The five levels of the CO2 Performance Ladder are giving way to three steps in version 4.0. The first step – Step 1 – focuses on CO2 reduction within your own organisation. In this blog, we explain what Step 1 means, how the requirements of version 4.0 have changed compared…
The CO₂ Performance Ladder helps organisations map their CO2 emissions and then reduce C02 emissions. Or wait, was it CO2 after all? ‘Surely they should just know that over there at SKAO!’ we hear you think! ‘Or can’t they see the wood for the CO(222?) absorbing trees?’ April fools! Of…
Today (25 March 2025), SKAO and the European Commission launched the CO₂ Performance Ladder Europe Community of Practice (CoP) on the EC’s Public Buyers Platform. This CoP will help public buyers integrate the CO₂ Performance Ladder into their procurement strategies, setting clear targets and embedding structural CO₂‑reduction measures. The CoP…
When issuing a public tender in the EU, you must comply with the requirements of European procurement law. Using the CO2 Performance Ladder as an award criterion to determine the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) on the basis of the best price-quality is in line with this legislation, provided you…
More than two-thirds of all Ladder certified organisations are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), ranging from companies in the civil engineering and transport sector to consultancy firms. In this article, we lay out the interesting benefits the CO₂ Performance Ladder can have for SMEs and how you can make smart…
To get certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder, the first step is defining which entities are included in your certification. This process, known as setting organisational boundaries, is essential for determining your carbon footprint and setting reduction targets. There are several methods to define these boundaries, each tailored to different…
The Foundation for Climate Friendly Procurement & Business (SKAO) introduces version 4.0 of the CO₂ Performance Ladder, the leading sustainability tool for companies and governments actively working on CO₂ reduction. On 14 January 2025, the new version of the Ladder was published in Dutch, and as from today it is…
In the CO2 Performance Ladder version 4.0, the five levels of certification from version 3.1 are replaced by three steps. In this blog, we explain what the three steps mean and to what extent they differ from or correspond to the levels of the previous version of the Ladder. Version…
Expanding the CO2 Performance Ladder to countries both within and beyond Europe requires extensive preliminary research. For example: What is a country’s current policy on sustainable procurement? What are its ambitions, and who are the key stakeholders? The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) helps SKAO with studies to gain…
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