Set a target

Submit a letter to commit to setting a science-based target, or to have your existing targets independently verified.

If your company is a Small or Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME), please skip this step and proceed to step 3. We define an SME as an independent, non-subsidiary company with fewer than 500 employees.

• Submit either our standard commitment letter or the Business Ambition for 1.5°C commitment letter. We encourage companies to choose the latter option and commit to the highest level of ambition possible.
• Once received, we will recognize your company as "Committed" on our website and partner websites CDP and We Mean Business.
• If you have signed the Business Ambition for 1.5°C letter, your commitment will also be listed by the UN Global Compact and you will become part of the Race to Zero.
• Once committed, your company has 24 months to complete steps 2-4.

Develop your target(s) in line with our science-based criteria.

• We offer comprehensive guidance to assist your company in this process.
• We encourage companies to begin with an overview of the target development process in the SBTi How-To Guide, followed by reviewing the requirements of target setting in the SBTi Criteria and Recommendations. To understand these requirements in more depth, companies should then review the Target Validation Protocol and use the target setting tool to begin developing targets.
• Some sectors also have sector-specific guidance and requirements.
  
• You have 24 months from signing your commitment letter to get your target developed, validated and published.
  

Submit your target for validation.

Please note that the Science Based Targets initiative receives a particularly high volume of submissions close to the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) every year. To ensure that your results are delivered before COP 26 (1-12 November 2021), please submit your targets for validation before August 2, 2021. Kindly note that if this deadline is not met, we will not be able to guarantee a result before COP 26.

• Submit a completed target submission form (or the equivalent for SMEs* or financial institutions).
  
• To avoid delays, we encourage you to review the available resources carefully and complete the form clearly and accurately.
• Our team of technical experts will review your submission, validate it against our science-based criteria and communicate their decision with in-depth feedback.
• The target validation service costs USD 4,950** (+ applicable VAT) or USD 1,000 (+ applicable VAT) for SMEs. In some cases, we may waive this fee for companies headquartered in developing countries and economies in transition.
  

*To be eligible for the streamlined SME target-setting route, your company must be independent, non-subsidiary and with fewer than 500 employees. This is the only option available to SMEs. View our SME FAQs.

**The validation fee includes up to two target assessments. Subsequent resubmissions cost USD 2490 (+ applicable VAT) each.

Upgrade your target

Complete this form to voluntarily update your existing science-based target to a 1.5°C or well-below 2°C pathway.

Announce your target and inform your stakeholders.

• Once we have approved your target, we will publish it on our Companies taking action page and partner websites.
• We publish targets one month after approval, unless otherwise instructed. Your target must be made public within six months of approval, or it will require revalidation to ensure it is in line with the latest science-based criteria.
• Your company will receive a welcome pack with advice on how to communicate your new target.

Disclose your progress.

• Following approval, you should disclose your companies' emissions annually and monitor progress on reaching your target.
• Recommendations for reporting include disclosure through CDP, annual reports, sustainability reports and your company’s website.