ISO and GHG Protocol partner to unify global carbon accounting standards

The International Organization for Standardization and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol announced a strategic partnership to harmonise their greenhouse gas standards into a single co-branded portfolio, combining the GHG Protocol Corporate, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Standards with the ISO 1406X family. Indian companies reporting emissions under BRSR and ISSB-aligned frameworks gain a more consistent global methodology, reducing fragmentation in carbon accounting.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol announced a strategic partnership to harmonise their greenhouse gas standards into a single, co-branded portfolio. The collaboration combines the widely used GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting, Scope 2, and Scope 3 Standards with the ISO 1406X family of standards. The agreement responds to recent calls for harmonisation from governments and global business communities, aiming to provide a common global language for carbon accounting that reduces market confusion and accelerates decarbonisation.

The harmonised framework affects companies, policymakers, verifiers, and investors who currently navigate fragmented and divergent reporting methodologies. By streamlining processes and increasing data consistency, the alliance directly benefits corporates measuring and reporting emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3. Emmanuel Faber, Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), welcomed the development as augmenting the globally accepted baseline for greenhouse gas accounting, noting that consistent, comparable carbon data is essential for investors making informed capital allocation decisions.

Companies should monitor the rollout of the unified, co-branded portfolio and prepare to align existing GHG accounting practices with the harmonised framework as it is published. Reporting teams using the GHG Protocol Corporate, Scope 2, and Scope 3 Standards alongside ISO 1406X should track how the combined standards affect their methodologies and verification processes. Stakeholders should also watch for ISSB endorsement signals, given that the harmonised baseline is positioned to strengthen comparability and credibility for investors relying on consistent carbon data.

Key figure — Standards harmonised: GHG Protocol Corporate, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Standards combined with ISO 1406X family