ABOUT THE COMPANY ASSESSMENTS
The Net Zero Company Benchmark assesses the performance of focus companies against the initiative’s three high-level goals: reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving climate governance, and strengthening climate-related financial disclosures. It contains two types of complementary analyses drawing on public and self-disclosed data by companies: the Disclosure Framework and Alignment Assessments.
By accessing these assessments, you agree to be bound by the data usage terms and conditions. For more information on data collection and feedback, see the review and redress process.
EXPLORE THE ASSESSMENTS
The Disclosure Framework evaluates the adequacy of corporate disclosure in relation to key actions companies can take to align their businesses with the Climate Action 100+ and Paris Agreement goals. The assessments are conducted by the Transition Pathway Initiative Global Climate Transition Centre and reflect publicly disclosed information by companies as of 9 June 2024.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 1.1.b if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Metric 1.1.a.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 1.1.b.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 2.2.a if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 2.1.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 2.2.b if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 2.1.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 2.2.b.
This Sub-indicator uses TPI’s Carbon Performance methodology to measure companies’ carbon intensities in 2050.
In the aluminum and paper sectors, where 1.5°C consistent scenarios are unavailable, the relevant companies are measured against a best-available below 2°C scenario. All other sectors that have Carbon Performance sector methodologies are assessed against a 1.5°C scenario.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Sub-indicator 2.3.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 3.2.a if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 3.1.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 3.2.b if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 3.1.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 3.2.b.
This Sub-indicator uses TPI’s Carbon Performance methodology to measure companies’ carbon intensities in 2035.
In the aluminum and paper sectors, where 1.5°C consistent scenarios are unavailable, the relevant companies are measured against a best-available below 2°C scenario. All other sectors that have Carbon Performance sector methodologies are assessed against a 1.5°C scenario.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Sub-indicator 3.3.
Sub-indicator 3.4 applies to a company’s medium-term target for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions (Metric 3.2.a) stated on an intensity basis.
If a company has also set a GHG reduction target for its Scope 3 emissions (i.e., meets the criteria of both Metrics 3.2.b and 3.2.a) on an intensity basis, this Sub-indicator applies to both the company’s Scope 1 and 2, and Scope 3 target. Companies that have only set a Scope 3 target (3.2.b) and no Scope 1 and 2 target (3.2.a) are assessed solely on their Scope 3 target (3.2.b).
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 4.2.a if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 4.1.
A company cannot score a ‘Yes’ on Metric 4.2.b if it has not scored a ‘Yes’ on Sub-indicator 4.1.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 4.2.b.
Sub-indicator 4.3 uses TPI’s Carbon Performance methodology to measure companies’ carbon intensities in 2025.
In the aluminum and paper sectors, where 1.5°C consistent scenarios are unavailable, the relevant companies are measured against a best-available below 2°C scenario. All other sectors that have Carbon Performance sector methodologies are assessed against a 1.5°C scenario.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Sub-indicator 4.3.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Sub-indicators 2.1 and 3.1. For companies that have targets meeting Sub-indicators 2.3 and 3.1, any disclosures about specific actions to achieve these targets are assessed.
To score on this Metric, a company’s disclosures should relate to its GHG reduction targets, clearly address the main sources of its GHG emissions, and lay out a concrete set of measures to deliver its decarbonisation targets.
The applicability of Scope 3 emissions (indirect emissions that are produced in a company’s value chain) as assessed in the Disclosure Framework varies by sector. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 5.1.a.
This Metric evaluates a company’s disclosures on its commitment to scaling up its deployment of climate solutions in prospective and quantitative terms.
Companies publicly stating that they do not intend to invest in climate solutions will not be evaluated on this Metric and will receive a ‘Not Applicable’ label.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Metric 5.1.b.
If a company explicitly states that it does not plan on using carbon offsetting and negative emissions technologies to meet its GHG reduction targets, it will not be assessed against this Metric, and will instead receive a ‘Not Applicable’ label.
Companies disclosing that offsets will only be considered for residual emissions are also expected to meet the criteria for scoring on this Metric.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Metric 5.1.b.
Where 5.1.b is met, this Metric assesses which of the individual decarbonisation levers that the company has identified in Metric 5.1.b are technologically feasible under current economic conditions.
