Climate Emergency

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Biodiversity. That’s a word we hear a lot these days, especially as the impacts of the climate crisis become increasingly apparent. Without biodiversity we lose a lot of ecosystem services that support our livelihoods, but have you heard of biodiversity hotspots? These locations across the globe are the hub of diverse and rich life that underpins our existence. There are 35 of them worldwide and one of them is the home to a  <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/climate-emergency/our-trees-in-madagascar">reforestation project Ecologi supports in Madagascar. </a>
Here, we’ll focus on seven of the biodiversity hotspots; The Caribbean Islands, Madagascar, The California Coast, The Atlantic Forest in Brazil, The Philippines, The Horn of Africa and Southeast Asia.
We’re going to use the word endemic a lot &#8211; the dictionary definition of which is:
“<a href="https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Endemic+(biology)">Native only to a particular locality or region</a>”. 
Let’s jump in, shall we?

A biodiversity hotspot is a  region with significant amounts of biodiversity, which is threatened by human habitation. The concept was first documented by Norman Myers, a British environmentalist, in two articles “The Environmentalist’ in 1988, and revised again in 1990.

To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot a region must meet two strict criteria:
1) It must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics (only found in that location), and
2) It has lost at least 75% of its primary vegetation.

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1 Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot consists mainly of three large groups of islands between North and South America: the Bahamas, the Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles. Like its natural diversity, the cultural and socioeconomic diversity of the hotspot is incredibly high.The Caribbean’s biodiversity is at serious risk of species extinctions. More than 700 species are globally threatened, making the Caribbean one of the top hotspots for globally threatened species. 
 
Flora and Fauna 

All of the 189 native species of amphibian in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot are endemic, and sadly most have gone extinct.
Bats are very important components of ecosystems within the Caribbean and are represented by 51 species, 35 of which are endemic.
More than 560 species of bird have been recorded in the Caribbean Islands Hotspot, including brightly coloured parrots.
Two of the smallest lizards in the world can be found here too &#8211;  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphaerodactylus">Sphaerodactylus ariasae</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Islands_dwarf_sphaero">S. parthenopion</a> are both smaller than the size of a penny.
What are the main threats?
Invasive species
Infectious disease
Unsustainable development
Severe weather and climate change

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6 Madagascar

This island is probably the most interesting out of all of these biodiversity hotspots, but we might be a little biased as the first reforestation project we supported is located there. Because Madagascar and the continental Seychelles broke off from the Gondwanaland supercontinent more than 160 million years ago, the islands are a living example of species evolution in isolation.
Madagascar alone possesses an astounding 11,200 endemic species of plants. This endemism is not limited to plants as the island is home to five families of birds, five families of primates and two families of freshwater fish found nowhere else on the planet. This island was once the home of the Dodo.
Flora and Fauna 

Madagascar is known for its rich native flora, with around 90% of its <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vascular_plant">vascular plants</a> found only on the island.
Nearly 60% of birds in Madagascar are found nowhere else on the planet. The birds in the region are seriously threatened: more than 55 endemic species are Endangered, and 32 have already disappeared, mainly in the Mascarene Islands. New species are being discovered in Madagascar at a rapid rate, especially lemurs and small mammals; in the past 15 years, 22 new species and subspecies have been described. Madagascar has several critically threatened species including the Silky Sifaka, a lemur, which is one of the rarest mammals on earth. 

What are the main threats? 
Deforestation 
Hunting for local consumption 
Illegal trafficking of animals and plant species 
Invasive alien species 
Climate change

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7 Califonian Coat

This region contains a wide variety of ecosystems, including coastal sage scrub, alpine forest, mixed evergreen forests, Douglas fir forests, coastal dunes, and salt marshes. Today, a quarter of the original vegetation remains in more or less pristine condition, but it’s still in dire need of conservation.
Flora and Fauna
A number of threatened endemic species are found here, including the endangered giant kangaroo rat, the desert slender salamander and the California condor. Although there are fewer than 10 endemic bird species found in the California Floristic Province, more species of birds breed in this region than anywhere else in the United States of America. 
 
