Corporate GHG Accounting and Reporting Certificate

Amid growing climate disclosure demands, this course offers the essential knowledge to quantify, report and verify corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories in conformance with the ISO 14064-1:2018 standard and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. It is highly recommended for mid- to senior-level professionals responsible for emissions reporting, sustainability compliance, or climate strategy. 

  • Start: June 1,2025
  • Level: Intermediate
  • Format: Online
  • Study: 36 hours
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Upon completion, participants will be able to:
  • Define organizational and operational boundaries under GHG Protocol and ISO 14064-1
  • Build a Scope 1, 2, and 3 inventory aligned with materiality and transparency principles
  • Apply correct emission factors and global warming potentials 
  • Conduct base year recalculations and prepare for third-party verification
  • Compile a compliant GHG report and use data for reduction targets
Overview

What you will learn in this course

Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
Module 6
Module 7
Module 8
Module 9
Module 10
Module 11
Assessment

GHG Accounting Principles and Program Overview

Introduces learners to the foundational structure of GHG accounting, including its purpose in corporate climate strategy and ESG compliance. Covers key principles—relevance, completeness, consistency, transparency, and accuracy—essential for credible inventories. Sets expectations for the course, including its alignment to ISO 14064-1 and GHG Protocol, and explains the role of inventories in risk management and decision-making.

Aligning Inventory Design with Business Goals

Focuses on the strategic intent behind creating a GHG inventory. Helps learners connect inventory design with internal or external drivers like investor reporting, carbon neutrality goals, or compliance. Covers how to define inventory boundaries, identify data owners, secure leadership buy-in, and draft a scalable inventory management plan to support future disclosures and improvements.

Setting Organizational Boundaries

Explains how to determine which entities (subsidiaries, JVs, franchises) are included in an inventory. Clarifies the operational control vs equity share approaches used to consolidate emissions across organizational structures. Through practical cases, learners gain the skills to document, justify, and apply a consistent boundary-setting methodology aligned to both ISO and GHG Protocol standards.

Defining Operational Boundaries (Scopes 1, 2, 3)

Breaks down how to categorize emissions into Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (energy indirect), and Scope 3 (other indirect). Emphasizes Scope 3’s complexity by walking through all 15 GHG Protocol categories. Includes interactive classification exercises and scenario analysis to eliminate confusion around indirect emissions and support correct scoping across the value chain.

Module 5: Tracking Emissions Over Time and Base Year Management

Teaches how to establish a base year for emissions comparison and maintain consistent trend data over time. Learners explore base year recalculation triggers (acquisitions, divestitures, methodology updates) and how to revise historical data accordingly. Reinforces the importance of consistent metrics when setting and evaluating performance against emissions targets.

Module 6: Quantifying GHG Emissions and Using Emission Factors

This hands-on module walks through emission calculations using real-world activity data (e.g., fuel use, electricity consumption). Clarifies how to source and apply accurate emission factors and global warming potentials. Includes an embedded calculator for practicing CO₂e computations and resolves common challenges around unit conversions and factor selection.

Inventory Quality Management and Uncertainty Assessment

Focuses on establishing quality controls to ensure data reliability and audit readiness. Covers documentation practices, QA/QC procedures, and uncertainty assessments for both activity data and emission factors. Learners receive practical tools such as checklists and internal audit techniques to strengthen inventory defensibility before third-party verification.

Accounting for Reductions, Green Power, and Offsets

Clarifies how to report internal reductions, renewable energy purchases, and offsets without distorting gross emissions reporting. Emphasizes the importance of transparency and accurate categorization when disclosing net emissions. Distinguishes what can be claimed in narrative disclosures versus what must remain part of the formal inventory under ISO and GHG Protocol.

GHG Reporting and Disclosure Best Practices

Covers how to compile and present emissions data in line with standard disclosure requirements. Learners are introduced to reporting templates and guidelines for clarity, completeness, and credibility. Topics include how to present scope-by-scope data, explain methodologies, disclose exclusions, and prepare ESG-aligned reports for CDP, GRI, or TCFD.

Preparing for Verification and Third-Party Assurance

Demystifies the verification process under ISO 14064-3. Teaches how to prepare for external audits, use audit readiness checklists, and identify common verification red flags. Learners will understand the threshold for material discrepancies and how to compile a verification-friendly data package that supports assurance success.

Setting Targets and Integrating GHG Data into Strategy

Guides participants on how to translate inventory data into emissions reduction targets and strategic decisions. Covers target types (absolute vs intensity), science-based targets, and integrating inventory results into ESG reporting cycles and board-level climate oversight. Reinforces the transition from compliance reporting to proactive climate performance management.

Applied Competency Check & Certification

A series of scenario-based questions, emissions calculations, and decision-driven case challenges, learners will demonstrate their ability to design, quantify, report, and review a GHG inventory.

Access options

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Each plan includes:

Full course access and downloadable tools

Certificate of Completion

Lifetime access to updates

Moderated Q&A and peer engagement

Enrollment is open