The Accountability Accelerator, part of the Global Commons Alliance and host of the independent validation function of the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), has opened its validation service for companies working to set science-based targets for nature.
From today, eligible companies can start using the Accountability Accelerator’s validation service to obtain independent verification of their nature targets, providing a framework for science-based action to address corporate impacts on nature.
The service provides a review of the critical groundwork companies must carry out in order to assess their most material impacts on nature and prioritize locations where impacts occur for target-setting. Companies can then use the service to apply for a final stamp of approval on their targets.
Nature targets
The validation process will determine if company submissions are in line with the latest scientific requirements for reversing and halting nature loss by 2030, as laid out in target-setting methods developed by SBTN and in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework. Currently methods are available for materiality assessment and prioritization, and freshwater and land targets, with ocean methods available from March 2025.
Natasha Matic, Executive Director of the Accountability Accelerator, said: “This is a huge moment for businesses looking to lead the transition to a nature-positive economy. Science-based targets for nature build business resilience, boost investor confidence and help companies align with regulatory requirements – and momentum behind them is growing.
“Validation is a vital step in ensuring the credibility and robustness of company targets, giving companies and their stakeholders the assurance that they are targeting the right actions, in the right places, at the right time. As nations prepare to meet next week in Rome to resume crucial discussions on biodiversity, we hope business leaders will seize this opportunity to demonstrate the private sector’s commitment to playing its role in halting and reversing the nature crisis.”
Corporate leaders
Three companies – Kering, GSK and Holcim – have already publicly adopted the first science-based targets for nature following SBTN’s year-long corporate pilot program which concluded last year. A select group of companies are already using the Accountability Accelerator’s new validation service ahead of its official launch, after a call for expressions of interest issued by SBTN following the conclusion of the pilot.
Erin Billman, Executive Director of the Science Based Targets Network, said: “Science-based targets for nature are a proven pathway for ambitious, measurable corporate action on nature, essential for the long-term resilience of business, people, and planet. With over 150 companies preparing to set science-based targets for nature, the launch of the Accountability Accelerator’s validation service means companies can now take the critical next step to ensure the credibility and scientific robustness of their targets. Validated targets are the foundation for credible action and accountability, and we urge all companies to follow our corporate trailblazers.”
The opening of the Accountability Accelerator’s validation service is also welcomed by titans of global sustainability action Christiana Figueres, Marco Lambertini and Paul Polman.
Christiana Figueres, Former Executive Secretary, UNFCCC; Co-Founder Global Optimism & Co-host, Outrage + Optimism said: “Science-based targets for nature are needed now more than ever. Global net-zero ambitions won’t be possible without halting and reversing nature loss. Companies stepped up at a similar juncture in the aftermath of the Paris Agreement and science-based targets for climate have become mainstream. We have a tremendous opportunity to accelerate the transition to a nature-positive economy using science, integrity and accountability as our beacons – we urge companies to seize this chance with both hands.”
Marco Lambertini, Convener, Nature Positive Initiative said: “Science-based targets for nature are invaluable tools in our collective efforts to address the nature crisis and transition to a nature-positive future. They translate the best available science into goals to steer corporate action in the right direction for people, the planet and the bottom line. SBTN has designed the rules – an impressive and complex undertaking involving some of the best minds working on nature around the world – and now is the time to put those rules into practice.”
Business leader, investor and philanthropist Paul Polman said: “With this vital piece of the corporate sustainability jigsaw in place, the stage is set for game-changing action on nature. This isn’t just about business benefits – it is about protecting the very systems that our economies and societies depend on. Companies around the world have an opportunity to be on the right side of history, and to create the Net Positive future that we all need not only to thrive but to survive.”
Validation process
During the validation process the Accountability Accelerator’s validators will conduct an independent and detailed review of company submissions to ensure that companies have consistently and accurately implemented the methods developed by SBTN.
Experts from consulting firms EBP Schweiz AG and ETIFOR will support the Accountability Accelerator’s team in carrying out target validation. The validation process aims to take nine weeks to complete, and follows a rigorous procedure of review, feedback and sign-off following best practices on assurance.
The process is governed by an independent Integrity Council, a governing body within the Accelerator responsible for ensuring the integrity, accuracy and scientific robustness of the target validation procedure. The Integrity Council, comprising experts from around the world in environmental science, corporate sustainability and policy, will oversee the governance of the target validation function and approve the operating procedures for validation assessments in compliance with SBTN target-setting methods.
- Learn more about the Accountability Accelerator validation service
- About Accountability Accelerator and SBTN
To speak with representatives from the Accountability Accelerator, please contact: sarah@globalcommons.org
