SBTi Seeks Five Independent Validation Council Members as Governance Reform Advances

The Science Based Targets initiative launched an open call for five independent Validation Council members to oversee science-based target validation as it separates its standard-setting and validation functions. Members will serve three-year terms and oversee quality and independence of validated targets.

The Validation Council is being established as part of the SBTi's demerger from its founding partner organisations, announced in September 2023. Council members will be required to have expertise in conformity assessment, third-party verification, or independent certification. Recruitment is being managed by Climate17, a specialist sustainability recruitment firm. Initially appointed by the SBTi, members will transfer to the validation services entity once it becomes fully operational. Each member will be asked to dedicate approximately five days per year to Council duties.

The call for members coincides with a period of sharp demand growth for SBTi validation services. The total number of companies and financial institutions with validated targets doubled in 2024, reinforcing the need for structural governance that ensures independence from standard-setting. The separation follows international best practice for assurance bodies and is intended to increase trust in validated science-based targets. Companies operating in India and other Asia-Pacific markets increasingly reference SBTi validation in investor disclosures and ESG reports.

The scale-up of SBTi's validation operations has included process optimisation, expanded use of technology and data capabilities, and increased staffing. Average waiting times for validations were halved alongside the doubling of validated targets. Two compliance managers were appointed as part of the expansion, with additional quality managers forthcoming. The Validation Council will serve as an assurer of quality and independence once the validation entity becomes a standalone body.

Key figure — Five independent Validation Council members sought for three-year terms