The highest levels of endemism in the California Floristic Province are found among amphibians, with over half of the nearly 50 species present in the region being found only in this hotspot. The hotspot also has impressive invertebrate diversity. The state of California is home to an estimated 28,000 species of insects, about 32% of which are endemic. These species represent about 30% of all known insects in the United States and Canada.
What are the main threats? 
Urbanisation 
Pollution 
Habitat encroachment 
Unsustainable expansion of large-scale agriculture 
Mining and oil extraction 
Invasive alien species 
Soil degradation

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2 The Atlantic Forest in Brazil

The Atlantic Forest stretches along Brazil&#8217;s Atlantic coast, from the northern state of Rio Grande do Norte south to Rio Grande do Sul. Also included in this hotspot is the offshore archipelago of Fernando de Noronha and several other islands off the Brazilian coast. Long isolated from other major rainforest blocks in South America, the Atlantic Forest has an extremely diverse and unique mix of vegetation and forest types. 
Flora and Fauna 

20,000 plant species live there, 40% of which are endemic, and over 950 bird species which are also endemic to these forests.
More than 450 tree species have been recorded in a single hectare of forest in southern Bahia. Brazil-wood and Brazilian rosewood live here and are two of the world’s rarest woods, making it valuable to the timber industry.  Many of the species native to Brazil are now endangered, like the Brazilian Merganser, Maned Sloth and the Green Turtle. <a href="https://www.cepf.net/our-work/biodiversity-hotspots/atlantic-forest/species">Here is a full list</a> of animals (most endangered) that call this place home. 
 
What are the main threats? 
Deforestation 
Intensive land use 
Urban expansion 
Fuel-wood harvesting 
Poaching and animal trading

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4 Philippines

The Philippines consists of more than 7,100 islands in the westernmost Pacific Ocean, and is likely the most biologically diverse country in the world in terms of unique terrestrial and marine plant and animal species per unit area. Many endemic species are confined to forest fragments that cover only 7% of the original extent of the hotspot. This includes more than 6,000 plant species and many bird species such as the critically endangered Cebu flowerpecker, the critically endangered Visayan wrinkled hornbill and the critically endangered Philippine eagle.
 
Flora and Fauna 

Of the 9,250 plant species native to the Philippines at least 1/3 of them are endemic.
There are more than 150 species of palms in the hotspot, and around 2/3 of these are found nowhere else in the world. Out of the 530 bird species found in the Philippines about 185 of these are endemic and over 60 are threatened.  The largest and most impressive of the mammals in the Philippines is the c<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamaraw">ritically endangered tamaraw, a dwarf water buffalo</a> that lives only on Mindoro Island.
What are the main threats? 
Conflicting policies within the Philippines government 
Extraction Industries 
Increased population 
Urbanisation

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5 The Horn of Africa

Centred on the arid Horn, east of the Ethiopian Highlands, the Horn of Africa Biodiversity Hotspot also covers the Rift Valley, which divides the Ethiopian Highlands into two major blocks, the xeric bushlands of northeastern Kenya and the southern coastal parts of the Arabian Peninsula. One of only two hotspots that is entirely arid, the region is home to a number of endemic and threatened antelope, the vulnerable Dibatag and endangered Speke’s gazelle among them. 
 
Flora and Fauna 
Although research into the flora of the Horn of Africa is still ongoing, the best possible estimates are that there are about 5,000 species of vascular plants in the region, just over half of which, about 2,750 species, are endemic. Of the 697 bird species regularly recorded in the hotspot, 24 are endemic. Seven of these species are found only in Somalia. 
Nearly 220 mammal species are found in the Horn of Africa, although only about 20 are endemic to the hotspot. It is home to the critically endangered <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_wild_ass">Somali wild ass</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_warthog">desert warthog</a>.The Horn of Africa&#8217;s highest levels of endemism occur among reptiles, with more than 90 of around 285 species found nowhere else. There are an estimated 100 species of freshwater fish in the Horn of Africa, about 10 of which are endemic. These endemics include three cave-dwelling species found only in Somalia, two of which are blind; the Somalian blind barb and Somalian cavefish. 
 
