The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) introduces the world’s first register of certified professionals trained in corporate emissions target-setting.
The launch responds to a sharp skills shortage: global demand for green talent is growing twice as fast as supply.
Certification comes via the new SBTi Academy, an e-learning platform designed to equip professionals at all levels with technical training in science-based decarbonization.
A New Benchmark for Corporate Climate Expertise
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has established the world’s first official register of certified experts qualified to guide companies through the complexities of setting science-based climate targets. The move is aimed at strengthening corporate capacity to develop credible, science-aligned decarbonization strategies at a time when demand for sustainability talent far exceeds supply.
Certification requires completing a seven-part assessment process covering greenhouse gas accounting, target modelling, and application of the SBTi’s standards. Those who qualify are now listed publicly as trusted practitioners capable of supporting companies in translating climate ambition into actionable pathways.
Tracy Wyman, Chief Impact Officer at the SBTi, described the new system as a direct response to capacity challenges: “While the appetite for science-based targets is growing, access to skills is a common barrier. By providing foundational knowledge for those just setting out and certification for seasoned professionals, the SBTi Academy aims to bridge the skills gap to set companies up for success.”
The SBTi Academy: Building Skills at Scale
The new register sits at the core of the SBTi Academy, a digital learning hub launched alongside the certification program. The platform delivers nine hours of modular training and offers three progression tracks tailored to different levels of expertise.
Onboarding Hub: Free, introductory courses explaining the essentials of science-based targets, designed for professionals entering the sustainability field.
Practitioners’ Hub: Advanced training for corporate teams, covering methodologies such as the GHG Protocol and the design of near-term and net-zero targets.
Certification Hub: A formal assessment process through which individuals can become listed SBTi Certified Experts.
The academy’s structure is designed to lower entry barriers for smaller companies while offering specialized pathways for large corporations and consultancies.
Confronting the Sustainability Skills Gap
The SBTi’s expansion into training and certification addresses a broader workforce challenge. Data shows that global demand for sustainability expertise is increasing by over 10% annually, while supply lags behind. More than three-quarters of businesses cite early-stage skills as their largest upskilling challenge, and 68% of sustainability leaders report being “homegrown” within their organizations, with many not originally hired for climate expertise.
This shortage threatens to slow progress as more companies move to embed climate transition planning into core business strategy. With regulatory disclosure regimes tightening in Europe, the U.S., and Asia, firms without technical capacity risk delays or credibility gaps in setting targets aligned with the Paris Agreement.
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Implications for Corporate Governance and Finance
For boards and investors, the register provides a clearer signal of professional standards in a space where advisory services vary widely in quality. Certified experts are expected to play a growing role in ensuring that corporate targets stand up to scrutiny from regulators, lenders, and shareholders.
The SBTi, whose frameworks are now used by more than 8,000 companies worldwide, has faced rising demand for validation services. While its target validation process is designed to be affordable, gathering the necessary emissions data can be resource-intensive. The academy’s training modules aim to streamline this process, lowering costs and reducing errors in corporate submissions.
Science-based targets, when credibly set, function as more than compliance tools. They shape investment decisions, influence supply chain strategies, and provide measurable benchmarks for climate transition risk. By formalizing a certification pathway, the SBTi is embedding professional accountability into this emerging discipline.
Global Significance
The introduction of certified expertise comes as climate-aligned governance moves deeper into mainstream finance and policy. As regulators intensify scrutiny of transition plans and investors sharpen their focus on credible disclosures, companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that their targets rest on sound scientific and methodological footing.
The SBTi’s register is designed to accelerate that alignment. By providing a pool of verifiable professionals, the initiative offers companies and their stakeholders a resource to close the execution gap between ambition and delivery.
The global rollout of the SBTi Academy signals a shift: sustainability capacity is no longer confined to specialists in a handful of firms but is becoming a standardized, certifiable profession in its own right. For executives and boards tasked with steering organizations through the transition, the presence of certified experts may soon be as indispensable as auditors or financial advisors.
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