Application Deadline: 28 January 2022

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies. 

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing combined revenues of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. Since 1995, WBCSD has been uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.  

Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: with a vision of a world where more than nine billion people are all living well and within the boundaries of our planet, by 2050. 

Many businesses have committed to net zero pledges and the world is moving towards net-zero future.  Progressing in the decarbonization journey for most businesses implies an in-depth transformation along with sustained innovation in business models and products.  To assist our member organizations, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has launched a climate program, SOS1.5, (Safe Operating Space for 1.5°C) to support companies from all sectors as they progress in their decarbonization journey towards net zero emissions—helping them to develop an individual strategy, identify and remove barriers, track progress and report on goals achieved.    

Effective deployment of decarbonization targets by the business community will require robust carbon accounting at project, company, national and international levels. Development of accounting protocols is therefore crucial and one of the main pillars of SOS 1.5. WBCSD climate and energy Pathway team is currently involved in developing several new important corporate GHG accounting guidance, including  

• Greenhouse Gas Protocol Land Sector and Removal Guidance, to standardize the accounting and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals from land use, land use change.  
• Methodological Framework for the calculation and allocation of product-level value chain carbon emissions (building on existing methodologies and standards, e.g. Product Category Rules, GHG Protocol, ISO standards), to help create consistency and transparency on Scope 3 emissions as part of the Carbon Transparency Partnership. 
• Climate benefits, to develop new guidance on standardizing the calculation and reporting on the climate benefits (avoided emissions) of the corporate activities, products and services.  
• CCS+ Initiative to deliver a high-integrity, integrated methodological framework for generating carbon credits from the full range of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) activities.  

In addition to the above, the climate taxonomy team will implement a new work plan on climate taxonomy for carbon removals: 

• Expanding the Taxonomy for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to ensure that there is clear and consistent treatment of carbon removals in corporate carbon accounting schemes. This work will be built in alignment to Guidance for land sector and carbon removals and is a natural development from guidance on the best-practice use of Natural Climate Solutions credits (both supply and demand) published in “Natural Climate Solutions for Corporates” by the NCS alliance. The objective is to  develop additional guidance on specific NCS types (e.g. soil carbon and blue carbon (e.g. mangrove and coastal ecosystem restoration.), as well as additional guidance on technological carbon capture and storage. The objective will be realized through organizing and conducting capacity building events (expected ~ 20 events) and sectorial guidance tools (~ 5 guidelines / tool) on the topics above.   

Job overview 

We are expanding our team and looking for an experienced individual to lead the workstream on Taxonomy for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and support other relevant several workstreams within the SOS 1.5 project with technical expertise and knowledge in climate taxonomy, greenhouse emissions and specifically, carbon removals accounting and reporting.  

Responsibilities and duties 

• Lead, along with WBCSD members and experts, the multi-stakeholder development of the workstream “Taxonomy for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)” to provide by the end of 2022 
• five sectorial guidelines/tools  
• ~ 20 capacity building events by the end of 2022 
• Provide technical support and represent WBCSD and its members in scoping and development of the CCS+ Initiative methodology;  
• Support along with WBCSD members and experts the development of the guidance to estimate the climate benefits (avoided emissions) of the corporate activities, products and services. 
• Support the updating and disseminating the methodology for WBCSD Carbon Transparency Partnership  
• Engage and coordinate closely with the SOS 1.5, Science Based Targets team and other WBCSD internal working groups as well external organizations in aligning projects and outcomes and to insure harmonization across initiatives 

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in an environmental scientific topic or management discipline with focus on sustainability, with a minimum 5-year relevant work experience in an international business environment 

Knowledge and expertise: 

• Excellent knowledge and hands-on experience of life-cycle assessment and/or GHG accounting applied to corporates, products and services 
• Knowledge and experience in Carbon Removals, both technological (e.g. CCS) and natural (e.g. NCS), and their role in Corporate Net zero targets and pledges 
• Excellent knowledge of the global climate taxonomy and standards namely the Greenhouse Gas Protocols, ISO standards and the recent developments in the field such s the recent EU taxonomy for sustainable activities  
• Full understanding of corporate GHG reporting and climate action initiatives and (e.g. CDP, TCFD), and target setting programs such as Science Based Target initiative (and recently launched Net Zero Standard) and the Climate Pledge, including the role of mitigation (avoidance) strategies and removal solutions in corporate target setting  
• Project management: Evidence of successful project management and effective facilitation of different perspectives towards a common objective.  
• Communication: Engaging communicator both in person and in writing. Ability to adjust style of communication to suit audience (e.g., present technical topics to a non-technical audience) 
• Teamwork: Evidence of successfully working across teams and diverse interest groups 
• Multi-tasking: Ability to manage own projects and ad hoc demands simultaneously, set priorities, effectively utilize available resources, identify and address problems, and meet deadlines 
• Fluency in written and spoken English 

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT 

WBCSD is a purpose driven, forward-thinking and action-oriented organization, characterized by diversity of gender, nationalities and work experiences.  

WBCSD offers a competitive, modern, and flexible working arrangement: 

• Geneva-based organization with offices in London, New Delhi, Singapore and New York City 
• Competitive compensation and benefits 
• State-of-the-art facilities and ICT-enabled working tools 
• Flex-time and part-time possibilities 
• Dynamic working atmosphere 
• Open culture encouraging interaction and sharing of ideas and opinions 
• International relocation support 
• Sustainable commuting incentives 

This position is based in one of WBCSD international hubs (Geneva, London or Amsterdam)

Please also note that WBCSD will only respond to candidates selected for the interview process.