What are the main threats? 
Overgrazing 
Charcoal production 
Political instability 
Infrastructure development

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3 Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia has the highest relative rate of deforestation of any major tropical region and could lose three quarters of its original forests by 2100, and up to 42% of its biodiversity. Due to geographic isolation, the flora and fauna of most of the islands in this region have evolved independently leading to the high levels of endemism seen here. Southeast Asia is a bio-cultural hotspot encompassing about 20%of global plant, animal and marine species. The region contains three megadiverse countries; Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, where four of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots are located. Its montane ecosystems are particularly noted for their high diversity of ferns, mosses and orchids.
 
Flora and Fauna
The region contains 20% of the <a href="http://unu.edu/publications/articles/unraveling-the-drivers-of-southeast-asia-biodiversity-loss.html#info">planet’s vertebrate and plant species</a> and the world’s third-largest tropical forest. Southeast Asia is the home of the Komodo dragon. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_eagle">Philippine eagle</a> is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_bird">national bird</a> of the Philippines. It is considered by scientists as the largest eagle in the world and is endemic to the Philippines’ forests. While Southeast Asia is rich in flora and fauna, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation_in_Southeast_Asia">Southeast Asia is facing severe deforestation</a> which causes habitat loss for various <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species">endangered species</a> such as the orangutan and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatran_tiger">Sumatran tiger.</a> 

What are the main threats? 
Deforestation 
Unsustainable tree plantations 
Urbanisation 
Hunting and animal trafficking 
Mining 
Habitat degradation 
Overexploitation

It’s apparent that these seven hotspots are abundant with natural beauty but they’re in desperate need of our help. We believe in collective action and that together we can stand against this climate crisis.
If, like us, you want to help these biodiverse hotspots here’s a list of recognised and responsible organisations:
<a href="https://www.conservation.org/priorities/biodiversity-hotspots">Conversation.org</a>
<a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/">WWF</a>
<a href="https://www.cepf.net/our-work/biodiversity-hotspots">Critical Ecosystems Partnerships Fund</a>
<a href="https://zeroextinction.org/">Alliance for Zero Extinction</a>
And of course us, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/plan">our monthly subscription</a> helps reforest land on the coast of Madagascar. Learn more about <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/">tree planting with Ecologi.</a>
<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/plan">Join Ecologi today</a> to start supporting the world’s best climate projects.
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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

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Ecologi Impact Funds: A new way to support climate action

We’ve just launched our much anticipated product, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/solutions/impact-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ecologi Impact Funds</a>, a new way to maximise your business climate impact by funding multiple high-quality projects in one go whilst also spreading residual risk.
In this deep-dive, we’ll explore:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">What is an Impact Fund; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Why they are best for our planet and how they fit into your net-zero journey;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The difference between carbon compensation and contribution approaches;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Why your business should start contributing to Impact Funds today.</li>
</ul>

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<h2>What is an Impact Fund?</h2>
Our new Ecologi Impact Funds maximise your business climate impact by funding multiple high-quality projects in one go while also spreading residual risk. 
 
The Ecologi Impact funds are carefully curated project cohorts centred around a particular theme or climate intervention. Each of our Impact Funds is carefully designed to drive progress against our three key pillars of impact: 

<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Climate: Reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Nature: Conserving and restoring nature and natural systems</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">People: Transforming society and improving lives</li>
</ol>
When you contribute towards an Impact Fund, you’re not just funding a single project in a single location. You’ll be funding a cohort of multiple different projects which might be based all over the world – but all centred around driving transformative action for our climate, nature, and people.
The cohort of projects we support within each Ecologi Impact Fund is dynamic, meaning that some projects will receive support from the Fund over an extended period, and others will receive individual grants. All projects contribute to the Fund’s core aims, and all projects are carefully vetted and selected by our expert team.

