This webinar brought together David Kennedy, CEO of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and Dr. Daniel Klier, CEO of South Pole, as they unpacked the thinking and trajectory behind the Net Zero Standard – and what it means for businesses preparing for the road ahead.
Our audience was able to pre-submit questions for the CEOs to be answered during the session, allowing attendees tod hear what's top of mind for their peers navigating the same challenges.
This 45-minute conversation – free of technical detail – was designed to offer strategic insights and reflections at a pivotal moment for corporate climate strategies.
David Kennedy is a leader in sustainability and net-zero with a career spanning over three decades working in over thirty countries around the world.
Prior to joining the SBTi as CEO, he was a partner at EY, where he led work on net-zero strategy and planning with over twenty major companies across food, infrastructure, manufacturing and banking.
As Director General of Food, Biosecurity and Trade at the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), David led on food strategy (including net-zero and nature), food security through Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, farming reforms for net-zero and nature, and food in trade deals with Australia and New Zealand. He also led on departmental transformation programmes, including strategy, governance, data and systems, and internal ways of working. He was chair of the Defra People Committee and Social Mobility Champion.
As Director General at the Department for International Development (DfID), he led design and implementation of a new approach to economic development in sub-Saharan Africa based on clean infrastructure, FDI and agriculture commercialisation. He was responsible for the UK's interests in the World Bank and regional IFIs. He also developed the departmental vision and was Diversity Champion.
Prior to this he was the founding Chief Executive of the UK's Committee on Climate Change (CCC). Under David's leadership, the CCC designed sector pathways, carbon budgets, targets, metrics, milestones, and key policies (e.g. Electricity Market Reform, EV and renewable heat support).
Earlier David led on fundamental reform of the EU ETS and the economic assessment for nuclear new-build. He also played key roles at the World Bank and EBRD, leading on infrastructure strategy, policy reform and major investments. He has a PhD in economics from LSE.
He was awarded a CBE for services to climate change and a CB for public service during Covid.
Dr Daniel Klier is South Pole's former Chief Executive Officer and Co-chair of the Strategic Advisory Board.
Daniel joined South Pole from sustainability data and technology platform ESG Book, where as CEO he oversaw the company's growth and established the business as global industry leader. He was previously Global Head of Sustainable Finance and Group Head of Strategy at HSBC, where he established the bank's net zero target and ambition to support the energy transition with 1 trillion dollars. Daniel started his career at McKinsey & Company, where he was a Partner, supporting companies to enhance their organisational performance and international growth.
A widely recognised sustainability expert, Daniel has served as the Chair of the Bank of England's Climate Working Group and Chair of the Institute of International Finance's Sustainable Finance Working Group. He serves on the Boards of the global sustainability reporting standard GRI and the international organisation Sustainable Energy for All.
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