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 governance, and strengthening climate-related financial disclosures. The Benchmark contains two types of analyses, a Disclosure Framework and Alignment Assessments, which complement each other and provide insight into a company’s net zero emissions transition.
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 framework reflects publicly disclosed information as of December 31, 2021 and is assessed by the Transition Pathway Initiative. Download the disclosure framework methodology to learn more.
This Sub-indicator is based on TPI’s Carbon Performance methodologies which apply the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach.
When no explicit long term target that TPI can assess is available, the latest available data point of the company’s transition pathway is used to determine long term alignment. For example, a company with a 2030 target but no targets thereafter will have its 2030 data point compared with the benchmark value in 2050.
For 2022, this company was assessed against TPI’s 1.5 Degrees scenario. This is in contrast to the 2021 release for which this company was assessed against TPI’s Below 2 Degrees Scenario. Scores are therefore not directly comparable between years.
This Sub-indicator is based on TPI’s carbon performance methodologies which apply the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach.
When no explicit medium term target that TPI can assess is available, the latest available data point of the company’s transition pathway is used to determine long term alignment. For example, a company with a 2030 target but no targets thereafter will have its 2030 data point compared with the benchmark value in 2050.
For 2022, this company was assessed against TPI’s 1.5 Degrees scenario. This is in contrast to the 2021 release for which this company was assessed against TPI’s Below 2 Degrees Scenario. Scores are therefore not directly comparable between years.
This Sub-indicator is based on TPI’s carbon performance methodologies which apply the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach.
When no explicit short term target that TPI can assess is available, the latest available data point of the company’s transition pathway is used to determine long term alignment. For example, a company with a 2030 target but no targets thereafter will have its 2030 data point compared with the benchmark value in 2050.
For 2022, this company was assessed against TPI’s 1.5 Degrees scenario. This is in contrast to the 2021 release for which this company was assessed against TPI’s Below 2 Degrees Scenario. Scores are therefore not directly comparable between years.
Indicator 5 is sector neutral, assessing the key elements that should comprise any company decarbonisation strategy. Sector-specific expectations can be found in the Climate Action 100+ Global Sector Strategies. Implementation approaches will be adapted regionally.
Offsets are now explicitly referred to in the methodology for Sub-indicator 5.1, which asks that any decarbonisation strategy “clearly identifies the set of actions the company will implement to achieve its decarbonisation targets (such as phasing out carbon intensive products or assets, developing or deploying low carbon technologies, decarbonising supply chains or using offsets).”
Offsets will be an area for future development in the Net Zero Company Benchmark.
Examples of key elements include: changing technology or product mix, supply chain measures, R&D spending, etc.
Clarifications for meeting the requirements of Metric 5.1b have been added since the March 2021 iteration of the Net Zero Company Benchmark. In order to be assessed as “Yes” on this Metric in the March 2022 iteration, companies must quantify the approximate proportion of emissions reduction each action in their decarbonisation strategy will contribute to their overall greenhouse gas reduction target. Some year-on-year scoring changes are therefore anticipated. For more details, see the 2022 Disclosure Framework assessment methodology.
Currently Sub-indicator 5.2 and related Metrics only apply to focus companies headquartered on the European continent.
The assessment will leverage the European Union’s Green Taxonomy criteria on ‘turnover’ (or revenues) for companies headquartered on the European continent. The criteria used to assess non-European companies will be an ongoing area of development as part of broader discussions on the use of green revenue classification systems and regional taxonomies.
Clarifications have been added to Metric 6.1a to enable assessment of companies’ plans to phase out carbon intensive assets. Some year-on-year changes are therefore anticipated.
Clarifications have been added to Metric 6.1b to enable assessment of companies’ plans to phase out carbon intensive assets. Some year-on-year assessment changes are therefore anticipated.
Contingency: Metric 7.3b cannot be ‘Yes’ unless Metric 7.3a is also ‘Yes’.
The company discloses evidence of board or board committee oversight of the management of climate change risks via at least one of the following:
• There is a C-suite executive or member of the executive committee that is explicitly responsible for climate change (not just sustainability performance) and that executive reports to the board or a board level committee, and/or;
• The CEO is responsible for climate change AND he/she reports to the board on climate change issues, and/or;
• There is a committee (not necessarily a board-level committee) responsible for climate change (not just sustainability performance) and that committee reports to the board or a board-level committee.
The company has named a position at the board level with responsibility for climate change, via one of the following:
• A board position with explicit responsibility for climate change, or;
• CEO is identified as responsible for climate change, if he/she sits on the board.
Beta = data collected, but not publicly assessed. Subject to change in future iterations of the Benchmark.
