Plans for a new international standard designed to give organisations a consistent framework for net-zero transition planning have been sent back for further review following feedback from ISO members.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) launched the Draft International Standard ISO 14060, Net Zero Aligned Organizations, for consultation in June 2026. The proposed standard is intended to establish a common approach for organisations to demonstrate that their net-zero strategies, targets and progress are compatible with the Paris Agreement.
The 12-week consultation closed on 10 September, with nearly 5,000 comments submitted during the process. National standards bodies from 88 countries participated in the ballot. The level of feedback reflects the complexity of developing a framework intended to apply across different sectors, markets and jurisdictions.
However, the draft did not receive the level of approval required to progress in its current form. ISO has confirmed that the document will now be considered by the relevant technical committee, which will review the feedback before determining the next steps. The organisation has not disclosed individual voting positions or detailed reasons behind the ballot outcome.
The proposed ISO 14060 standard is intended to build on the existing ISO Net Zero Guidelines, published as IWA 42:2022. Unlike the guidelines, the new standard would establish requirements for organisations to demonstrate that their net-zero strategies and delivery are aligned with global net-zero goals, with the potential for independent verification. The scope covers organisations rather than individual products.
For businesses, the delay means that the international framework for net-zero transition planning remains under development. Organisations will continue to work across existing standards, guidance and reporting frameworks while ISO considers how the draft should be revised. The proposed standard is particularly relevant to supply chains, where credible transition planning increasingly depends on consistent emissions data, clear targets and alignment between businesses and their logistics partners.
For the logistics sector, this wider issue is already familiar. Companies are under increasing pressure to understand and reduce emissions across transport and supply chain activities, while customers, regulators and investors are demanding more consistent and credible information. Standards such as ISO 14083 are already helping provide a common methodology for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions from transport chain operations, making the relationship between reliable emissions data and wider net-zero planning increasingly important.
The development of ISO 14060 also comes as ISO and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol work towards greater alignment between their respective carbon accounting frameworks. A joint effort announced earlier this year is intended to bring together their approaches to greenhouse gas accounting, with a draft expected in 2027. This means the standards landscape around corporate emissions measurement and net-zero planning is likely to continue developing over the coming years.
For logistics and supply chain organisations, the immediate priority is therefore not waiting for a final standard. Understanding how emissions are measured, where reliable data comes from and how transport activity fits into wider transition plans will remain important as the regulatory and standards landscape develops.
These are the conversations we will be exploring at Sustainable Logistics LIVE London on 10 November. With regulatory and sustainability requirements continuing to evolve, the event will bring together logistics and supply chain professionals to consider what practical action is needed, where collaboration can make the biggest difference, and how the sector can respond to the changes ahead. For more information and to view the agenda, visit: SLL2026 London – Shape Tomorrow