Should Your Company Set a Science-Based Target?
What to Consider Before Pursuing SBTi Validation
The sustainability landscape is moving faster than ever. Regulatory changes, increasingly sophisticated reporting frameworks, and stakeholder expectations are pressuring companies to commit to bold climate action—often through Science-Based Targets (SBTs). But is SBTi validation the right move for your business right now?
With the release of the draft Corporate Net-Zero Standard v2.0, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has reinforced its role as a global gold standard for corporate climate commitments. While SBTi offers rigour, comparability, and credibility, companies must weigh the benefits against the real operational and strategic effort required to meet—and maintain—validation.
Why Set a Science-Based Target?
SBTi is one of the only frameworks that offers discrete, measurable, and time-bound emissions reduction targets grounded in climate science. Unlike signatory-based initiatives or voluntary best practice guides, SBTi delivers a structured pathway for aligning your company’s decarbonization strategy with a 1.5°C future.
Key benefits include:
External validation and stakeholder trust
Standardized, comparable targets across peers
Accountability through public progress tracking
Stronger scores across ratings and rankers like CDP and DJSI
Clear frameworks for carbon offsets, sector-specific guidance, and target timelines
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the entry process is simpler and less costly—making SBTi an accessible, high-impact step to demonstrate leadership.
What to Consider First
Before committing to SBTi, companies should ask:
Do we have strong GHG data and inventory systems in place?
Can we realistically model and implement credible emissions reductions?
Do we have internal alignment across functions (legal, operations, finance, sustainability)?
Do we have the capacity (or advisory support) to manage validation, reporting, and ongoing updates?
Costs can range from $10,000 to $200,000, depending on company size, ambition level, and consulting support. Ongoing commitments like base year recalculations, inventory updates, and a mandatory five-year revalidation cycle must also be factored in.
Set Targets or Align to Them?
For many companies—especially those early in their climate strategy—aligning internally to science-based targets without immediately pursuing validation may be a smart, lower-risk step. This approach allows time to build systems, test feasibility, and gather internal support before formal submission.
Alternatively, companies already disclosing emissions and managing risk across their operations may be better positioned to move forward with SBTi validation to bolster credibility and competitiveness.
Why It Matters for Supply Chains
Even if your company isn’t setting a target, your customers might expect you to. Increasingly, buyers and investors are requiring suppliers to set science-based targets or disclose climate data as part of their procurement processes and ESG assessments.
SBTi validation—or clear alignment—helps suppliers remain relevant in key value chains and may influence contract decisions and risk ratings. In many industries, science-based climate action is no longer a leadership signal—it’s becoming a baseline expectation.
Challenges to Keep in Mind
Even with strong rationale, companies face real hurdles, including:
Cost to commit and maintain
Evolving standards and criteria that can “raise the bar” mid-journey
Regulatory uncertainty and legal scrutiny of climate claims
Still, while greenwashing lawsuits are on the rise, most target-related risks center on inaccurate marketing or product-level claims—not on voluntary climate goals themselves. Companies that stay transparent, cautious, and consistent in their messaging are generally well positioned.
Going Beyond the Minimum
The SBTi’s current minimum target of 42% emissions reduction (Scope 1 and 2 by 2030) reflects best-available science—but many global pathways call for 50% or more. With time running out to meet global goals, companies should consider exceeding the minimums wherever possible, particularly for emissions they directly control.
Additionally, remember that GHG emissions are only one planetary boundary. Land use, water, and biodiversity also matter—and must be considered when building integrated climate and nature strategies.
How to Start Where You Are
Whether you’re ready for SBTi validation or not, the most important thing is to start building internal clarity and momentum:
✅ Invest in robust GHG accounting
✅ Model reduction pathways grounded in science
✅ Align cross-functional teams
✅ Integrate climate targets into risk management and governance
✅ Stay agile and informed as standards evolve
Ultimately, target-setting is not a checkbox—it’s a catalyst. Companies that move early and intentionally will be best positioned to lead, adapt, and thrive in the net-zero economy.
Need Help?
Companies don’t have to navigate this alone. Partnering with experts like Uplift can streamline the process, reduce risk, and maximize impact. Whether you’re pursuing SBTi validation or aligning your internal targets to science, we can help guide your journey toward meaningful, credible climate action. Reach out at hello@theupliftagency.com.
The Uplift Agency
Uplift helps organizations become more sustainable, more responsible--and more successful. We combine deep technical expertise with strategic communications to bridge the gap between sustainable transformation and smart storytelling.
We work across industries to develop and implement forward-looking strategies and reporting that align environmental and impact goals with business performance, unlocking opportunities for innovation, resilience, and long-term growth.
What truly sets us apart? Our team. With 90% of us having worked in-house at leading corporations or nonprofits, we understand the real-world challenges and opportunities our clients face.
