Purpose:
To provide a rigorous framework for the independent assurance of corporate decarbonization pathway disclosures, ensuring that organizations’ climate-related commitments, strategies, and progress are credible, transparent, and aligned with global best practices.
1. Scope of Assurance
- Applies to disclosures relating to:
- Emissions reduction targets (Scope 1, 2, and relevant Scope 3 emissions)
- Decarbonization strategies and implementation plans
- Progress reporting against interim milestones
- Alignment with climate scenarios, such as the Paris Agreement 1.5°C or well-below 2°C pathways
- Can be applied to standalone sustainability reports, integrated reports, or regulatory filings.
2. Assurance Objectives
- Accuracy: Verify that reported emissions, reduction targets, and progress are calculated and presented correctly.
- Completeness: Confirm that all material aspects of the decarbonization pathway are disclosed, including key assumptions and methodologies.
- Consistency: Ensure alignment with previously reported data and recognized reporting frameworks (e.g., GHG Protocol, TCFD, SBTi).
- Reliability: Assess the reliability of underlying data, models, and assumptions used to project pathway outcomes.
- Transparency: Verify that assumptions, uncertainties, and limitations are clearly disclosed.
3. Assurance Criteria
- Adherence to recognized climate reporting and science-based frameworks, including:
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol for emissions accounting
- Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) criteria
- TCFD Recommendations for governance, strategy, risk, and metrics
- ISO 14064 and other relevant environmental management standards
- Internal policies and procedures related to decarbonization pathway development, monitoring, and reporting.
4. Assurance Methodology
- Planning and Risk Assessment: Identify material risks of misstatement or misalignment with recognized standards.
- Data Review and Testing: Evaluate emissions data, reduction initiatives, and calculations using sampling, analytical review, and verification procedures.
- Scenario Analysis Verification: Confirm that scenario modeling and decarbonization projections are based on robust assumptions and credible climate models.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Assess the credibility of reported targets and progress by engaging with management, technical teams, and, where appropriate, external experts.
- Reporting: Provide a clear assurance statement, distinguishing between reasonable and limited assurance levels, with recommendations for improvement.
5. Assurance Levels
- Reasonable Assurance: High level of confidence that disclosures are free from material misstatement.
- Limited Assurance: Moderate level of confidence; suitable for preliminary reporting or early-stage pathway disclosures.
6. Key Principles
- Independence: Assurance providers must remain independent of management and not influence reported outcomes.
- Professional Skepticism: Apply critical evaluation, particularly regarding assumptions for long-term decarbonization projections.
- Materiality: Focus assurance efforts on aspects that could influence stakeholder decisions.
- Continuous Improvement: Encourage organizations to enhance data quality, transparency, and alignment with evolving climate standards.
7. Deliverables
- Formal assurance report outlining:
- Scope, methodology, and criteria used
- Findings and observations
- Areas for improvement or enhanced disclosure
- Assurance opinion (reasonable or limited)
These standards are designed to give investors, regulators, and other stakeholders confidence that decarbonization pathways are credible, scientifically grounded, and transparently reported.