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<h2>Why are Impact Funds best for our planet?</h2>
When we think about the existing models of financing climate and nature projects, the focus is usually on one of two things: either inputs (like paying to plant trees), or certification (like carbon credits). Both of these are critical vehicles for channelling funding to incredible projects, but they don’t tell the whole story.
Take tree-planting, for example. To establish and maintain an impactful forest restoration or agroforestry project takes so much more than just planting the trees. Any one of Ecologi’s partner reforestation projects is actually doing far more than simply planting trees – and all of this costs money, which has to fit into the project’s budget. For example, project designs and associated budgets might include all of this (and more):
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Securing land tenure;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications and campaigns;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Logistics, vehicles and transport; </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Seed collection or acquisition;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tree nurseries and infrastructure;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Staff salaries and technical training;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Community services and outreach;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Energy provision;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tools and safety equipment;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Leadership training and capacity building;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Reinvestment into the local community;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Fencing and other critical infrastructure;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Water and irrigation;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Project monitoring and evaluation;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Outplanting of trees;</li>
</ul>
If, when we support these projects, we as funders are only thinking about this last bullet point – thinking about our role as simply “paying to plant trees” – then we are neglecting to recognise the incredible effort that goes into the truly holistic programme required to restore nature sustainably and at scale. At best, this is simple tunnel vision. But at worst, this means funders risk thinking that the only thing that’s important is how many trees were planted within the project boundary.
Our Impact Funds help to transform this mindset: decoupling funding from inputs and instead centring our thinking around strategic, thematic and carefully-curated project cohorts means that implementation partners receiving the funding are able to focus on producing restorative outcomes for ecosystems and communities. They also help our customers to understand that what we are doing in supporting restorative projects is not tit-for-tat – it’s us playing our part to restore our planet by supporting a blended range of projects which we acknowledge will have a holistic impact.
So through Ecologi’s first new Impact Funds, we’re not focusing on ‘paying to plant trees’. We’re focusing on restoring forests and landscapes.
<h3>Leading climate science is already taking this approach</h3>
Recent publications from the Science-Based Targets initiative in <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/resources/files/Above-and-Beyond-Report-on-BVCM.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">their beyond value chain mitigation (‘BVCM’) report</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.smithschool.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2024-02/Oxford-Principles-for-Net-Zero-Aligned-Carbon-Offsetting-revised-2024.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the newly-updated Oxford Principles</a> from the University of Oxford, have supported the innovative contributory approach which is exemplified in our Impact Funds. Many of our restoration partners, including <a href="https://www.internationaltreefoundation.org/news/beyond-offsets-an-alternative-approach" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Tree Foundation</a>, <a href="https://www.eden-plus.org/stories/its-time-to-go-beyond-tree-planting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eden: People + Planet</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfBVBHNpR30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Acción Andina</a> and <a href="https://www.weforest.org/what-we-do/our-restoration-principles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WeForest</a> have taken similar stances.
Global Forest Generation noted that:
<blockquote>In some cases reforestation may only form a small part of an ecosystem restoration project. Our activities and budgets have always reflected a holistic program with many components that we have identified as essential to effective, long-term ecosystem restoration.</blockquote>
With our new Impact Funds, Ecologi is proudly joining our friends and partners to raise our voices in a call for holistic restoration for people and our planet. <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/solutions/impact-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schedule a call</a> with our experts to see how your business can start contributing to the Impact Funds, or continue reading for more of a deep-dive.