Contingency: Metric 10.2b cannot be ‘Yes’ unless Metric 10.2a is also ‘Yes’.
Notes
The following new disclosure(s) are relevant to the Climate Action 100+ Net-Zero Company Benchmark and have been made after the December 31, 2021 cut-off date 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.
- 22.01.22: RWE has announced new short term targets.
Alignment Assessments (formerly called Capital Allocation Assessment Indicators) 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.
These assessments from Carbon Tracker Initiative (CTI) and the Climate Accounting and Audit Project (CAAP) evaluate whether a company’s financial statements and related disclosures, and the auditor’s report thereon, reflect the financial effects of climate risk and the global move onto a 2050 (or sooner) net zero greenhouse gas emissions pathway and the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to no more than 1.5°C. This assessment is provisional, meaning that information will be collected and publicly assessed as part of the March 2022 Climate Action 100+ Net Zero Company Benchmark, but the assessment framework will be subject to change in future iterations.
The financial statements reviewed are as of 31 December 2020.
Download CTI and CAAP’s Climate Accounting and Audit assessment methodology to learn more.
Green—At the overall Indicator level, the company receives a ‘Yes’ on all Sub-indicators and Metrics that make up the indicator. At the Sub-indicator level, the company receives a ‘Yes’ on all Metrics that make up the Sub-indicator.
Amber— At the overall Indicator level, the company receives a ‘Yes’ on at least one Metric that makes up the Indicator. At the Sub-indicator level, the company receives a ‘Yes’ on at least one Metric that makes up the Sub-indicator.
Red—At the overall Indicator level, the company receives a ‘No’ on all Sub-indicators or Metrics that make up the indicator. At the Sub-indicator level, the company receives a “No” for all Metrics that make up the Sub-indicator.
For rate-regulated entities, the climate-related financial impacts might be mitigated if they are subject to rate-regulation, since regulators can choose between allocating losses to either consumers or shareholders.
Climate-related matters may include the physical impacts of climate change and/or transition impacts from climate mitigation on the company’s market, sector, business environment, and drivers of its costs and revenues. It also includes the company’s own response, for example any emissions targets set and the company’s strategy for decarbonisation.
In addition to overall considerations, such as the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, examples of relevant assets and liabilities include (but are not limited to): property plant and equipment (PPE) assets; goodwill and other intangible assets; inventory; asset retirement or decommissioning obligations; deferred tax assets and liabilities; investments, including joint ventures and associates; and/or provisions and loss contingencies.
This Metric is assessed independently from Metric 1a on how the company has considered climate matters. This Metric can be achieved by disclosing relevant climate-related quantitative inputs even if the company did not take climate into consideration for such inputs.
Examples of relevant assumptions and estimates include (but are not limited to): projected interim and long-term commodity prices used in forecasting revenues, for example oil, gas and coal prices; CO2 prices used in forecasting costs; cash flow growth rates; and/or estimated remaining useful lives, particularly of climate-exposed assets and related obligations.
This metric is contingent on Metric 1a. To be assessed as ’Yes’, the company must have been assessed as ’Yes’ for Metric 1a.
Other reporting includes other sections of the annual report (or similar filing) and may also include separate reporting such as sustainability reports, TCFD reports, analyst presentations, and the company’s website.
This Metric focuses on financial statements. The company’s other reporting on climate provides the context for evaluating the financial statements, but is not separately assessed.
This Metric focuses on the auditor’s disclosure of Key or Critical Audit Matters (K/CAMs) as applicable under the relevant auditing standards. Discussions may either be in a separate climate-related K/CAM or on specific accounting topics. This Metric may also be achieved through reporting of how climate was considered in assessing risk and determining the audit approach.
This Metric assesses the auditor’s consistency check. An inconsistency between the discussion of climate matters outside the financial statements and consideration in the financials could result in a material misstatement in reporting.
Information that comprises ‘other information’ is specified under the relevant auditing standards. If Metric 1c is assessed as ‘Yes’ this Metric will likely result in a ‘Yes’.
This Metric focuses on the use of assumptions and estimates that are ‘best estimates’ of scenarios aligned with achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner (‘aligned assumptions’), or the provision of a sensitivity analysis using such assumptions and estimates.
Currently, the International Energy Agency’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario and related price deck are used for this assessment, where applicable. This sets out a pathway to reach net zero emissions by mid-century and keep the global temperature rise to 1.5°C with a 50% probability. However, additional updated reference scenarios may become available over time.
