The shape of trust: inside the new ISO net zero standard

What does it really mean to be net zero? In a world overflowing with climate claims, standards are becoming the new currency of trust, as they set technical definitions and create common ground.

This week, we’re exploring something that could reshape how the world defines and delivers climate ambition: the new ISO net zero guidelines.

Our guest is Noelia Garcia Nebra, head of sustainability at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO’s purpose is to bring credibility to achieve net zero, a race that’s been plagued by confusion and greenwashing.

The organisation has partnered with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to align accounting rules, improve comparability, and restore confidence in what “net zero” really means.

The new guidelines are designed to make ambition measurable and accountability possible. They promise to bridge the gap between lofty corporate pledges and the proof needed to back them up. By creating clearer expectations, they also help direct capital toward credible action, reducing the risk of greenwashing and reinforcing confidence in global climate goals.

According to Noelia, we all have to start speaking the same language. Without shared definitions, there can be no shared trust, and without trust, there can be no real transition.

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