Greenhouse Gas Protocol is pleased to announce that Professor Dr. Alexander Bassen will serve as the inaugural Chair of its Independent Standards Board (ISB), the new governance body tasked with overseeing the update of GHG Protocol’s flagship suite of standards for business (including the Corporate Standard, Scope 2 Guidance, and Scope 3 Standard). 

Dr. Bassen, a globally recognized academic and expert on corporate governance and sustainability reporting, is professor of Capital Markets and Management of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Hamburg. He serves as a member of the German Advisory Council of Global Change (WBGU) and the EU’s EFRAG Sustainability Reporting Board, as well as on several advisory committees on sustainable finance. Alex is also an Honorary Research Associate at the University of Oxford’s Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, Visiting Professor at the Hong Kong Baptist University and the University of Reading.  

As supplier of the world’s most widely used GHG accounting standards, the GHG Protocol launched a new governance structure last month to further bolster its transparency, efficiency, and rigor in meeting increasing demands from regulators, other standard-setters, and companies. The Independent Standards Board will report to a new Steering Committee and work closely with the GHG Protocol Secretariat, jointly hosted by World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). 

On his appointment as inaugural Chair of the Independent Standards Board, Alexander Bassen said: “It is an honor to be selected for this role. Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the global leader in the field of GHG accounting and I am looking forward to working together with the Independent Standards Board, Technical Working Groups, Secretariat, and all the reviewers, users and supporters of this deeply important work. Throughout my career I have been dedicated to enabling corporations to pursue climate action and I am grateful to be a part of GHG Protocol’s mission to improve its bedrock corporate accounting standards and guidance.” 

Pankaj Bhatia, Global Director of Greenhouse Gas Protocol, said: “This is a historic moment for Greenhouse Gas Protocol. For 25 years, GHG Protocol has played a foundational role in the GHG emissions accounting and reporting ecosystem. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate this milestone in our standards update process and welcome Alexander Bassen to our work. Alex will play a crucial role in this process, and we are grateful for the expertise and perspective he will provide to the Independent Standards Board and the GHG Protocol Secretariat.”  

Steering Committee Members Dominic Waughray and Craig Hansen also warmly welcomed Alexander Bassen’s acceptance of this important role.  

Dominic Waughray, Executive Vice President, WBCSD said, “Greenhouse Gas Protocol is the foundation for measuring and managing corporate climate performance and disclosure, which you can see in the growing number of climate disclosure standards and regulations that use the Protocol's standards as their basis. I am delighted that Professor Dr. Alexander Bassen accepted the role of Chair of GHG Protocol's new Independent Standards Board. He brings a deep and diverse academic background in sustainable finance, accounting and standards, with a strong record in cross-sectoral collaboration.  

“Alexander Bassen’s long career and leadership in the field of corporate sustainability reporting will be invaluable to GHG Protocol’s standards update process,” said Craig Hanson, Managing Director of Programs, WRI.  “Measuring GHG emissions is a fundamental step toward setting science-based emissions reduction targets and achieving ambitious climate goals. Guided by Alex’s expertise, and with the support of the Independent Standards Board and Technical Working Groups, GHG Protocol’s updated corporate suite of standards will enable companies to better manage their emissions.” 

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Please note we are still accepting applications for Independent Standards Board membership until January 15. Application details can be found here. If you'd like to receive GHG Protocol updates via email, please subscribe here.