The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) announced the launch the SBTi Academy, a new learning platform aimed at equipping professionals with skills to set and deliver science-based climate targets.
The launch of the new hub was announced alongside the introduction of a new certification process for “SBTi Certified Experts,” aimed at confirming a skill level to help businesses to navigate the process of science-based target setting.
The SBTi said:
“More expertise in navigating the interplay of climate science and business operations is urgently required to meet the sustainability skills demands of the future.”
The SBTi was founded in 2015 with the goal to establish science-based environmental target setting as a standard corporate practice. The organizations’ key functions include defining and promoting best practice in emissions reductions and net-zero targets in line with climate science, providing technical assistance to companies who set science-based targets, and providing companies with independent assessment and validation of their emissions reduction targets. The organization published its flagship cross-sector Corporate Net-Zero Standard in 2021, and is currently in the process of developing an update to the standard, Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.
The new platform comes as demand for sustainability-related skills is increasing globally as companies and countries globally take action on implementing their climate and sustainability-related commitments, and to meet growing sustainability reporting and regulatory compliance requirements. According to SBTi, the new platform is designed to make science-based target setting more accessible by helping professionals to build skills, navigate the target setting process, and contribute to the global transition to net zero.
SBTi’s new e-learning platform is divided into three hubs, catering to different skill levels, including an “Onboarding Hub,” providing free training at the beginner level, and offering an introduction to science-based targets and helping to understand foundational technical concepts; a “Practitioners Hub,” providing more advanced premium training for sustainability professionals working across strategy, operations, procurement, and reporting, and including both free and paid modules on topics including the GHG Protocol , and corporate near-term and net zero targets, and; the “Certification Hub,” a more advanced assessment center for specialists for the “SBTi Certified Experts” certification process, aimed at signalling advanced proficiency of science-based target setting.
Tracy Wyman, Chief Impact Officer of the Science-Based Targets initiative, said:
“While the appetite for science-based targets is growing, access to skills is a common barrier to target-setting. By providing foundational knowledge for those just setting out on their own sustainability journey and providing certification for sustainability experts already helping companies on their journeys to decarbonize, the SBTi Academy aims to bridge the skills gap to set companies up for success.”
