Validation is a critical part of the process of setting science-based targets for nature – safeguarding the integrity of the targets, ensuring an independent and rigorous evaluation process that delivers comparable results across companies.

The Accountability Accelerator hosts the independent validation service for science-based targets for nature. As of February 2025, validation services are officially open for eligible companies. Once you have completed Step 1: Assess, Step 2: Prioritize, or Step 3: Set targets, you can submit for external validation.

Visit the Accountability Accelerator Validation webpage to learn more about the validation process, find data templates and other resources, or register for validation services.

Learn from other companies’ validation experience

In May 2023, a target validation pilot commenced with a group of pioneering companies. The pilot companies were required to prepare and submit freshwater and land targets for validation in alignment with the 2023 version of SBTN’s methods. The scope of the pilot validation included the following steps:

• Step 1: Assess – an integrated assessment method to identify key issues and locations to focus on for target setting
• Step 2: Interpret and Prioritize – a method for prioritization of target setting, using a mix of environmental, social, and financial considerations
• Step 3: Measure, Set, Disclosure –  methods for setting land and freshwater targets, addressing some of the dominant drivers of biodiversity loss and climate change.

The pilot concluded in June 2024 and was an enriching learning experience for everyone involved throughout the network. We are deeply grateful to our pioneering companies, supporting consultancies and NGO partners for their participation in the first year of setting corporate science-based targets for nature.

This pilot summary report provides an overview of the pilot itself, initial learnings, key benefits and insights into best practices.

The Accountability Accelerator hosts SBTN’s external validation process. This ensures a clear separation between method development and validation. While the SBTN and Accountability Accelerator are both part of the Global Commons Alliance, the Accountability Accelerator maintains complete organizational independence to carry out the validation process.

To ensure an additional level of transparency and accountability, the validation service is overseen by an expert Integrity Council, fully independent from both the Accountability Accelerator and SBTN. Its sole responsibility is to ensure the integrity, accuracy and scientific robustness of the validation procedure.

Comprised of experts in environmental science, corporate sustainability and policy from around the world, the Integrity Council checks that due process has been followed for each validation, and that final results meet the intent and desired outcome of the target-setting methods developed by the Science Based Targets Network.