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David Kennedy, a London-based companion at consulting massive EY who has advocated a “battle room” technique to web zero inside the meals sector, will become the next CEO on the Science Based Targets initiative. He joins the principle necessities physique for firm web zero targets in its tenth yr, following an argument over offsets ultimate spring, and ahead of a critical exchange to its flagship Firm Net-Zero Regular.
Unanimously permitted by the SBTi after a months-long search, Kennedy is anticipated to start out out inside the second quarter of 2025. He replaces interim CEO Sue Jenny Ehr, who had served since July after Luiz Amaral resigned, reportedly for personal causes. Amaral and completely different SBTi leaders had come beneath fire after the group in April shocked the sustainability group by instantly allowing carbon credit score to rely in direction of web zero targets. The group appears to have backpedaled on that shift, concurrently participating firms are struggling to meet the SBTi’s requirements.
The SBTi had validated the science-based targets of higher than 4,200 firms by the tip of 2023. It grew by 102 p.c in 2023, thanks largely to adoption by firms in Asia. Companies committing to the SBTi agree to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and share frequent progress, along with targets for 2030 and 2040.
Kennedy, an economics Ph.D., has spent three a very long time in high-level native climate change, vitality and sustainability roles inside authorities and private organizations. That options six years as director fundamental for meals, biosecurity and commerce on the U.Okay. Division for Environment, Meals and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Beforehand, he was founding chief authorities of the unbiased Committee on Native climate Change, which advised U.Okay. leaders on maturing approaches to native climate mitigation and adaptation.
‘Battle room’ mentality
“I like the impression that SBTi has had, catalyzing movement by 1000’s of firms world huge: it’s a company that truly points,” he talked about in a Jan. 7 assertion. “I am excited on the prospect of working with the workforce and companions to advance the mission of the SBTi and ship rather more change at scale, supporting enterprise to make its contribution to the worldwide native climate objective inside the subsequent important interval.”
Kennedy in November spoke of bringing to the meals enterprise’s web zero movement a “battle room” mentality identical to the accelerated worldwide actions early inside the COVID-19 pandemic. “All folks received right here collectively in a extraordinarily aggressive enterprise then labored collectively to resolve a typical downside,” he instructed The Grocer in November.
SBTi Chair Francesco Starace referred to as Kennedy a pioneer with “distinctive strategic capabilities and confirmed operational effectiveness.”
The best factors on Kennedy’s desk will in all probability embrace the SBTi’s plans to publish a draft of mannequin two of its Firm Net-Zero Regular early this yr, along with a public comment interval. Figuring out simple strategies to take care of firm Scope 3 emisisons stays an ongoing drawback. The group’s 4 targets embrace following the most recent science; making regular enhancements; bettering price chain objective setting and enhancing “building and interoperability,” in response to SBTi Chief Impression Officer Tracy Wyman.
Kennedy will oversee a workers of 145 that lacks a headquarter office. The SBTi built-in as a U.Okay. charity in 2023.
The World Broad Fund for Nature (WWF), which initially collaborated with CDP, the United Nations World Compact and World Belongings Institute (WRI) on the launch of SBTi a decade up to now, shared its hopes for Kennedy’s technique. “We look ahead to David Kennedy’s administration as he guides SBTi by way of this significant interval to sharpen the science-based necessities and approaches for firms to reduce emissions,” talked about WWF CEO Carter Roberts, in a press launch.
“As soon as we consider paving one of the best ways for a net-zero future, we consider three points: market transformation led by firm movement; market integrity that allows impression; and a simpler course of to set targets and meet them … As we technique 2030, it’s time to maintain up ambition and provides consideration to emissions reductions all through price chains, high-integrity carbon markets and protection frameworks that assist lasting change.”
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