Former SBTi employee files complaint with British charity watchdog
By Virginia Furness
Former SBTi employee files complaint with British charity watchdog
LONDON, – A former employee of the Science-Based Targets initiative has filed a complaint with Britain’s charity regulator accusing the non-profit, which the world’s biggest companies use to audit their carbon emission targets, of acting against its mission.
In the complaint, which was submitted last month and was reviewed by Reuters this week, the former employee wrote that SBTi’s board of trustees acted “recklessly” in announcing plans in April to allow companies to use carbon credits in their targets, arguing they discourage companies from reducing their own emissions.
The SBTi had previously rejected the use of offsets in setting targets, and the U-turn sparked a backlash among its staff that led to its board saying it would not change the rules for now and would simply explore whether it should adopt carbon offsets. Luiz Amaral, SBTi’s CEO who the staff called to resign over the matter, stepped down earlier this month citing personal reasons he did not disclose.
The complaint with the Charity Commission alleges that SBTi’s board trustees repeatedly breached company rules and ignored expert opinion in announcing it would seek to allow carbon offsets.
The former employee who passed on a copy of their complaint to Reuters requested anonymity, citing fear of potential retribution.
Reuters shared the contents of the complaint with SBTi and a spokesperson said the non-profit could not comment without reviewing it itself. They reiterated that SBTi still does not allow carbon offsets.
“We will be providing more detail on this in due course, including an extensive consultation process, and we look forward to the contributions made from civil society, business and government,” the spokesperson said.
Charity Commission spokespeople did not respond to requests for comment.
Companies under pressure to curb their emissions can buy credits from developers of projects that absorb carbon, such as through reforestation. The market for offsets has remained small due to a limited number of projects that can verify their climate benefits.
The complaint claims SBTi’s board did not consult staff or its advisers on moving ahead with carbon credits. It also alleges that several board trustees have ties to the carbon offset industry. SBTi is partly funded by the Bezos Earth fund, a charity set up by billionaire Jeff Bezos that is a big investor in voluntary carbon markets, and the former employee wrote this creates a conflict.
If the Charity Commission decides to investigate a complaint, its inquires can have a range of outcomes, from removing trustees to appointing interim managers or, in very rare cases, taking away charitable status, said Chris Priestley, a partner at Withers LLP specializing in charity law.
Holger Hoffman-Riem, a member of the SBTi’s technical advisory group that advises SBTi on the development of standards and guidelines, said an investigation was warranted. “An external review should be in the best interest of the board, so that they can demonstrate compliance with principles of charity law and governance,” he said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
