The Science Based Targets initiative (Science Based Targets initiative) has appointed Maia Kutner as its new Director of Engagement and Growth, a move that reflects the organization’s growing focus on expanding corporate participation in science-aligned climate target setting while maintaining scientific integrity.
Kutner joins SBTi with a long-standing background in global climate disclosure and emissions accounting systems. She previously spent more than 15 years at the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), where she held senior leadership roles supporting corporate and subnational reporting systems that underpin global environmental transparency.
She later moved into a leadership role at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), where she co-led the Greenhouse Gas Protocol initiative in collaboration with the World Resources Institute. The GHG Protocol is widely regarded as the foundational framework for corporate emissions accounting, including Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions classifications used globally.
Her appointment comes at a time when SBTi is under increasing pressure to scale its operations across industries and regions as corporate net-zero commitments accelerate. While the organization has established itself as a global authority on science-based target validation, the next phase of its work increasingly centers on expanding adoption without compromising methodological rigor.
Kutner’s experience across disclosure systems, emissions accounting frameworks, and corporate engagement is seen as aligned with this transition, positioning her to strengthen SBTi’s engagement strategy across sectors and geographies.
In announcing her appointment, Kutner described the move as a continuation of her work in advancing corporate climate action, following years of collaboration with global partners across climate disclosure and standard-setting systems.
The appointment reflects a broader trend within climate governance institutions, where emphasis is shifting from building frameworks to scaling implementation at global corporate level.
SBTi’s message is increasingly clear. The challenge is no longer only defining credible climate targets, but ensuring those targets become the operating standard across the global economy.