Science-Based Credibility.

Verified science-based targets that give investors, clients, and regulators confidence in your climate commitments, backed by the world's most respected validation framework.

1.5°C
Aligned Targets
4,000+
Companies Committed Globally
100%
Of Our Submissions Approved
The Challenge

Ambition without verification is just a promise.

Every major corporation now claims to have a net zero target, but stakeholders are growing increasingly sceptical of vague commitments backed by little more than a press release. Investors, institutional clients, and regulators have learned to distinguish between genuine, science-aligned targets and aspirational statements with no credible pathway behind them. Without independent verification from a body like the Science Based Targets initiative, your climate pledges risk being dismissed as greenwashing, regardless of how sincere your intentions may be. The reputational cost of unverified claims is rising fast, and the organisations that fail to substantiate their targets are finding themselves excluded from tenders, investment portfolios, and supply chains that now demand proof.

The SBTi verification process itself is rigorous, technical, and unforgiving. Rejection rates are significant, and the most common reasons for failure are poorly defined organisational boundaries, incomplete Scope 3 inventories, targets that do not meet the required ambition level, and documentation that fails to satisfy the validation team's detailed scrutiny. Many organisations attempt the process internally, only to find themselves months into a cycle of resubmissions and technical queries they are not equipped to handle. The cost of getting it wrong is not just the wasted time and fees; it is the delay to your climate strategy and the erosion of internal confidence in your sustainability programme.

Did you know? Companies with validated science-based targets consistently outperform their peers on shareholder returns, access to capital, and supply chain retention. SBTi verification is rapidly becoming a prerequisite for inclusion in ESG-screened investment funds and preferred supplier lists.

Our Approach

From ambition to independently verified targets.

We manage the entire SBTi process end-to-end, ensuring your targets are ambitious enough to meet 1.5°C criteria yet realistic enough to drive genuine action across your organisation.

Feasibility Checks

Before committing to specific targets, we model your emissions pathways across multiple scenarios to determine what level of ambition is both achievable and compliant with SBTi criteria. We analyse your current Scope 1, 2, and 3 inventory, test different base years, evaluate sector-specific decarbonisation pathways, and assess whether absolute or intensity-based targets are more appropriate for your business model. This upfront analysis prevents the costly mistake of committing to targets that are either insufficiently ambitious to pass validation or so aggressive that they undermine internal credibility. You enter the formal submission process knowing exactly where you stand and what is required.

Submission Support

We manage every aspect of the formal SBTi submission process on your behalf. This includes preparing the detailed target submission form, compiling the supporting evidence pack that validators require, ensuring your organisational boundary definitions are watertight, and documenting the methodological choices that underpin your targets. When the SBTi validation team raises technical queries, as they almost always do, we handle the responses directly, drawing on our experience of what validators look for and how to present complex emissions data in the format they expect. Our involvement removes the administrative burden from your team and dramatically reduces the risk of rejection or extended review cycles.

Net Zero Roadmaps

Validated targets are only meaningful if you can actually achieve them. Once your science-based targets are set, we create a detailed implementation roadmap that translates headline commitments into operational reality. This includes year-by-year interim milestones, prioritised decarbonisation initiatives across all scopes, capital expenditure estimates, supplier engagement strategies for Scope 3 reductions, and governance frameworks to ensure accountability. We also build in flexibility to account for technological developments, policy changes, and business growth, so your roadmap remains relevant and actionable as your organisation evolves over the target period.

How We Work

Four steps to validated science-based targets.

Our structured process takes you from initial assessment to SBTi approval with confidence, minimising risk and maximising the chance of first-time validation.

Gap Assessment

We review your existing emissions data, organisational boundaries, and current climate commitments against SBTi requirements. We identify gaps in your Scope 3 inventory, assess data quality, and determine the work needed before a credible submission can be made. This stage ensures there are no surprises later in the process.

Target Modelling

Using SBTi-approved methodologies, we model near-term and long-term targets across multiple scenarios. We test absolute contraction, sectoral decarbonisation, and intensity-based approaches to find the optimal target structure for your business. Every scenario is stress-tested against your growth plans and operational realities.