This Metric is independent of Metric 3a, as the auditor is asked to take an independent role in assessing the assumptions used by the company (either directly or through sensitivity analysis), or to indicate what reasonably-aligned assumptions would be and provide its own sensitivity analysis.
These alignment assessments from 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 on the relative adequacy and alignment of company actions with the Paris Agreement goals.
CTI’s assessments are analysed using modelling, which is based on asset level global coal generation data as of January 2021 and natural gas data for companies in the EU, UK, and USA as of May 2021. Public disclosure and asset ownership information is assessed as of 31 December 2021.
Download CTI’s electric utilities assessment methodology to learn more.
1. COAL PHASE-OUT
- Green—The company has announced a full retirement of their coal-fired generation by 2040 consistent with the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Beyond 2°C Scenario (B2DS), CTI’s interpretation of a Paris Agreement-aligned pathway.
- Amber—The company has announced a full retirement of their coal-fired generation by 2040, but it is not yet consistent with B2DS.
- Red—The company has announced only a partial retirement of their coal-fired generation by 2040. Alternatively, the company has not yet announced a coal retirement schedule, or there is insufficient data disclosed on their retirement plans.
2. GAS PHASE-OUT
- Green—The company has announced a full retirement of their gas-fired generation by 2050 consistent with the IEA’s B2DS, CTI’s interpretation of a Paris Agreement-aligned pathway.
- Amber—The company has announced a full retirement of their gas-fired generation by 2050, but it is not yet consistent with B2DS.
- Red—The company has announced only a partial retirement of their gas-fired generation by 2050. Alternatively, the company has not yet announced a gas retirement schedule, or there is insufficient data disclosed on their retirement plans.
3. ALIGNMENT OF COAL PHASE-OUT
- Green—100% of the company’s operating and planned coal capacity is consistent with the IEA’s B2DS or the company has already phased out all coal capacity.
- Amber—75-99% of the company’s operating and planned coal capacity is consistent with B2DS.
- Red—Less than 75% of the company’s operating and planned coal capacity is consistent with B2DS.
4. ALIGNMENT OF GAS PHASE-OUT
- Green—100% of the company’s operating and planned gas capacity is consistent with the IEA’s B2DS or the company has already phased out all gas capacity.
- Amber—75-99% of the company’s operating and planned gas capacity is consistent with B2DS.
- Red—Less than 75% of the company’s operating and planned gas capacity is consistent with B2DS.
These alignment assessments from the 2 Degrees Investing Initiative (2DII) are made using the PACTA methodology and data provided by Asset Resolution. 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. The analyses give investors insights on the relative adequacy and alignment of company actions with the Paris Agreement goals. These 2DII assessments reflect the company’s physical assets as of 31 December 2021. Download 2DII’s electric utilities assessment methodology to learn more.
1. ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPANY’S 2021 TECHNOLOGY MIX VS. THE 2021 SECTOR AVERAGE
- Green—The company is ‘Ahead’ or ‘Slightly Ahead’ of the sector average.
- Amber—The company is ‘Aligned’ with the sector average.
- Red—The company is ‘Behind’ or ‘Slightly Behind’ the sector average.
2. ALIGNMENT OF THE COMPANY’S 2026 PRODUCTION FORECASTS FOR EACH TECHNOLOGY COMPARED TO INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA) SCENARIOS.
- Green—The company’s production trajectory is below the target for the NZE<1.5°C (where ‘NZE’ is the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 Scenario).
- Amber—The company’s production trajectory is below the target for the SDS 1.5°C-1.8°C (where ‘SDS’ is the IEA’s Sustainable Development Scenario).
- Red—The company’s production trajectory is above the target for the SDS>1.8°C or Significantly above the target for the SDS>2.7°C.
3. ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPANY’S AGGREGATE IEA SCENARIO ALIGNMENT
- Green—The company is ‘Ahead’ or ‘Slightly Ahead’ of the NZE target technology mix for the utilities sector.
- Amber—The company is ‘Aligned’ with the NZE target technology mix for the utilities sector.
- Red—The company is ‘Behind” or ‘Slightly Behind’ the NZE target technology mix for the utilities sector.
This assessment shows how the company’s present mix of power technologies currently compares with the sector average for each technology.
The analysis is conducted on the technology level, meaning 2DII compares the technology share of the company with the technology share of the global sector average. The assessment is based on whether the company’s technology mix is ahead of the market in terms of a decrease in fossil fuel-based production (coal, oil and gas) or an increase in low carbon production (nuclear, hydro and renewables). For more information on how the sector average is calculated see the supporting methodology document.
Possible assessment outcomes include: Behind (>15% negative deviation); Slightly Behind (5-15% negative deviation); Aligned (+ or – 5%); Slightly Ahead (5-15 % positive deviation); or, Ahead (>15% positive deviation).
