Unpacking V2.0: SBTi's New Corporate Net-Zero Standard

Date: 30 June 2026

Time: 2pm BST / 3pm CEST / 9am EDT 

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The SBTi published its Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0 on 11 June 2026, marking the most significant overhaul of corporate climate target-setting in a decade. The new standard reflects a shift already underway across the market: transitioning from ambition to action.

For the more than 11,000 companies with validated targets, and the thousands more currently working toward them, V2.0 introduces changes that touch every part of the net zero journey: how targets are structured, how progress is measured, what boards are now accountable for, and how carbon finance fits into the picture.

In this session, Zevero’s experts will break down what has changed, what it means in practice, and what companies should be doing now to prepare. 

You'll leave with an understanding of:

• The shift to cyclical validation — what the new five-year target cycles, end-of-cycle assessments and mandatory third-party assurance mean for how companies manage emissions data 
• New target architecture — why V2.0 requires separate Scope 1, 2, and 3 targets and what the new category-specific approach to Scope 3 demands from value chain data
• Transition plans — with board approval and public disclosure now required, what that means for sustainability teams, CFOs, and boards
• Implementation hierarchy — what counts toward targets and in what order, plus where market instruments fit in the structure
• The Ongoing Emissions Responsibility framework— how benchmark pricing changes the carbon finance conversation and what the 2035 requirements mean for long-term planning 
• Transition timeline — what companies at different stages of their SBTi journey should be prioritising before the standard becomes mandatory in February 2028

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Meet the Speakers

Ed Bale - SBTi Certified Expert & Senior Sustainability Consultant

Ed is a Senior Sustainability Consultant at Zevero and an SBTi Certified Expert, specialising in science-based target setting, and decarbonisation strategy. Before joining Zevero, he spent nearly four years at Inhabit, where he worked with businesses on GHG Protocol-aligned carbon accounting and net zero transition planning. Ed holds an MSc in International Management from the University of Sydney and the London School of Economics. He brings a practical, methodology-first approach to helping companies turn complex climate standards into decisions that reduce emissions and drive long-term impact.

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George Wade - Co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer (Moderator)

In his role at Zevero, George drives commercial growth by helping brands measure, reduce, and report their carbon emissions. He brings a deep passion for using data-driven solutions to fight climate change, drawing from his experience as a former carbon consultant in waste management. George also writes The Grumpy Optimist, a newsletter highlighting positive climate news.