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On your business’s road to net-zero, you have two central objectives:
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<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">First: measure your business’s emissions, set ambitious reduction targets, and reduce your emissions across all scopes as much as possible, as quickly as possible.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Then: support the global transition to net-zero and the restoration of nature by contributing to climate and nature projects around the world. </li>
</ol>
Ecologi’s Impact Funds can help you with step (2), by enabling you to <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/business/ecologi-impact-funds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support a diverse range of projects</a> which will help to safeguard and restore nature, and scale-up carbon removal technologies. This is an alternative to traditional carbon offsetting, which is where you’d buy carbon credits equal to the emissions you produce. 
Specifically, our Impact Funds can help you align your project funding strategy to Goal #2 of the Science-Based Targets initiative’s <a href="https://sciencebasedtargets.org/resources/files/Above-and-Beyond-Report-on-BVCM.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BVCM best practice</a>, as well as centring all four of the SBTi’s core principles for BVCM: scalability, financing need, co-benefits and climate justice.

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Since 2020, at Ecologi we have also been aligning our work with the Oxford Principles, which as well as providing guidance for blended carbon credit-based portfolios which increasingly lean towards carbon removal with permanent storage, also stress the vital importance of businesses contributing to nature restoration beyond simply the purchasing of carbon credits. The Revised Oxford Principles (2024), states:
<blockquote>It is necessary to protect and restore ecosystems to achieve net zero globally and to support adaptation to climate change impacts, irrespective of whether such projects generate credits that are retired as offsets.</blockquote>
Making a contribution to Ecologi’s Impact Funds won’t reduce your emissions for you, and it won’t allow you to make compensatory green claims such as carbon neutrality. But what it will do is enable your business to do its part to support the global transition to net-zero, holistically protect and restore ecosystems, and empower people and communities – whilst you’re working on reducing your emissions.
Doing so will help you meet the BVCM criteria set out by the SBTi and Oxford Net Zero today, and we believe these contributory approaches will form the backbone of project funding obligations under new and updated standards in the future too – such as the revised SBTi Corporate Standard and the ISO Net-Zero Standard (both expected to be published in Q4 of 2025).
We can also help you if you’re looking for <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/page/schedule-a-call" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-quality carbon removal or avoidance credits</a> for your business. And if you’re a little earlier on in your net-zero journey and you need support measuring your business’s emissions, <a href="https://zero.ecologi.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we can help with that too</a>!

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<h2>Why should my business contribute to Impact Funds?</h2>
Best for our planet. Our first company value is Planet First — and nowhere in our work is this more prominent than in our Impact Funds. We know that this strategic, holistic way of providing funding to the world’s flagship restoration projects is the right way to support projects that address climate change, restore nature and support livelihoods. This approach is innovative, transformational, and the world’s leading restoration experts support it.
Centralise your portfolio. Through our Impact Funds, you can fund a wide range of different climate and nature projects, all in one place. All of the hard work – from project selection to outcomes reporting – is done by us. You’ll have a centralised Ecologi profile where you can visualise your impact across the Funds you’ve contributed to, and deep dive on the projects supported within them.
High-integrity, high-quality projects. Our expert in-house team selects all projects and implementation partners with great care. We’ve designed state of the art methodologies that get right to the heart of a project’s potential effectiveness, and we work tirelessly with each of our implementation partners to uphold restoration best practices and exchange knowledge. That way, you know that if a project is featured in one of our Impact Funds, it’s been carefully vetted and selected as one of the leading restoration projects anywhere.
Spread funding risk. When you support projects individually, there’s always a risk that if the project you supported doesn’t achieve its goals, you’ll feel that your contribution was wasted. Through Impact Funds, the funding you contribute is spread across a range of different projects within the Fund, meaning that even in the unlikely event that an individual project doesn’t work out, your funding will still have contributed to many projects which met or even exceeded their restorative aims.
Boost your brand. Contributing to Ecologi’s Impact Funds is an excellent way to enhance your brand’s sustainability credentials. Businesses today are increasingly expected to take action on environmental challenges, and supporting impactful projects is a powerful demonstration of your commitment to the planet. In fact, improved brand reputation is the number one driver for businesses, with over <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/climate-comittments-report-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">34% of Ecologi respondents</a> seeing their brand elevated as a result of climate action. By aligning with large-scale, verified restoration efforts, you not only meet consumer expectations but also stand out in a competitive marketplace, leaving a lasting impression on customers.
Engage and motivate your team. Supporting Ecologi’s Impact Funds aligns with the values of today&#8217;s workforce of sustainability and social responsibility; increasing satisfaction and loyalty. According to our survey, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/climate-comittments-report-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">28% of companies</a> saw improved employee retention through prioritising climate action. By contributing to impactful projects, your business will foster a purpose-driven workplace and strengthen a culture of shared environmental values.