This Metric evaluates a company’s disclosures on its current deployment of climate solutions. Companies are required to define climate solutions associated with their revenues or products clearly and in detail.
Companies publicly stating that they do not intend to invest in climate solutions will not be evaluated on this Metric and will receive a ‘Not Applicable’ label.
This Metric evaluates a company’s disclosures on its commitment to scaling up its deployment of climate solutions in prospective and quantitative terms.
Companies publicly stating that they do not intend to invest in climate solutions will not be evaluated on this Metric and will receive a ‘Not Applicable’ label.
Unabated carbon-intensive assets here refer to assets or products with a high carbon footprint relative to their output that do not use any carbon removal technologies.
To score on this Metric, the company’s commitment needs to apply to all of its capital expenditures.
Unabated carbon-intensive assets here refer to assets or products with a high carbon footprint relative to their output that do not use any carbon removal technologies.
A company that has clearly stated in its public disclosures that it has not allocated any capital expenditure towards unabated carbon-intensive assets or products will score ‘Yes’ on this Metric.
This Metric assesses a company’s transparency and commitment to climate solutions by evaluating their public disclosures of capital expenditures. This includes a clear definition of what is considered to be climate solutions, using a formal taxonomy or classification system in the disclosures.
Companies publicly stating that they do not intend to invest in climate solutions will not be evaluated on this Metric and will instead receive a ‘Not Applicable’ label.
The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) should be concrete and measurable, and should specifically focus on the company’s climate change-related performance. KPIs that measure broader ‘Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)’ or ‘sustainability’ targets or objectives, energy efficiency targets, CDP scores or the like do not meet the requirements for this Metric.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Metric 8.2.a and on one of Sub-indicators 2.1, 3.1 or 4.1.
In addition, the CEO and/or at least one other senior executive’s remuneration arrangements should be determined by the company’s performance against its disclosed company-wide emissions targets.
A company will not meet the requirements of this Metric if only ‘sustainability’ or ‘environment’ or ‘ESG’ is covered in relation to Board competency assessments. Further, the existence of a climate expert on the Board cannot be used as a proxy for having conducted a Board climate competency assessment.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Metric 8.3.a. In addition, the company needs to disclose detail on what specific criteria have been used to assess the Board’s climate-related competencies.
Measures aimed at enhancing ‘sustainability’, ‘environment’, or ‘ESG’ competencies do not fulfill the requirements of this Metric.
To score positively on this Metric, the company should:
- Explicitly state its commitment to Just Transition principles, either defined by itself or by an external score.
- Define what it means when referring to ‘Just Transition’.
Simply acknowledging or supporting a Just Transition or external frameworks is not sufficient to score ‘Yes’ on this Metric.
To score positively on this Metric, companies should explicitly commit to specific forms of support, such as job retention, training, reskilling and access to job search programmes, or external frameworks with similar commitments.
The commitment should be company-wide, explicitly linked to decarbonisation and apply to current employees of the company.
Simply acknowledging the impact of decarbonisation on workers is not enough to score positively.
The Metric evaluates whether companies have a company-wide commitment to engage with and seek consent from the communities that are affected by their decarbonisation actions.
It also requires companies to provide details on how they have implemented this commitment, such as who they have consulted with, what issues they have addressed, and what outcomes they have achieved.
Companies that only inform or acknowledge communities, or that do not specify affected communities among their stakeholders, will not score ‘Yes’ on this Metric.
To contribute to a positive score on this Metric, the plan should be company-wide and related to the company’s decarbonisation efforts.
/p>
These plans can only be on an asset level (e.g., power plant or a mine) insofar as the company explicitly states that it will carry out this plan for all other relevant assets.
This Metric is only assessed if the company scored ‘Yes’ on Metric 9.2.a, indicating that it has disclosed a concrete plan to implement its Just Transition commitments.
Score is contingent on the company meeting the criteria of Metric 10.2.a. In addition, the company is required to:
- Explicitly include a 1.5°C scenario in its analysis; and
- Disclose a quantitative scenario explicitly covering the entire company (rather than a specific product, business line or geography); and
- Disclose key assumptions and variables used in its scenario analysis; and
- Report on key risks and opportunities that have been identified in the scenario analysis.
Given the expansion of credible 1.5°C scenarios in recent years, from 2023 onwards, companies are no longer be able to score on Metric 10.2.b using the IEA’s Beyond 2°C Scenario (B2DS), which was possible in previous Benchmark iterations.
