Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Upcoming Changes to Net Zero 2030

The landscape of corporate net zero commitments has shifted dramatically since 2019 when we first inaugurated the BCCC’s Net Zero 2030 commitment. After much reflection and conversation with our community, we have determined that B Lab and the B Corp Climate Collective have a role to play in simplifying and streamlining this landscape — to minimize confusion and ensure that companies have the information and support they need to achieve their commitments. We see great value in working with partners to reduce the number of separate definitions of net zero that exist for companies. We want to ensure that all companies making net zero commitments are best supported on their climate action journeys by organizations that have the necessary technical expertise and resourcing.

Companies currently participating in the BCCC Net Zero 2030 campaign have received email communication from B Lab directing them to complete a Net Zero Progress Report and sign up directly with either SME Climate Hub or Science-Based Targets initiative by September 15, 2022 in order to remain in the Race to Zero.

The BCCC website will aim to list all Certified B Corps that have committed to net zero via our partners in the Race to Zero: the SME Climate Hub (recommended for businesses under 500 employees), and the Science-Based Targets initiative (for companies over 500 employees). These organizations will share information with us on participating companies, and we will work to verify B Corp Certification status of these companies in order to include on this website.

We encourage all companies to set a net zero target by the earliest deadline possible and design a plan to get there. We recommend businesses join a formal commitment to support them on their journey to net zero, so they can gain access to tools and resources for climate education and emissions measurement, reporting, and reduction. If you don’t make a formal commitment with an official Race to Zero partner, you will no longer be a member of the Race to Zero campaign and will be removed from the Global Climate Action portal. Remember, there are lots of resources to support companies on their net zero journey that are free to use for any business, such as the SME Climate Hub resource page.

No. Since we will be retiring the Net Zero 2030 campaign, we will also be retiring the logo and campaign assets. We encourage companies who transfer their net zero commitment to a Race To Zero partner to utilize the partner’s assets.

Until now, the B Corp Climate Collective has held its own definitions of net zero. Moving forward in consolidation with partners, our goal is to streamline the landscape of net zero, and therefore, we will no longer hold separate definitions. We recommend reviewing net zero definitions from our partners: the Race to Zero, the SME Climate Hub (particularly for companies with fewer than 500 employees) and the Science-Based Targets initiative.

Yes, the BCCC will still exist with a focus on driving the B Corp community toward collective action on climate, with an emphasis on centering climate justice. Regional Climate Collectives will continue to offer local support for B Corps. You can find out more about regional climate collectives here.

The BCCC will still maintain a sign up form on the BCCC website to allow interested individuals to subscribe to global and regional climate-related communications from B Lab and the B Corp Climate Collective. By completing the sign up form, we’ll keep you updated on developments and opportunities to support and engage with key initiatives globally and regionally.

In order to remain part of Race to Zero, ALL companies must take both of the following actions:

1. Complete the Net Zero 2030 Progress Report emailed to all BCCC Net Zero 2030 member companies on June 22, 2022. If you did not receive it, please email climate@bcorporation.net.

2. Transfer your net zero commitment to an official Race to Zero partner by September 15, 2022. We recommend the SME Climate Hub (only companies under 500 employees are eligible), or choosing a net-zero target submission track within the Science-Based Targets initiative.

As part of our partnership with Race to Zero, we are required to report on key pieces of information around the progress of our committed companies, in order to ensure that they are making progress on their path to net zero. We are conducting this final Progress Report of BCCC Net Zero 2030 companies in order to uphold this commitment and be able to report back to the Race to Zero with required information around the “4 P’s” (Pledge, Plan, Proceed, Publish). We will also use the information collected in the survey to determine how best B Lab and the B Corp Climate Collective can continue to support and activate B Corps who are taking climate action, and where companies may be getting stuck and need further resources. The per-company data will be shared with the Race to Zero, and we will also seek to aggregate the data to share insights publicly and with other partners. Any future reporting on progress will be done through the partners directly that each company is signed up with.

The SME Climate Hub is a global initiative that empowers small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) to take climate action. Thousands of SMEs from over 100 countries have committed to net zero through the SME Climate Hub. Companies that make the SME Climate Commitment have access to the Hub’s digital free, best in class tools to measure emissions, act and report on their climate progress.

The SME Climate Hub is an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, the United Nations Race to Zero campaign in collaboration with Normative and the Net Zero team at Oxford University.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050. The initiative is a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and it is one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting, offers resources and guidance to reduce barriers to adoption, and independently assesses and approves companies’ targets.

The SBTi Net-Zero Standard is the world’s first science-based standard for setting corporate net-zero targets in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global warming to 1.5°C. The SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard provides guidance, criteria, and recommendations to support corporates in setting net-zero targets through the SBTi. The main objective of this standard is to provide a standardized, robust approach for corporates to set net zero targets aligned with climate science. Visit SBTi’s Net-Zero page to learn more).

When signing up with SBTi, companies should be sure to select a submission track setting a long-term science-based target to reach net-zero emissions (not only near-term science-based targets). To align with the Net-Zero Standard, companies must first set near-term science-based targets (SBTs) that meet the near-term criteria in the Net-Zero Standard and the current SBTi Criteria. After setting a near-term SBT, step 2 in the Net-Zero Standard Overview is to set a long-term SBT to reduce emissions by at least 90% by no later than 2050. To remain in the Race to Zero and set a net-zero commitment, companies should be sure they are selecting a track with SBTi that includes both near-term and long-term SBTs. See the range of options with more details here.

It is free to sign up with the SME Climate Hub (only for companies under 500 employees). SBTi has fees associated with its target validation services, which you can learn more about here.