At Net Zero, we keep clients and candidates up to date with emerging sustainability trends. Here are three of the key developments we predict in the coming year.

Honest carbon offsetting

Carbon offsets and credits have been criticised as an excuse to avoid real carbon-cutting. Questionable strategies and deliberate fraud–even by governments–have driven the practice out of fashion. In 2023, it’ll be back, now with more honesty. Tech companies and organisations that have learned from previous mistakes will lead the way in setting transparency standards.

Five Fortune Global 200 firms will cut business travel

As business air travel bounces back from a 54% reduction during COVID, not all companies are returning to business as usual. Some are taking the opportunity to track their travel emissions and re-evaluate their business travel practices. With public companies preparing for closer SEC scrutiny and facing fines for misstatements or omissions, we can expect several high-profile companies to set corporate policies cutting business travel for sustainability.

One carbon accounting standard to rule them all

There’s no shortage of standards for transparency in carbon reporting–in fact, there’s a confusing surfeit of them. In 2023, a new standard will emerge that combines the best points of existing standards. Set by a recognised international body like the International Organisation for Standardisation, or by a public-private collaboration like a UN agency, this new standard will provide customers, shareholders and investors with reliable scope 1, 2, and 3 information, as well as qualifying organisations for credit and lending. It will apply across industries and around the world, cut through confusion on aspects of scope 3 reporting like remote work emissions, and initiate a new era of transparency.