Sub-indicator 11.1 uses TPI’s Carbon Performance methodology to measure companies’ historical carbon intensity.
This Metric uses TPI’s Carbon Performance methodologies to measure companies’ carbon intensity over the past 3 years.
If the company is assessed by TPI to have insufficient emissions data or if the last usable data was published more than two years ago, the company will score a ‘No’ on this Metric.
Companies that are part of a sector where the Transition Pathway Initiative’s
methodology is yet to be published will be scored as ‘Not Assessed’.
The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 11.1.a.
This Metric is met if the company’s emission intensity has decreased over the last three years of company reporting, on an averaged basis.
If the company is assessed by TPI to have insufficient emissions data or if the last usable data was published more than two years ago, the company will score a ‘No’ on this Metric.
Companies that are part of a sector where the Transition Pathway Initiative’s
methodology is yet to be published will be scored as ‘Not Assessed’.
The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 11.1.b.
Note that at this stage TPI are only considering Scope 1 and 2 emissions for Metric 11.2.
Carbon intensities are measured against a relevant sector trajectory needed to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C with low or no overshoot in 2050.
Companies that are part of a sector where the Transition Pathway Initiative’s methodology is yet to be published will be scored as ‘Not Assessed’.
The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 11.1.c.
Indicator 11.2 is a new Beta indicator in 2024 drawing on TPI’s Carbon Performance methodology.
Where an Indicator is in Beta form, companies are not publicly assessed against it, and it is subject to change in future iterations of the Benchmark.
Note that at this stage TPI are only considering Scope 1 and 2 emissions for Metric 11.2.
Companies that only report on a partial scope of their emissions are not eligible to score on this Metric.
Companies that only report on a subset of their emissions will not be able to score on this Metric. The relevance of a company’s Scope 3 emissions affects its assessment against Metric 11.3.b.
To score on this Metric, companies should disclose the quantity, type, verification system of offsets and vintage (year of carbon credit origination) used in the last financial year.
Carbon offsets disclosed due to legal compliance are insufficient to score on this Metric.
Companies that explicitly state that they do not use offsets and have not done so in the last financial year may also score on this Metric.
Notes
The following new disclosure(s) are relevant to the Climate Action 100+ Net Zero Company Benchmark, have been made after the June 9, 2024 cut-off date for the Disclosure Framework company review period and are not reflected in the current version of the company assessment. The information is supplementary, unaudited and does not guarantee a scoring change in future iterations of the benchmark:
- 1 Aug 2024: In support of its goal to reduce carbon emissions from electric generation 60% by 2025 and 80% by 2030, WEC is planning to eliminate coal as an energy source by the end of 2032 and have a carbon-neutral electric generation fleet by 2050.
Alignment Assessments complement the Disclosure Framework. They provide independent evaluations of the alignment and adequacy of company actions with the goals of Climate Action 100+ and the Paris Agreement. Alignment Assessments are provided by Carbon Tracker Initiative, InfluenceMap and the RMI.
These alignment assessments, provided by Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI), analyse electric utility companies’ announced retirement schedules for their legacy coal and natural gas-fired power generation capacity and new planned carbon-emitting assets relative to a range of climate change scenarios. The analyses give investors insights into the relative adequacy and alignment of company actions with the Paris Agreement goals. Download the methodology to learn more. CTI’s assessments are based on data as of 1st September 2024.
Scores indicate if the company’s coal unit phase-out plans match the following scenarios:
- Green: Full retirement of coal-fired generation fleet consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE – 1.5°C) scenario.
- Amber: Full retirement of coal-fired generation fleet, which is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C).
- Red: Partial retirement of coal-fired generation fleet OR unannounced retirement/insufficient data on retirements.
Traffic light colours indicate if the company’s gas unit phase-out plans match the following scenarios:
- Green: Full retirement of unabated gas-fired generation fleet consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE – 1.5°C).
- Amber: Full retirement of unabated gas-fired generation fleet, which is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C).
- Red: Partial retirement that is not consistent with CTI’s interpretation of the IEA’s NZE (1.5°C) or unannounced retirement/insufficient data on retirements.
A full phase-out of unabated gas units leaves open a role for other abatement technologies such gas-to-hydrogen conversion beyond 2050.