For example, if the market’s power technology mix consists of 20% coal power, while the company’s technology mix consists of 17% coal power, then the company is ‘Ahead’ of the market (>15% positive deviation from the sector average), implying that it’s greener than the market in terms of coal power. Similarly, if the market’s technology mix consists of 15% renewable power, and a company’s technology mix consists of 10% renewable power, then it’s ‘Behind’ the market (>15% negative deviation from the sector average).
This assessment shows the company’s planned contribution to the transition towards a low carbon power system for the coming 5 years, in relative terms for various technologies.
The assessment evaluates the company’s planned capacity additions and reductions with IEA scenarios and identifies the scenario pathway to which it most closely corresponds per technology.
The “aggregate net zero scenario alignment of the company” is calculated for the IEA Net Zero by 2050 Scenario (NZE) via a weighted average alignment across all technologies. The weighting uses a combination of: (i) the company’s target production per technology (i.e., the relative importance of the technology to the company); and (ii) the change in capacity per technology anticipated by the IEA NZE between 2021 and 2026 (i.e., the relative importance of the technology in the scenario).
Companies’ trajectories for each technology are assessed against the target value for each scenario. The result is assessed as being either aligned with the NZE (NZE<1.5°C), aligned with the Beyond 2°C Scenario (B2DS <1.75°C), aligned with the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS 1.5°C-1.8°C), above the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS >1.8°C), or significantly above the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS >2.7°C). The IEA’s Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) is used to identify trajectories that are significantly above the SDS.
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 Paris Agreement goals. These scores reflect InfluenceMap’s assessment as of 24 January 2022.Up-to-date scores, which are refreshed on a continual basis, can be found here. Download InfluenceMap’s climate policy engagement assessment methodology to learn more.
Organisation and Relationship Scores
- Green—The company’s Organisation and/or Relationship score is above 75%. This indicates broad alignment with the Paris Agreement.
- Amber—The company’s Organisation and/or Relationship score is between 50-74%. This indicates mixed engagement on climate policy.
- Red—The company’s Organisation and/or Relationship score is below 50%. This indicates increasingly significant misalignment with the Paris Agreement as the percentage nears zero. Scores below 25% indicate material and significant opposition.
- Grey (Not applicable)—The company’s Organisation Score is not applicable when its Engagement Intensity score is below 5%. The company’s Relationship Score is not applicable when it does not maintain significant links to industry associations actively influencing climate policy (as per InfluenceMap’s current database).
Engagement Intensity Score
- Above 25% indicates increasingly active and strategic policy engagement as the percentage nears 100%, with the highest Climate Action 100+ companies currently scoring around 60%.
- Above 12% indicates active policy engagement.
- Between 5-12% indicates a moderate level of climate policy engagement.
- Below 5% indicates low-level engagement with climate policy.
Organisation Score (expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100) is a measure of how supportive or obstructive the company’s direct engagement is with climate policy aligned with the Paris Agreement, with 0% being fully opposed and 100% being fully supportive.
See scoring rules above for more details.
The level of company support for (or opposition to) Paris-aligned climate policy.
Relationship Score (expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100) is a measure of how supportive or obstructive the company’s industry associations are towards climate policy aligned with the Paris Agreement, with 0% being fully opposed and 100% being fully supportive.
This calculation accommodates an assessment of the strength of the relationship between a company and an industry association, for example a stronger weighting will be attributed where a company has a representative on the board of an industry association.
See scoring rules above for more details.
The level of a company’s industry associations’ support for (or opposition to) Paris-aligned climate policy.
Engagement Intensity (expressed as a percentage score from 0 to 100) is a measure of the level of policy engagement by the company, whether positive or negative.
See scoring rules above for more details.
The level of a company’s direct climate policy engagement (positive or negative).
Notes
Assessments of the company’s publicly disclosed information against each indicator, sub-indicator, and metric provide information on the company’s alignment with the Climate Action 100+ goals. The disclosure assessment indicators reflect publicly disclosed information as of January 22, 2021. The Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI), supported by its research and data partners the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics (LSE) and FTSE Russell, conducted the company disclosure research and analysis. InfluenceMap provided independent analysis of the company’s corporate climate lobbying practices (indicator 7).
See Scope 3 Application for details.
The intent is for the long-term target to be aligned with a trajectory to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C with low or no overshoot (equivalent to IPCC Special Report on 1.5° Celsius pathway P1 or net-zero emissions by 2050). If a company’s current emissions intensity is aligned with the assessment scenario used (or will be aligned in the short or medium term), it is assumed that the intensity will continue to be aligned in the long term.
