Measure & Verify

Once your company's GHG footprint has been calculated, best practice is to have it verified by a third party, particularly before any public disclosure.

Prior to commissioning an independent verification, a company should clearly define its goals and decide whether they are best met by an external verification. Common reasons for undertaking a verification include:

• Increased credibility of publicly reported emissions

• Increased senior management confidence in reported information

• Improvement of internal accounting and reporting practices

• Preparation for mandatory verification requirements of GHG programs or science-based target setting

The third-party verifier will provide an assurance statement detailing its opinion on the accuracy, completeness and consistency of GHG emissions data reported based upon the evidence they have collected, and validate that it conforms to a certifying standard, such as ISO.

In this section, you will discover the main standards available and learn about best practice for a successful verification.