<h2>How to support Impact Funds today</h2>
Schedule a call with our exports today, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/page/schedule-a-call" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. In a 30 minute discovery call they can answer any questions you may have and help find a suitable solution to suit your goals and what matters most to your business. 
<h2>Our Impact Funds</h2>
We currently offer two Impact Funds, both funding a range of incredible projects with two distinct climate goals:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">UK Climate &amp; Nature Fund &#8211; Exclusively supports restoration and carbon removal efforts in the UK, such as reforestation, habitat restoration and biochar production. 
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Forests &amp; Landscapes Fund &#8211; Focused on preserving and restoring natural landscapes globally, including forest restoration, agroforestry, and coastal wetland restoration.</li>
</ul>

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UK corporate sustainability standards explained

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In the guide we compare the strengths, weaknesses and approach to target setting, reporting and carbon offsets of the most commonly used sustainability frameworks.
In this guide we’ll cover;
<ul>
<li>What are Corporate Sustainability Standards</li>
<li>Which Corporate Sustainability Standards should UK businesses know</li>
<li>Requirements of PAS 2060</li>
<li>Requirements of ISO 14068-1:2023</li>
<li>Requirements of ISO 14064-1</li>
<li>Principles of BSI Flex 3030</li>
<li>What are EightVersa’s Natural Carbon Solutions</li>
<li>SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standards</li>
<li>How Ecologi can support your business in navigating the complexities of Corporate Sustainability Standards</li>
</ul>

<h2>What are Corporate Sustainability Standards</h2>
Many organisations worldwide have pledged to meet net-zero Emissions, aiming to help keep global warming below 1.5°C as agreed at COP15. These pledges are important, but they need clear guidelines and frameworks to ensure that sustainability strategies lead to real and measurable progress.
<h3>Why are there Corporate Sustainability Standards?</h3>
A variety of frameworks have been developed to support organisations on their journey to reducing carbon emissions. They help align companies with global climate goals, offering guidance on topics such as resource management, goal setting and reporting. Following these guidelines ensures that organisations act responsibly, and take accountability for their impact contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.
To reach net zero, these sustainability standards must be widely adopted to minimise the risk of organisations participating in greenwashing and contribute to collective global action to minimise the impacts of global warming.
<h2>Which Corporate Sustainability Standards should my business know about</h2>

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<h2>What is PAS 2060?</h2>
PAS 2060 was first published in 2010, it aimed to provide the requirements for achieving carbon neutrality for products and organisations alike. After 15 years in operation, PAS 2060 will be retired at the end of 2025, and superseded by ISO 14068- 1:2023.
The standard provides organisations with a methodology for measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and allows for the purchasing of carbon credits to offset any emissions that can’t be reduced.
<h2>What are the requirements of PAS 2060</h2>
<h3>Measure</h3>
PAS 2060 requires organisations to first measure their carbon footprint, accounting for all Scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as any Scope 3 emissions that constitute more than 1% of the organisation&#8217;s overall emissions.
<h3>Reduce</h3>
Organisations must then create and implement a carbon reduction plan (CRP). This plan should clearly outline specific actions and targets for reducing emissions over time.
<h3>Offset</h3>
After reducing emissions, organisations can then offset remaining emissions using third-party verified carbon credits, these can be carbon avoidance or carbon removal credits.
<h3>Document</h3>
Organisations must document their carbon neutrality initiatives in a Qualifying Explanatory Statement (QES). This should be a public document that includes key information such as the carbon footprint calculation, reduction measures and offsetting activities.
<h3>Drawbacks</h3>
PAS 2060 does not require evidence of continual improvement to the organisation&#8217;s carbon footprint, which can lead to an over-reliance on carbon offsets, as opposed to meaningful reductions in carbon emissions. Additionally, a PAS 2060 application must be accompanied by at least one year’s worth of supporting data therefore, PAS 2060 should not be considered for new clients/projects after December 2024.

