5 August 2025
New analysis of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) data by leading Net Zero advisory firm McGrady Clarke reveals that while the UK ranks among the top countries globally for climate ambition, many organisations have yet to validate their Net Zero targets. Science-based emissions targets add credibility and strengthen a company’s ESG rating, which many investors and lenders use to inform their decisions. Delays in achieving full validation may therefore limit access to financial opportunities.
At the time of writing, out of the 11,995 global companies in the latest SBTi dataset that have committed to the initiative, 13.3% are based in the UK. However, amongst these British companies, a striking 68% gap exists, with only 509 of these companies having successfully validated their Net Zero targets with the SBTi.
Many of the remainder have achieved validation of their Near-term targets and are working towards the more...