ISO and GHG Protocol announce partnership for unified global standards for greenhouse gas emissions accounting

The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) – a joint initiative of World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) – have announced a landmark partnership to harmonise their existing portfolios of greenhouse gas (GHG) standards and to co-develop new standards for GHG emissions accounting and reporting.

Under the agreement, ISO and GHG Protocol will combine their leading GHG standards into harmonised co-branded international standards. This includes standards from the ISO 1406X family of standards, alongside the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Standards.

The harmonised portfolio will represent a major step towards a more common global language for emissions accounting – simplifying processes for companies, increasing consistency for policymakers, and reducing measurement and reporting burdens for all users.

‘ISO is proud to announce this landmark partnership with GHG Protocol, which drives forward an ambition that enables co-creation, resulting in a harmonised portfolio of standards. Both ISO and GHG Protocol have a shared vision to efficiently advance climate action and simplify the task for all stakeholders. This is a new era for the carbon accounting landscape and both organizations are thrilled to be working together,’ said Sergio Mujica, ISO secretary general.

‘We are very pleased to announce this historic agreement that leverages the respective strengths of both organisations. Harmonising corporate, product and project level GHG accounting standards is key. With users top of mind, this partnership establishes a new mechanism for long term collaboration, demonstrating our commitment to reducing complexity in the field of international standards and allowing the development of the core frameworks needed to enable meaningful climate action across stakeholder groups,’ said Geraldine Matchett, steering committee chair of GHG Protocol.

One of the barriers to effective climate action is the fragmentation of standards and policies. This new partnership, which includes a common approach and portfolio of dual-logo standards covering corporate, product and project accounting, addresses that challenge by aligning the existing portfolio of GHG standards and providing a shared platform for future co-development.

Both ISO and GHG Protocol standards have been widely adopted by organisations around the world. The ISO 1406X family of standards is used by governments in legislation and regulation and forms the foundation for GHG reporting and verification frameworks in many industries. GHG Protocol standards are relied upon by leading sustainability and disclosure initiatives.

By combining standards from the ISO 1406X series and the GHG Protocol suite of standards, the partnership will bring technical rigor, policy relevance and practical usability into one set of standards.

Experts from both organisations will now collaborate through an integrated technical process, with the goal of delivering cohesive standards that meets the needs of all users, and support robust, science based decarbonisation across regions, sectors and economies.