GHG Protocol
What is GHG Protocol?
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the world's most-widely-used corporate greenhouse gas accounting + reporting framework, developed by the WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE (WRI) + WORLD BUSINESS COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (WBCSD) since 1998. The GHG Protocol comprises a SUITE of standards + guidance covering different scopes + use cases: (a) CORPORATE STANDARD (revised edition 2004) - the foundational standard for entity-level GHG inventories covering Scope 1 (direct) + Scope 2 (purchased energy) emissions; (b) SCOPE 2 GUIDANCE (2015) - location-based + market-based dual reporting methods for purchased electricity + steam + heating + cooling; (c) CORPORATE VALUE CHAIN (Scope 3) STANDARD (2011) - value-chain emissions across 15 categories (8 upstream + 7 downstream); (d) PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE STANDARD (2011) - product-level cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-gate; (e) PROJECT PROTOCOL (2005 + revisions) - GHG reductions from specific projects; (f) MITIGATION GOAL STANDARD (2014) - target-setting + tracking; (g) POLICY AND ACTION STANDARD (2014) - policy-level GHG accounting; (h) LAND SECTOR + REMOVALS GUIDANCE (2025) - new guidance on land use + land use change + forestry (LULUCF) + carbon removals + biomass + bioenergy. It comprises 14 controls organised across 4 domains, and applies in International.
How GHG Protocol maps to other frameworks
All 14 controls, each one mapped to the equivalent requirement in other standards, with the evidence that carries across and the mappings that were judged and rejected shown alongside. No account needed to look.
See the control mappings →The 4 domains GHG Protocol groups its controls into
Frameworks that share controls with GHG Protocol
Each of these has at least one control mapped to a control in GHG Protocol. The number is how many GHG Protocol controls are shared, counted from the mapping graph.
CSRD
3 shared controlsFTC GLBA Safeguards Rule (16 CFR Part 314)
2 shared controlsIEC 62351 - Power Systems Communication Security
2 shared controlsScience Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) - Net-Zero Standard
1 shared controlOWASP DevSecOps Maturity Model (DSOMM)
1 shared controlOWASP ASVS
1 shared controlMITRE D3FEND
1 shared controlHL7 FHIR Security Framework
1 shared controlWhere GHG Protocol overlaps with the standards you already hold
Where to get trained on GHG Protocol
One course in the catalogue covers GHG Protocol directly. Each is self-paced, includes the downloadable toolkit and the implementation playbook, and carries a certificate of completion.
Training more than one person? Ten seats of any course is $1,490 on a single licence, against $199 a seat bought one at a time.
What an auditor will ask you for
All 12 GHG Protocol controls, each with what it requires, the artefacts an auditor will ask you for, and where it commonly fails. Free to read, nothing to fill in.
Read the GHG Protocol evidence request listWhat GHG Protocol means in your sector
What GHG Protocol means for your job
Questions people ask about GHG Protocol
What is GHG Protocol?
How many controls does GHG Protocol have?
Where does GHG Protocol apply?
What frameworks does GHG Protocol map to?
How do I get started with GHG Protocol compliance?
Query GHG Protocol programmatically
GHG Protocol, its 14 controls and every mapping into other standards are available over a REST endpoint and an MCP server, so an agent can read them directly. The free tier is 10 calls a day and needs no signup.
GHG Protocol API reference and MCP config →What GHG Protocol requires, control by control
Each page carries the requirement text for one GHG Protocol control and what an assessor expects to see as evidence.
- GHG-SCOPE1-DIRECT Scope 1 Direct Emissions - Stationary + Mobile Combustion + Process + Fugitive
- GHG-SCOPE2-DUAL-REPORTING Scope 2 Indirect Energy Emissions - Location-Based + Market-Based Dual Reporting (2015 Guidance)
- GHG-SCOPE3-VALUE-CHAIN-15CATEGORIES Scope 3 Value Chain Emissions - 15 Categories (8 Upstream + 7 Downstream)
- GHG-SUITE-CORPORATE-PRINCIPLES GHG Protocol Suite, Corporate Standard and 5 Reporting Principles
How ready are you for GHG Protocol?
Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.