What the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2 means for businesses

SBTi released Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2, and the shift matters because it clarifies what net-zero actually demands – not softens it. The core principle remains unchanged: organisations must cut absolute emissions first, hard stop. What Version 2 tightens is the sequencing and credibility of offsetting. Specifically, companies cannot claim net-zero status by offsetting today; they must demonstrate a pathway to near-total emission reduction before any carbon removal enters the picture.