This sub-indicator is based on TPI’s Carbon Performance methodologies which applies the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA), a science-based method for companies to set GHG reduction targets necessary to stay within reference climate scenarios. Details related to this company’s Carbon Performance assessment conducted by TPI may be viewed here.
The intent is for the medium-term target to be aligned with a trajectory to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C with low or no overshoot (equivalent to IPCC Special Report on 1.5° Celsius pathway P1 or net-zero emissions by 2050). If a company’s current emissions intensity is aligned with the assessment scenario used (or will be aligned in the short term), it is assumed that the intensity will continue to be aligned in the medium term.
This sub-indicator is based on TPI’s Carbon Performance methodologies which applies the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA), a science-based method for companies to set GHG reduction targets necessary to stay within reference climate scenarios. Details related to this company’s Carbon Performance assessment conducted by TPI may be viewed here.
The intent is for the short-term target to be aligned with a trajectory to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C with low or no overshoot (equivalent to IPCC Special Report on 1.5° Celsius pathway P1 or net-zero emissions by 2050). If a company’s current emissions intensity is aligned with the assessment scenario used, it is assumed that the intensity will continue to be aligned in the short term.
This sub-indicator is based on TPI’s Carbon Performance methodologies which applies the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA), a science-based method for companies to set GHG reduction targets necessary to stay within reference climate scenarios. Details related to this company’s Carbon Performance assessment conducted by TPI may be viewed here.
The use of offsetting or carbon credits should be avoided and limited, if at all applied. Offsetting or ‘carbon dioxide removal’ should not be used by companies operating in sectors where viable decarbonisation technologies exist. For example, offsetting would not be considered credible if used to offset emissions for a coal-fired power plant because viable alternatives exist to coal-fired power plants.
Examples of key elements include: changing technology or product mix, supply chain measures, R&D spending, etc.
Currently sub-indicator 5.2 and related metrics only apply to focus companies headquartered in the European Union (E.U.).
The assessment will leverage the European Union’s Green Taxonomy criteria on ‘turnover’ (or revenues) for companies headquartered in the E.U. The criteria used to assess non-E.U. companies will be an ongoing area of development as part of broader discussions on the use of green revenue classification systems and regional taxonomies.
InfluenceMap provides detailed Paris-aligned analysis of corporate climate lobbying independently of the Climate Action 100+ Net-Zero Company Benchmark.
See the individual company profile here.
Explore InfluenceMap’s full ranking of Climate Action 100+ focus companies.
The company discloses evidence of board or board committee oversight of the management of climate change risks via at least one of the following:
• There is a C-suite executive or member of the executive committee that is explicitly responsible for climate change (not just sustainability performance) and that executive reports to the board or a board level committee, and/or;
• The CEO is responsible for climate change AND he/she reports to the board on climate change issues, and/or;
• There is a committee (not necessarily a board-level committee) responsible for climate change (not just sustainability performance) and that committee reports to the board or a board-level committee.
The company has named a position at the board level with responsibility for climate change, via one of the following:
• A board position with explicit responsibility for climate change, or;
• CEO is identified as responsible for climate change, if he/she sits on the board.
Sub-indicator 8.3 and its underlying metrics will not be assessed in the current cycle.
Notes
*In the absence of a credible 1.5°C scenario, companies have been measured against a best-available below 2°C scenario. Company assessments will be adjusted when a credible 1.5°C scenario becomes available.
These indicators analyse electric utilities companies’ capital expenditures (CAPEX) and economic output from legacy fossil fuel and prospective carbon-emitting assets relative to a range of climate change scenarios. The analysis gives investors additional insights on the relative adequacy and alignment of company actions with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
This indicator assesses the technology mix of the company in 2021 compared to the market in 2021. The analysis is conducted on the technology level, meaning 2Dii compares the technology share of the company with the technology share of the sector average. For example, if the market’s power technology mix consists of 20% of coal power, while the company’s technology mix consists for 17% of coal power, then the company is ‘ahead’ of the market, implying that it’s greener than the market in terms of coal power.
Possible assessment outcomes include: Behind (>15% negative deviation); Slightly Behind (5-15% negative deviation); Aligned (+ or – 5%); Slightly Ahead (5-15 % positive deviation); or, Ahead (>15% positive deviation).
This indicator analyses the company’s planned capacity additions and retirements (for power companies) with IEA scenarios and identifies the scenario pathway to which it most closely corresponds per technology. For example, it assesses whether the company is planning to build more windmills and solar farms, and to retire coal plants, and with which scenario that is most closely aligned.