We're first past the post on the Net Zero Pathway
Marking a significant milestone in becoming a net zero organisation, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was yesterday presented with certification by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Furthermore, following a comprehensive series of verifications, we have become the first local authority in the UK to achieve independent verification against the BSI Net Zero Pathway.
The achievement means that both the council’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting and recently adopted Corporate Net Zero Strategy have been independently assessed against recognised national and international standards.
The BSI Net Zero Pathway provides independent assurance that an organisation’s carbon footprint data, emissions reduction plans and net zero targets are credible, evidence-based and capable of delivering net zero by 2050 or sooner.
This framework is based on the ISO Net Zero Guidelines (IWA 42:2022), prioritising genuine emissions reductions rather than relying on offsetting. The verification follows a detailed assessment process, including independent verification of TWBC’s greenhouse gas emissions reporting against ISO 14064-1 and certification of our Corporate Net Zero Strategy.
TWBC has already reduced its direct emissions by more than 50% since 2018 and has a robust strategy setting out a clear path to net zero.
Henry Saunders, Sustainability Manager at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, said:
“Achieving the BSI Net Zero Pathway is a significant achievement for the council and a strong endorsement of the quality of our approach to becoming a net zero organisation. Our net zero strategy and emissions reporting are now fully aligned and verified to recognised national and international standards, making us the first local authority in the UK to have done so.
"We have moved from an ambition-led net zero commitment to a robust, deliverable and science-based pathway. This provides our residents with greater transparency and oversight, with confidence that our plans will achieve net zero in accordance with best practice.
"I would like to extend a big thank you to BSI for working with us to achieve this milestone, and to our wider sustainability team, officers and councillors who have contributed to this work.”
Councillor Rob Wormington, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability, said:
“We are proud to be the first Local Authority in the country to achieve verification against the BSI Net Zero Pathway. This is a significant milestone for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and reflects the robust, evidence-based approach we are taking to tackling climate change.
"Importantly, this approach also positions us strongly for Local Government Reorganisation, providing a robust, transferable framework that can be scaled and adopted within any future unitary authority.
"We’ve already made strong progress, reducing our direct emissions by more than half since 2018, and this accreditation recognises both what we have achieved and the strength of our plans for the future.”
Matt Page, Managing Director UK & Ireland, Assurance, BSI, said:
“We congratulate Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for being announced as the first local authority, and the first public sector organisation, to be certified to the BSI Net Zero Pathway, building credibility in its journey to become and maintain net zero status.
"This achievement will support the council in building residents' confidence and setting a benchmark for other local authorities to follow, helping to accelerate progress on the climate transition and benefit people and the planet.”
