Set and Track Sustainability Targets
By the end of this guide, you'll have created a sustainability target in GreenSphere — either an absolute target (e.g., 200,000 tCO₂e by 31/12/2026) or a percentage-change target (e.g., 30% reduction vs baseline) — and seen it tracked on the Targets page and (optionally) pinned to your dashboard.
This guide covers how to set targets in the platform. It does not teach SBTi or science-based target methodology; for that, see the reporting guide Setting science-based targets: the SBTi process.
Before you start
Have these in place:
- At least one indicator with baseline data logged. A target needs a KPI to track against, and progress is calculated from the indicator's values. If you haven't logged any data yet, see Log your first data point.
- A clear target idea. What metric, what value, by when, for which scope (company-wide or a single site).
- Permission to create targets. All non-Viewer roles can create targets in their permitted scope.
The Targets module overview
Open Targets in the left sidebar. The Targets page shows:
- A Create Target button at the top right.
- Search and Status filter (All, On Track, At Risk, Off Track).
- A summary row with four cards:
- Total Active — count of all active targets you can see.
- On Track — meeting targets.
- At Risk — needs attention.
- Off Track — critical action needed.
- A grid (or list) of target cards. Each card shows status badge, scope tags (Absolute / Percentage, monthly / annual, Company-wide / site-specific, performance interpretation), target name, target value and deadline, and a progress bar.
What you can see depends on permissions: company-wide targets, site-specific targets, or only targets linked to sites you have access to.
Step by step
Open Create Target and pick a metric
Click + Create Target at the top right of the Targets page. The Create Target form opens with two sections: Metric & Mode and Target & Scope.
In the Metric & Mode section:
- Metric Name (required) — free text. This is the display name for the target. You can match it to the indicator name (e.g., Total GHG Emissions) or customize it (e.g., 2030 net-zero pathway).
- KPI (required) — select from the dropdown of available indicators. The unit is shown below the dropdown (e.g., Unit: tCO₂e). If the indicator's unit is "Not defined," the target won't have a measurable unit context — pick an indicator with a unit set.
Set the target mode and performance interpretation
Still in Metric & Mode:
- Target Mode (required) — choose Monthly tracking or Annual tracking. This affects the chart shape on the target's detail view and (for percentage-change targets) determines whether progress is measured month-by-month or year-by-year.
- Performance interpretation — defaults to Inherit from KPI. The KPI carries a performance direction (some KPIs treat a higher value as good, others as bad). If you want to override (e.g., for a custom interpretation), choose Custom and set the direction explicitly. The form shows the resulting effective interpretation (e.g., Effective: Neutral (not defined yet)).
Choose Absolute or Percentage in Target & Scope
Scroll to the Target & Scope section. At the top, toggle between two target types:
- Absolute — you set a specific value to reach (e.g., 200,000 tCO₂e by 2026).
- Percentage — you set a percent change vs the baseline (e.g., 30% decrease).
Both types support the same downstream tracking. Pick the one that matches how you've framed the commitment.
Configure an Absolute target
If you chose Absolute:
- Target Value (required) — the value you're aiming for, in the indicator's unit (e.g.,
200000for 200,000 tCO₂e). - Direction (required) — dropdown:
- Achieve (reach this value) — for targets you're driving toward (most reduction targets fit here).
- Stay below — when the target is a ceiling.
- Stay above — when the target is a floor.
- Baseline Value (optional) — for context and reporting. The starting point you're measuring against.
- Baseline Year (optional) — the year the baseline value applies to.
Baseline fields are for tracking and reporting context only — they don't affect target calculation for absolute targets.
Configure a Percentage target
If you chose Percentage:
- Change Direction (required) — toggle between Decrease (most reduction targets) and Increase.
- Percentage Change (required) — the percent number (e.g.,
30for 30%). - Calculated from the KPI value at the start of the reporting period. The platform uses the KPI's value at the target's Start Date as the implicit baseline.
- Baseline Value and Baseline Year (optional) — for reporting context and disclosure purposes. These do not affect the target calculation; the live calculation uses the KPI value at the period start.
Set the period and scope
Below the target type configuration:
- Start Date (required) — when the target window begins.
- End Date (required) — when the target is due. Progress is reported relative to this deadline.
- Scope (required) — dropdown:
- Company-wide — applies to the whole organization.
- Site-specific — applies to a specific site (you'll select the site after).
- Notes (optional) — free text. Useful for capturing context: alignment with SBTi, internal commitments, board approval references, methodology notes.
Save the target
Click Create Target at the bottom right. The target is committed and now appears on the Targets page with its status badge based on current progress.
(Optional) Pin the target to your dashboard
Up to three of the most important targets can be displayed on the dashboard for quick visual tracking. Open the dashboard, find the Active Targets panel, and pin the new target via the panel's selection controls.
If three targets are already pinned, you'll need to un-pin one before pinning a new one. All targets — pinned or not — remain accessible on the Targets page.
Verify it worked
Your target was created if:
- The new target appears on the Targets page with the correct name, type (Absolute / Percentage), scope, and progress bar.
- The status summary cards (Total Active, On Track, At Risk, Off Track) update to reflect the new target's status.
- If you pinned it, the target appears in the Active Targets section of your dashboard, with the same progress bar and status.
Click into the target on the Targets page to see its detail view: the trend chart over time, the target line, and the breakdown of progress against the deadline.
Troubleshooting
The KPI I want to target shows "Unit: Not defined." This happens when an indicator was created without a unit set. Open the indicator on the KPIs page, edit it, and set the unit. Then return to the target form.
My target status says "Neutral" or unset. The performance interpretation hasn't been defined for this KPI. Either change Performance Interpretation from Inherit from KPI to Custom on the target form and set the direction explicitly, or update the KPI itself with a clear performance direction.
The percentage target's baseline doesn't seem right. For percentage targets, the platform uses the KPI's value at the Start Date as the implicit baseline — not the Baseline Value field. The Baseline Value and Baseline Year fields are for reporting context only. To shift the baseline, change the Start Date.
I want to track progress monthly but the target spans years. That's fine — set Target Mode to Monthly tracking even for multi-year targets. The chart and progress will be evaluated monthly while the target itself runs to End Date.
My target's status is "Off Track" but I think it should be "On Track." Status is computed from current progress, the time elapsed, and the trajectory required to hit the target by End Date. If progress isn't keeping pace with elapsed time, the status drops. Click into the target to see the trajectory — sometimes the issue is data lag (recent data hasn't been logged yet) rather than real performance.
Site-specific target — the site I want isn't in the dropdown. Your role doesn't have access to that site. Ask an Admin to update your site permissions, or create the target as company-wide instead.
What's next
You've created a target. As data logs in for the linked KPI, progress updates automatically and the status badge reflects the latest position.
The natural next step is Audit trail and data history — every target change (creation, edit, deletion) is logged in the audit trail, which is what assurance providers ask for when reviewing target methodology and progress disclosures. After that, Frameworks supported in GreenSphere covers how target disclosures appear in your IFRS and GRI exports.