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Targets, Timelines & Accountability

Quantified targets (% reduction by 2030); ownership (CFO, ops, procurement).

10 min read · Jacob Willis, Net Zero Lead · Last reviewed July 2026


A policy without targets is a wish. Targets, timelines, and accountability are what give a policy teeth - turning a statement of intent into measurable commitments that someone owns and the organisation can be held to.

In this lesson

  • 01Why targets give a policy teeth
  • 02SMART targets
  • 03Types of target
  • 04Timelines and milestones
  • 05Accountability and ownership
  • 06Baselines and measurement
  • 07Balancing ambition and realism
  • 08The accountability chain
  • 09Sources and further reading