SBTi Pushes for Stricter Accountability With New Review Guidelines

Companies with environmental goals validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) will now need to revisit and update those targets every five years, under a new set of rules released by the group.

A discussion in a modern office focusing on new guidelines and a review of a company’s environmental goals. AI generated picture.

The updated guidance comes as more early adopters approach their five-year milestone, triggering a mandatory review under the SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard. To help companies through the process, the SBTi has published two new documents: the Mandatory Five-Year Review Guidance and the SBTi Commitment and Target Statuses.

These resources aim to make the review process easier and more consistent, while also improving how company progress is shown on the SBTi Target Dashboard.

According to the new framework, companies must reassess all their Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions targets within five years of either their first validation or their last full update. The review period begins at the end of the month five years after that date. From then, businesses have up to 12 months to complete the process, including six months to submit their findings. If any updates are needed, companies must send revised targets within the full 12-month period.

The Review Guidance offers a practical walkthrough of each step in the process. Meanwhile, the Commitment and Target Statuses document brings in clearer categories for how company targets are displayed, adding more transparency for stakeholders.

‘The new Mandatory Five-Year Review Guidance and SBTi Commitment and Target Statuses give companies a clear path for keeping their targets up to date’, the SBTi said. ‘These resources... build trust that supports informed decision-making.’

The new rules will apply from 18 December 2025. Until then, companies can still submit new or updated targets as normal. Each new validation resets the five-year clock.

This update comes amid rising interest in verified green targets. The SBTi reports a 30% increase in target submissions compared to last year. As of now, over 11,000 companies have registered with the initiative—8,443 with validated targets, 2,856 with active commitments, and 1,963 aiming for net zero.