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<h2>What is ISO 14068-1:2023</h2>
ISO 14068-1:2023 is a new standard under development by the British Standards Institute (BSI). As mentioned above, ISO 14068-1 replaces PAS 2060.
The standard aims to provide the requirements and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality. Unlike PAS 2060, the standard applies to organisations only and does not apply to products.
ISO 14068-1:2023 is a full international standard that prioritises carbon reduction initiatives. This standard requires evidence that reduction initiatives have taken place before any carbon offsetting is allowed.
<h2>What are the requirements of ISO 14068-1:2023</h2>
<h3>Measure</h3>
Organisations will need to measure their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions under this standard.
<h3>Reduce</h3>
They will then need to set clear and ambitious targets to reduce their emissions. Whilst purchasing carbon credits to offset emissions is allowed under this standard, organisations must be able to justify why offsets were purchased instead of undertaking further emission reductions.
<h3>Offset</h3>
Carbon removal offsets are approved to offset any ‘hard to remove’ emissions, providing they are less than 5 years old. This standard does not allow for the purchasing of carbon avoidance credits.
<h3>Document</h3>
ISO 14068-1:2023 also requires a carbon reduction plan, which documents the resources necessary to successfully deliver the plan, and the individuals responsible. The continuous improvement of the subject’s carbon footprint is required to maintain a carbon-neutral status unlike PAS 2060.
<h3>Drawbacks</h3>
It could be argued that ISO 14068-1:2023 requires a deep understanding of carbon accounting, emission reduction strategies and value chain emissions. Many organisations don&#8217;t have this expertise in-house and would therefore have to appoint an external third party to support them through the process, this could result in high costs to implement this standard which new and/or small companies may not have.

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<h2>What is ISO 14064-1</h2>
ISO 14064 guides organisations in reporting their GHG emissions and removals. The primary objectives of the standard are to help organisations manage and report emissions, and set and achieve reduction targets. It is a part of the 3 part ISO 14064 standard and applies to any organisation of any size.
<h2>What are the requirements of ISO 14064-1</h2>
ISO 14064-1 is the first part of the 3-part standard, it aims to provide organisations with an approach to measure, report and verify their emissions and offsets.
<h3>Measure</h3>
Organisations must outline which emission sources and activities are included in their reporting however ISO 14064-1 does not require the reporting of Scope 3 emissions.
<h3>Reduce</h3>
ISO 14064-1 does not explicitly require organisations to reduce emissions before engaging in offsetting however it does emphasise the importance of regularly reporting GHG emissions including prioritising emission reductions.
<h3>Offset</h3>
ISO 14064-1 recognises the use of carbon offsets as a legitimate tool for managing GHG emissions however places a strong emphasis on transparency and accurate reporting. ISO 14064-1 allows for both avoidance and removal credits providing they are credible, verifiable and meet recognised standards for offset projects such as additionality and permanence.
<h3>Document</h3>
ISO 14064-1 requires an inventory management plan that outlines data collection and reporting, and regular review of the GHG inventory. Additionally, a comprehensive GHG report should be prepared to detail the organisation&#8217;s emissions and purchased offsets.
<h3>Drawbacks</h3>
ISO 14064-1 also requires a comprehensive understanding of GHG accounting. This standard is largely focused on reporting, as opposed to action. There is no mandated emission reduction meaning organisations can meet emission targets through purchasing offsets alone, limiting the overall impact on global climate change mitigation.

