A beginner’s guide to target validation
Jan 22nd 2026
Vicky Cochrane, who leads the Customer Experience function at SBTi Services, lays out what companies can expect from the target-setting process and how they can get started.
It has been over a year since the launch of SBTi Services, the validation arm of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and the business case for setting science-based targets has never been more compelling. As outlined in The Impact of Setting Science-Based Targets on Businesses, companies report that target setting improves investor relations, unlocks better financing terms, enhances strategic cohesion, and increases alignment with suppliers, all in addition to boosting climate ambition and their pace of decarbonization. That’s partly why the SBTi has just reached another major milestone—10,000 companies validated.
At SBTi Services, our goal is to make the validation process as simple as possible, while maintaining rigour and improving the customer experience. If your company is thinking about taking the next step in its sustainability journey, getting your science-based targets validated is essential. This blog breaks down exactly what that process looks like, and how you can get started today.
The 6-step target-setting journey
The process for setting science-based targets can be broken down into six main stages:
1. Register in the SBTi Services Validation Portal
- This is your first step! By registering in the Validation Portal, we confirm if your company is eligible to have its targets validated against SBTi standards, and if it is classified as a ‘corporate’, a ‘financial institution’, or a ‘small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)’. This is an important distinction to determine how companies should set targets.
- All data is treated in accordance with the SBTi’s Data Security and Confidentiality Policy, as applicable.
- Key resource: Check out our video on how to register on the Validation Portal.
2. Commit to submitting a target (optional)
- Corporates (what we call companies who are not financial institutions or SMEs) and financial institutions can publicly commit to submitting a science-based target through the Portal.
- This commitment is then published on the SBTi’s Target Dashboard.
3. Develop your targets
- Before modeling targets, companies should prepare a greenhouse gas inventory using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
- Key resources: Companies can review the SBTi’s Getting Started Guide or use the Getting Started Navigator to determine which of the SBTi’s standards, guidance, and criteria they should follow when setting targets.
4. Submit your targets
- You'll submit your targets for validation by SBTi Services. The Validation Portal provides a user-friendly interface, with embedded submission forms, and regular signposting to the resources you’ll need to help set your targets.
- Key resources:
- Corporates: To get started, review the Completing the submission form video tutorial.
- SMEs: Check out the SME-specific homepage on the SBTi Services website, with tailored resources for these types of organizations.
- Financial institutions: Find submission forms and other helpful materials in our target submission resources on the SBTi Services website.
5. Communicate your targets
- After validation, you have a six-month window to choose when you want to communicate your targets publicly via publication on the SBTi’s Target Dashboard.
6. Disclose progress
- After your targets are set, you'll need to publicly disclose your progress annually. Companies can use a range of formats for reporting, such as their annual reports, via CDP, or a GRI or TCFD report, as indicated in Recommendation 12 (R12) of the Corporate Near-Term Criteria and the Corporate Net-Zero Standard.
- Companies should also review the alignment of their targets with the latest science every five years. See our recent blog or the full Five-Year Review Guidance for more information.
The customer experience
Over the last 18 months, the target validation process has undergone a major transformation to address the soaring global demand for science-based targets. We’ve streamlined and digitized our processes to ensure validation is as fast and smooth as possible, without reducing the rigorous requirements for companies.
Here are some highlights:
- The overall customer satisfaction scores are at a record high, up 14 percentage points in a year, exceeding 80% in the last reporting quarter. Customers particularly highly rank the professionalism and customer experience of the SBTi Services team.
- For corporates, the validation process has dropped to a 47-day average from validation start date to validation results—a decrease of over 50% from June 2024. This timeframe is expected to keep reducing thanks to a new streamlined 30-day validation schedule.
- Corporates benefit from a personalized kick-off call with an SBTi Services point of contact within three days of the validation start date to ensure smooth progress through validation.
- SBTi Services emails have an average response time of 5 days or less.
As one happy customer said:
“The newly structured validation process, with its clearly defined and relatively short timeline, was highly appealing. The lead reviewer assigned to our case demonstrated a strong professional competence.”
Did you know? Validation vs Verification SBTi Services conducts a limited-assurance decision process for companies known as validation. This is an assessment of whether a company’s submitted targets meet the requirements of the relevant SBTi standards, tools, and guidance, and are ultimately aligned with the goal of net-zero by 2050. For targets to be validated, SBTi Services must confirm that targets meet the minimum requirements using the relevant target-setting methodology and criteria assessment indicators. By contrast, verification involves confirming the accuracy of existing data. For example, third-party verification of greenhouse gas emissions assesses whether reported data is accurate and complete, typically based on a historical state such as a base year. This differs from validation, which assesses targets against an assumed future state. It’s important to note that SBTi Services performs validation, while verification is optional and, if used, is conducted by independent third parties before target submission. |
Ready to Begin?
Take these actions to start your target-setting journey today:
- Sign up and register an account in our Validation Portal to access support tailored to your organization type.
- Use the Getting Started Navigator to get an idea of which standards, guidance, and criteria your company should follow when setting targets.
- Keep in touch by signing up to our newsletter and following us on social media for the latest updates on the SBTi’s work.
- For more guidance check out the ‘Target Setting Process’ section on the SBTi Services website, which includes links to more helpful resources going into more detail for each of the six steps.
To learn even more, check out our exciting new SBTi Academy where professionals at all levels can access a range of interactive learning journeys—from training on the foundational concepts of target setting to advanced technical certification.
If you have more questions on the target-setting journey with SBTi, visit the SBTi Services website for a huge range of resources designed to support you, or contact info@sbtiservices.com. We look forward to seeing you in the target dashboard soon!
