GHG Protocol x ISO: A New Partnership to Align Global Carbon Accounting
The world of corporate climate reporting is undergoing a big shift. Two of the most influential climate frameworks- GHG Protocol and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have announced a strategic partnership to align their greenhouse gas accounting standards.
This collaboration comes at a crucial moment. As governments, investors, and regulators demand higher-quality climate data, organizations have long struggled with the differences between GHG Protocol, the world’s most widely used emissions accounting standard, and ISO 14064/14067, the internationally recognized ISO standards for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions.
The new partnership aims to reduce confusion, streamline reporting, and improve global consistency in carbon accounting.
Why This Partnership Matters
For years, companies have faced uncertainty about which standard to use, since both ISO and the GHG Protocol address emissions measurement. The lack of alignment created:
- Duplicate reporting efforts
- Confusion in verification
- Higher compliance costs
- Difficulty comparing emissions data across regions
The partnership solves this challenge by bringing the two systems closer together.
Together, ISO and GHG Protocol aim to create a more unified global framework that will help organizations confidently measure and report their emissions.
What the Partnership Includes
Under the new collaboration, ISO and the GHG Protocol will work together on:
1. Technical Alignment
They will harmonize methodologies across:
- Corporate GHG inventories
- Product carbon footprints
- Project-level emissions reductions
- Verification and auditing processes
This will make emission calculations more consistent worldwide.
2. Coordination of Updates
Both bodies are currently updating their standards:
- The GHG Protocol is revising its Corporate Standard and Scope 2 Guidance.
- ISO is updating parts of the ISO 14060 family (14064, 14067, etc.).
Now, these revisions will be coordinated instead of happening in isolation.
3. Improved Credibility and Transparency
The partnership strengthens:
- Investor trust
- Reliability of climate disclosures
- Comparability of emissions data
- Global recognition of verified emissions reports
This also helps companies preparing for compliance with regulations like:
- EU CSRD
- SEC climate rules
- ISSB/IFRS S2
- SEBI BRSR Core in India
What It Means for Organizations
This partnership makes climate reporting simpler and more efficient for companies around the world.
✔ Less Duplication
Organizations that previously reported under both frameworks can now use aligned methods, reducing effort and costs.
✔ Easier Audits & Verification
With more consistency between ISO verification standards and GHG Protocol methods, audits become smoother and more predictable.
✔ Better Supply Chain Reporting
Suppliers in different countries often follow different standards. This partnership helps unify expectations.
✔ Future-Proof Compliance
As global regulations get stricter, this alignment ensures companies are well-prepared.
Why This Is a Big Step for Global Climate Action
The partnership between GHG Protocol and ISO is more than technical alignment. It’s a signal that global climate frameworks must unify in order to scale credible decarbonization.
It supports:
i. Stronger climate disclosures
ii. Better emissions data
iii. More reliable corporate accountability
iv. Faster climate progress
With climate risks rising and regulations tightening, this collaboration is expected to shape the future of global GHG reporting.
In Summary
The GHG Protocol & ISO partnership marks an important milestone in corporate climate reporting. By aligning methodologies, coordinating standard updates, and streamlining verification, the collaboration will make emissions reporting more consistent, trusted, and globally aligned.
For companies, this means:
i. Easier reporting
ii. Lower compliance costs
iii. Higher data quality
iv. Stronger global recognition
This is a major step toward a unified, credible, and actionable global carbon accounting system.
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