3. Surround yourself with people who know what they are doing
As well as drawing on expertise within the organisation, you may find you need some external support too. Setting a science-based target can be very technical depending on your business model, especially when you get into measuring emissions from your supply chain and customers.It’s always helpful to get a second pair of eyes, and there are lots of organisations out there who can help you decipher the jargon. There are a growing number of resources out there, including UKGBC’s report on scope 3 reporting in the construction sector or the brand new World Resources Institute Cool Food Pledge, which helps the restaurant and hospitality sectors set SBTi targets.
4. Give yourself plenty of time
I’m not going to lie, setting science-based targets is a complex undertaking, but the Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi) gives companies two years to go through the process of setting science-based targets. It won’t be an unfamiliar journey though for those who are used to setting targets – you will be doing a lot of forward-thinking and modelling, as well as some robust data collection. Check out how we worked with Kingfisher to set its science-based targets, to help you learn more about what you can expect.
Learn more about how we work with businesses to set sustainability targets rooted in climate science.