International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and GHG Protocol join forces to harmonize methods for calculating and documenting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) have announced a strategic partnership to unify global standards for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions. This collaboration aims to address the fragmentation of standards and policies as a barrier to climate action.

The partnership is focused on developing the core frameworks needed to enable meaningful climate action across stakeholder groups. The organizations will co-develop new standards for carbon accounting, with a particular emphasis on reducing complexity in the field of international standards.

One of the key outcomes of this partnership will be the joint product carbon footprint standard. This standard is a response to the increasing demand by companies for more detailed value chain data to guide decarbonization decisions. The partnership also plans to harmonize the organizations' current GHG standards, including ISO 1406X family of standards and GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting, Scope 2 and Scope 3 standards, into a single, co-branded international standard.

GHG Protocol, established in 1997 by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has integrated and been referenced in major global sustainability reporting frameworks. The harmonized global language for emissions accounting provided by the partnership will enable informed capital allocation decisions for investors worldwide.

The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) has welcomed the development of this strategic partnership, viewing it as a means to augment the globally accepted baseline for greenhouse gas accounting. Geraldine Matchett, Steering Committee Chair of GHG Protocol, emphasizes that the partnership establishes a new mechanism for long-term collaboration, aiming to reduce complexity in the field of international standards.

This partnership further strengthens the aim of the organizations to unify global standards for greenhouse gas emissions measurement and reporting. The EU-Mercosur agreement includes provisions related to environmental protection and climate action, such as commitments to implement the Paris Agreement. The partnership between ISO and GHG Protocol reinforces their commitment to addressing fragmentation of standards and policies as a barrier to climate action.

The partnership simplifies processes for companies, increases consistency for policymakers, and reduces measurement and reporting burdens. ISO, a network of the world’s leading standardizers, focused on developing international standards supporting innovation and providing solutions to global challenges, looks forward to working with GHG Protocol to create a more unified and efficient approach to greenhouse gas emissions accounting.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and GHG Protocol join forces to harmonize methods for calculating and documenting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.