SBTi creates target setting e-learning academy and expert register

The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has created a register of science-based target setting experts certified through its new e-learning platform, the SBTi Academy.

Experts listed in the SBTi register have had to progress through a rigorous seven-part assessment process to demonstrate advanced proficiency in areas like greenhouse gas inventory assessment and modelling targets.

The certification is meant to confirm the level of skill needed to help businesses navigate the nuances and technicalities of science-based target setting. The process is completed through the SBTi Academy, which also offers nine hours of online training to support the development of sustainability professionals with different skill levels.

Bridging the green skills gap

Both new SBTi features, launched this week, aim to empower sustainability professionals to guide their companies or clients in their decarbonisation and target setting journeys.

Tracy Wyman, SBTi’s Chief Impact Officer, 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 decarbonise, the SBTi Academy aims to bridge the skills gap to set companies up for success.”

The e-learning platform and expert register were developed in acknowledgement of the skills gap often experienced by companies as they start their decarbonisation journey.

Global demand for green talent is outpacing supply twofold, with increases of 11.6% and 5.6% respectively, according to Linkedin data. At the same time, many sustainability leaders come from other backgrounds and may lack the technical skills needed to calculate a baseline and set climate targets.

SBTi Academy: Three learning hubs

The SBTi Academy is divided into three hubs directed at different levels of needs and existing skill levels: the Onboarding Hub offers free training for beginners, the Practitioners' Hub provides more advanced training including explorations and the application of the GHG Protocol, Corporate Near-Term Targets, and Corporate Net-Zero Targets, while the Certification Hub is a centre of assessment for specialists, which when certified will be listed on the SBTi website.