Traffic light colours indicate if the percentage of planned coal generation capacity is consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario – NZE):
- Green: 100% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
- Amber: 75-99% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
- Red: 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
Traffic light colours indicate if the percentage of planned unabated gas generation capacity is consistent with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (IEA Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario – NZE):
- Red: 0-75% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
- Amber: 75-99% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
- Green: 100% NZE (1.5°C) consistent
This assumes that all unabated gas generation must be phased out (or abated) by 2050 under NZE. At present, CTI scales down IEA scenarios to regional grid level and therefore does not take local grid constraint issues into consideration.
These Alignment Assessments, provided by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), are made using the PACTA methodology and data provided by Asset Impact. They analyse electric utility companies’ planned capital expenditures (CapEx) and production capacity for the coming 5 years, relative to a range of climate change scenario pathways for the sector. These analyses give investors insights into the relative adequacy and alignment of company actions with the Paris Agreement goals. Download the methodology to learn more.
RMI’s assessments of electric utility companies evaluate their physical assets and forward-looking capacity plans based on status updates gathered in the 12 months up to 31 December 2023.
This indicator helps investors to determine if companies’ actions are reducing carbon emissions in the real-world economy and the extent to which they are doing so through a combination of the closure of high-emitting power plants and the buildout of renewable generation and capacity.
This assessment is only conducted at a technology level. As a result, no aggregate Indicator-level assessment is provided.
“Real change” here refers to changes in power capacity due to fossil fuel power plant closures or due to adding renewables to the grid, as opposed to changes resulting from ownership transfers.
Traffic light colours indicate if there have been significant*, real changes at an asset level that are moving towards the NZE scenario (Green), virtual changes affecting only company emissions profiles that are either moving towards or diverging from the NZE scenario (Amber) or any changes at an asset level that increase carbon in the real economy and therefore produce real change that diverges from the NZE scenario (Red).
Companies that show no significant change or significant change of which >50% is unknown (i.e., there is insufficient data to determine if the change is real or virtual) do not receive a traffic light assessment for this Indicator.
*Company capacity change is assessed as significant if the change is more than the RMI’s megawatt (MW) plant capacity significance threshold for the relevant technology.
This metric complements Sub-indicator 2.1 and is calculated where there has been a significant decrease in the company’s coal or gas power generation capacity.
Traffic light colours indicate the extent to which the high carbon electricity that was generated by an asset that has been sold or closed has been substantially substituted with low-carbon electricity generation by more than 100% (Green), partially substituted with low carbon electricity generation between 25% and 100% (Amber) or insufficiently substituted (or not substituted at all) with low-carbon electricity generation (<25% – Red).
InfluenceMap provides detailed analyses of corporate climate policy engagement and the alignment of company climate policy engagement actions (direct and indirect via their industry associations) with the goals of the Paris Agreement, as well as the quality, accuracy and completeness of corporate disclosures on climate policy engagement.
This data reflects InfluenceMap’s assessment as of the 1st August 2024. Refer to the InfluenceMap website for the most recent company assessments.
A comprehensive assessment of a company’s climate policy engagement, accounting for both its own engagement and that of its industry associations.
Companies receive an overall ‘Performance Band’ grade on a scale from A+ to F against this indicator, which maps to the traffic light scoring system used across the Net Zero Company Benchmark.
A measure of how supportive or obstructive the company’s direct engagement is of Paris Agreement-aligned climate policy, with 0% being fully opposed and 100% being fully supportive.
A measure of how supportive or obstructive the company’s industry associations are of Paris Agreement-aligned climate policy, with 0% being fully opposed and 100% being fully supportive.
An assessment of the accuracy of the company’s reporting on its direct and indirect (via industry associations) climate policy engagement activities.
This Sub-indicator evaluates whether the company has published an accurate account of its corporate climate policy positions and engagement activities, as compared to InfluenceMap’s database, which independently tracks corporate climate policy engagement activities.
This Sub-indicator evaluates whether the company has published an accurate account of the climate policy positions and engagement activities of the industry associations of which it is a member, as compared to InfluenceMap’s database, which independently tracks corporate climate policy engagement activities.
An assessment of the quality and robustness of a company’s processes to identify, report on, and address specific cases of misalignment between its climate policy engagement activities (direct and indirect via industry associations) and the goals of the Paris Agreement.