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<h2>What is BSI Flex 3030</h2>
BSI Flex 3030 is a set of principles that can support organisations in meeting the requirements of other initiatives such as the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). BSI Flex was developed with small businesses in mind and is primarily for use by SMEs with between 5-250 employees.
BSI Flex 3030 is also designed to work alongside formal management systems such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) or BS EN ISO 50001 (Energy Management). It provides high-level principles and a framework for an organisation to deliver a transition to net zero. It covers how organisations can measure their GHG baseline, set reduction targets and create a credible pathway to net zero, it does not, however, cover how to develop and maintain a formal carbon or net-zero management system which highlights its position as a high-level framework to support organisations at the start of the carbon management journey.

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<h2>Natural Carbon Solutions, Eight Versa</h2>
The purpose of Natural Carbon Solutions (NCS) is to provide businesses with a transparent way to measure, verify and evidence carbon reduction efforts. This standard covers organisations, products and events.
<h2>What are the requirements of Natural Carbon Solutions (NCS)</h2>
<h3>Measure</h3>
Under the NCS accreditation, organisations must complete a detailed assessment of all GHG emissions associated with the organisation/product/event being measured.
<h3>Reduce</h3>
NSC prioritises the reduction of emissions before any offsetting activities. The framework includes setting specific and measurable carbon reduction targets.
<h3>Offset</h3>
Offsetting emissions is considered a valid step in the journey to net-zero but only after all efforts to reduce emissions have been made. Currently, both avoidance and removal credits can be purchased to compensate for any unavoidable emissions; however looking to the future, it is likely only removal credits will be approved under this accreditation.
<h3>Document</h3>
Organisations must implement a carbon reduction plan outlining the strategies and actions required to reduce their carbon footprint. If the organisation is using carbon offsets detailed documentation must be provided evidencing the chosen project is of high quality and environmental integrity.
<h3>Drawbacks</h3>
Although this accreditation emphasises the importance of carbon reduction, there are no mandatory reduction targets in place, this could result in some organisations relying on offsets to reach net-zero.

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<h2>SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard</h2>
The purpose of the SBTi Corporate net-zero Standard is to guide companies in setting credible and measurable targets to achieve net-zero emissions. The Corporate net-zero Standard is suitable for any organisation but is particularly useful for those with large, complex operations and significant carbon emissions to ensure they commit to credible, science-based emission reduction targets.
<h2>What are the requirements of the SBTi CZS</h2>
<h3>Measure</h3>
Under the SBTi standard, companies are required to measure and record their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
<h3>Reduce</h3>
The standard requires organisations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 90-95% by 2050 or earlier across Scopes 1, 2 and 3.
<h3>Offset</h3>
The STBi emphasises that companies must prioritise real emissions reductions and offsetting is only permitted for unavoidable emissions. The SBTi only allows for carbon removal offsets providing they do not form part of any near-term carbon reduction targets for organisations.
<h3>Document</h3>
Organisations are to document near-term (5-10 years) emission reduction targets including the percentage reduction and target years in addition to long term targets for reaching net-zero by 2050 with detailed plans for reducing emissions 90-95% across all scopes. This documentation will be formally submitted to the SBTi for validation will ensure they are aligned with the science based criteria for limiting global warming emissions.
Organisations must report annually on their emissions and progress towards meeting their targets, they are also required to publicly disclose their targets, progress and emission data.
<h3>Drawbacks</h3>
The SBTi corporate net-zero standard is a detailed initiative that requires a lot of time and resources. The standard also requires organisations to only purchase permanent carbon removal credits, which are typically more costly, and less widely available making this route less desirable and achievable for smaller businesses.

An overview of Corporate Sustainability Standards: 

<h2>Benefits to Corporate Sustainability Standards for your business</h2>
Navigating corporate sustainability standards can be a daunting process, with so many to choose from it’s difficult to know which is going to be right for your business. Understanding and adhering to these frameworks can be of great benefit to your organisation, driving greater transparency, economic benefits and the opportunity to contribute to global decarbonisation efforts.

<h2>Are you ready to take climate action?</h2>
Our team of experts can help your business tackle the hurdles of corporate sustainability standards in the UK. If this guide has inspired your business to start funding climate action, talk to our team today.

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