoming milestones: ISO plans to publish a draft of the standard for public consultation in early 2026. It hasn’t committed to a final release date.
