We have retired the Carbon Footprint Standard and replaced it with the Carbon Footprint Net Zero Standard: a four-stage, third-party verified pathway that takes your organisation from a measured footprint to net zero achieved.
For many years the Carbon Footprint Standard helped hundreds of organisations show they had assessed, reduced and compensated for their emissions. It did its job well. But what counts as a credible climate claim has changed, and a standard built around carbon neutrality no longer reflects what customers, investors, tender panels and regulators now expect.
A single year's footprint, offset with carbon credits, is no longer enough to support a public claim. Stakeholders want to see a formal reduction target, a plan to deliver it, and verified progress year on year. The Net Zero Standard makes that target the centre of the process.
Under the old Standard, an organisation could reach the Neutral level by compensating for its footprint. The Net Zero Standard follows the mitigation hierarchy: measure, commit, reduce, and only then use high-integrity carbon credits for the residual emissions that genuinely cannot be avoided.
PAS 2060, long the reference point for carbon neutrality claims, has been superseded by ISO 14068-1, which places far greater weight on reductions. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority can now directly fine businesses for misleading environmental claims. In the EU, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive applies from 27 September 2026, prohibiting claims that a product has a neutral or reduced impact based on offsetting. A reduction-led, verified pathway protects your organisation from greenwashing risk.
The Net Zero Standard is validated by our independent Technical Advisory Board, publishes its full methodology, and is third-party verified at each stage, so every claim you make along the way is one you can stand behind.
| Carbon Footprint Standard (retired) | Net Zero Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| End goal | Carbon neutrality | Net zero, reached through deep reductions |
| Reduction target | Not required | Formal, science-aligned target required (Stage 2) |
| Role of carbon credits | Could cover the whole footprint | Residual emissions only, after reduction targets are met |
| Verification | Assessor review against the Standard | Third-party verified at every stage |
| Governance | Internal requirements document | Independent Technical Advisory Board; published methodology |
| Alignment | Carbon neutrality guidance of its time | Current international best practice, including ISO 14068-1 |
Each stage is independently verified, so you can communicate your progress with confidence at every step.
A comprehensive carbon footprint assessment following ISO standards, establishing a robust baseline.
A formal, science-aligned net zero target and a clear management plan to achieve it.
Verification of the emission reductions you achieve through your own initiatives.
Once deep reduction targets are met, remaining unavoidable emissions are addressed with high-quality, verified carbon credits.
Your existing Carbon Footprint Standard mark remains valid until its current expiry date. It will not be renewed under the old Standard.
The work you have already done still counts. Your verified footprint and reduction history give you a head start on the Net Zero Standard, and our team can show you where you sit on the four-stage pathway today.
No. The Carbon Footprint Standard is no longer open to new applications. It has been replaced by the Carbon Footprint Net Zero Standard, which covers the same journey from measuring your footprint to addressing residual emissions, with third-party verification at every stage and a formal, science-aligned reduction target at its core.
Expectations for climate claims have changed. Regulators, customers and procurement teams now expect claims to be backed by a credible reduction target and verified progress, with carbon credits used only for residual emissions. Guidance has moved the same way: PAS 2060 has been superseded by ISO 14068-1, and new consumer protection rules in the UK and EU restrict claims based on offsetting alone. The Net Zero Standard is built around these expectations.
Your existing Carbon Footprint Standard mark remains valid until its current expiry date. It will not be renewed under the old Standard. Book a consultation and our team will map your current recognition onto the Net Zero Standard stages.
Assessed corresponds to Stage 1, Measured. Reduced corresponds to Stage 3, Reducing, which now also requires the formal target set at Stage 2, Committed. To recognise organisations taking responsibility for their emission by purchasing high-integrity carbon credits whilst working towards Net Zero, an additional “+ Funding Climate Action” endorsement mark is awarded to organisations taking this step.
Carbon neutral typically means a footprint has been balanced with carbon credits, regardless of whether emissions are falling. Net zero means cutting emissions deeply in line with a science-aligned target, and using credits only for what remains. Read more on carbon neutral vs net zero.
Whether you are new to carbon management or moving across from the Carbon Footprint Standard, our experts will help you find the right starting point.