Calculation Logic
Discover how Tracenable reconciles corporate climate targets across disclosures to deliver consistent, complete, and up-to-date GHG reduction data.
Purpose and Context
Corporate climate targets are not static. They evolve as companies refine their strategies, improve data accuracy, or adjust ambitions.
A single company may disclose different or partial target details across multiple years, filings, or documents. For instance:
In one year, a company’s sustainability report may state a “70% reduction in emissions by 2030.”
The next year, the same company might phrase it as “reduce emissions to one-third of 2020 levels by 2030.”
In some cases, earlier disclosures provide full details (scopes, baselines, and metrics), while later ones only restate part of the target or omit it entirely.
Because of these variations, Tracenable applies a cross-source calculation and reconciliation approach to ensure that each target record in the dataset is as complete, accurate, and up-to-date as possible.
Our Cross-Source Approach
1. Consolidating Information Across Multiple Disclosures
Each corporate target is built using data drawn from multiple verified sources such as annual reports, sustainability disclosures, CDP submissions (disclosed on the companies' website), or regulatory filings.
When the same target appears in multiple documents, the system merges these disclosures into a single, unified record.
Example:
Report A (2021): “Reduce GHG emissions by 50% by 2030.” (No baseline year or scope coverage specified.)
Report B (2022): “Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030, from a 2019 baseline.” (Adds missing baseline and scope information.)
→ Tracenable combines these disclosures into one enriched record:
Target: 50% reduction in Scope 1 + 2 emissions by 2030, baseline 2019.
This ensures that each target reflects the most complete and contextually accurate version of the information disclosed, even when details are scattered across multiple documents.
2. Preserving the Most Complete and Current Version
If multiple disclosures exist for the same target, preference is given to the most recent document that provides the fullest information — covering all three components (target, baseline, and progress) and their associated attributes such as scope coverage, baseline and progress values, and reference years.
When newer disclosures confirm that a target remains active but omit certain details, Tracenable retains verified information from earlier versions to maintain completeness and comparability.
Example:
Report A (2020): “Reduce Scope 3 emissions by 35% by 2035 from a 2018 baseline.”
Report B (2022): “Our Scope 3 target remains active and aligned with science-based pathways.” (no baseline or target year restated)
Report C (2023): “Expand coverage to include Scope 1 and 2 under the same 2035 target.”
→ Tracenable merges these disclosures into a single, updated record:
Target: 35% reduction in Scope 1 + 2 + 3 emissions by 2035 from a 2018 baseline.
This example shows how the latest version (2023) is prioritized for its expanded scope, while verified details from earlier years (such as baseline and reduction magnitude) are preserved to ensure continuity and analytical completeness.
3. Harmonizing Inconsistent Expressions of Magnitude
Companies may express the same target (or progress against the target) using different mathematical forms, for example, “reduce by 65%,” “cut by two-thirds,” or “divide by three.”
Tracenable converts all such variations into standardized percentage terms while retaining the original phrasing for traceability.
Example:
Source A: “Reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 from 2020.”
Source B: “Cut emissions to one-third of 2020 levels by 2030.”
→ Both statements represent the same goal and are harmonized as:
Target: 65% reduction in emissions by 2030 (baseline 2020).
This allows users to interpret targets consistently while maintaining visibility into how each company originally reported its goal.
4. Validating Target Continuity and Revisions
Some companies revise or replace targets altogether. For instance, upgrading from a 30% to a 50% reduction goal, or shifting from absolute to intensity-based measurement.
Tracenable’s reconciliation process ensures that only the latest applicable version of each target is retained, while prior versions remain traceable through document references.
Example:
2020: “Reduce absolute emissions by 30% by 2030.”
2022: “Increase ambition to 50% absolute reduction by 2030.”
→ The dataset retains the 50% reduction target as the active record, while retaining earlier versions for historical context.
This approach prevents duplication while accurately representing evolving corporate ambition.
Outcome: Consistency, Completeness, and Currency
Through this cross-source approach, every Climate Target record in Tracenable’s dataset is:
Comprehensive – integrates data from all verified disclosures, ensuring that no reported detail is lost.
Current – reflects the most recent and applicable version of each company’s target.
Consistent – harmonized across wording, units, and reduction types to enable true comparability.
Traceable – retains links to every contributing source document for full auditability.
Together, these principles ensure that Tracenable’s Climate Targets dataset delivers the most accurate, up-to-date, and verifiable view of global corporate decarbonization goals available.