Documentation & Submission

We prepare the full submission package including the target submission form, supporting evidence, boundary definitions, and methodological justifications. We submit on your behalf and manage all correspondence with the SBTi validation team, handling technical queries and providing clarifications as needed.

Roadmap Development

Once targets are validated, we build a comprehensive implementation roadmap with interim milestones, prioritised initiatives, investment requirements, and governance structures. This ensures your validated targets translate into real-world action rather than sitting unused in a filing cabinet.

Why It Matters

The benefits of science-based verification.

Global Recognition

The Science Based Targets initiative is the gold standard for corporate climate commitments. Validated targets place your organisation alongside the world's most progressive companies and signal to every stakeholder that your climate strategy is grounded in science, not spin. SBTi-verified companies consistently win more tenders, attract more investment, and retain more clients than competitors relying on self-declared targets.

Investor Confidence

Institutional investors and asset managers are increasingly screening portfolios for climate risk. Validated science-based targets demonstrate that your business model is resilient to the transition to a low-carbon economy. They show you have quantified the changes needed, planned for the investment required, and committed publicly to a trajectory that aligns with global climate goals. This level of transparency and rigour directly supports access to sustainable finance instruments and preferential lending terms.

Reduce Risk

Aligning your business with a 1.5°C trajectory is the most effective way to mitigate transition risk, including exposure to carbon pricing, regulatory penalties, stranded assets, and supply chain disruption. Science-based targets force you to confront these risks proactively rather than reactively, building the operational resilience and strategic foresight that will protect your organisation as climate policy tightens and market expectations shift over the coming decade.

Ready to validate your climate ambition?

Book a free 30-minute consultation and we will assess your readiness for SBTi verification, outline the process, and estimate timelines for your submission.

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FAQs

Common questions about SBTi verification.

The Science Based Targets initiative is a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute, and the World Wide Fund for Nature. It provides a rigorous, independently verified framework for companies to set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets that are consistent with the level of decarbonisation required to keep global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Targets validated by SBTi are recognised globally as the highest standard of corporate climate ambition, and the initiative now covers over 4,000 companies across every major sector.
The full process from initial engagement to validated targets typically takes between 3 and 6 months. This includes our preparatory work (gap assessment, data improvement, target modelling, and documentation), which usually takes 6 to 10 weeks, followed by the SBTi's own validation process, which currently takes approximately 8 to 12 weeks from submission. Timelines can vary depending on the complexity of your organisational structure, the quality of your existing emissions data, and the responsiveness of the SBTi validation team. We always provide a clear project timeline at the outset and keep you informed throughout.
Yes. The SBTi requires companies to set near-term targets (typically 5 to 10 years out) that drive immediate action, and it also offers a Net Zero Standard that includes long-term targets for reaching net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. We support both. For near-term targets, we model the reduction pathway required to meet 1.5°C alignment over the next decade. For the Net Zero Standard, we develop the extended pathway including residual emissions planning and neutralisation strategies. Many clients choose to set near-term targets first and progress to the Net Zero Standard once their decarbonisation programme is underway.
This is exactly why working with an experienced partner matters. The SBTi validation process is rigorous, and targets can be rejected for a range of technical reasons including insufficient ambition, incomplete Scope 3 coverage, poorly defined boundaries, or inadequate supporting documentation. When you work with us, the risk of rejection is minimised because we pre-validate everything against SBTi criteria before submission. In the unlikely event that the validation team requests revisions, we handle all resubmission work at no additional cost. Our track record is a 100% approval rate because we do not submit until we are confident the targets will pass.
SBTi verification is not yet a legal requirement in the UK or most jurisdictions. However, it is rapidly becoming a de facto requirement in practice. Major institutional investors, pension funds, and asset managers are increasingly requiring portfolio companies to set science-based targets. Large corporates are mandating SBTi commitment from their suppliers as part of Scope 3 reduction strategies. Public sector procurement frameworks are beginning to weight science-based targets in tender evaluations. And regulatory frameworks like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive are pushing companies towards independently verified targets. Organisations that wait for it to become mandatory will find themselves years behind their competitors.
Related Services

What comes next.

SBTi verification works best alongside these complementary services.

Prove your commitment to the planet.

Stop making promises. Start proving them. We will guide you through the full SBTi process so your climate targets carry the weight of independent, science-backed verification.

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