The SBTi appoints new Compliance Director

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is to further strengthen its governance with the appointment of its first Compliance Director.

Anita Sheth has more than 20 years’ experience in enabling organizational compliance with relevant standards and regulations, including policy development and implementation for major international organizations, including Fairtrade International and Save the Children. She will be an integral part of the SBTi’s executive leadership team (ELT), reporting to CEO Luiz Amaral.

The SBTi announced the creation of the Compliance Director post in 2022 as part of a programme of activity to drive the continual improvement and increased robustness of its governance.

Anita Sheth said: “Making the decision to move into climate action – and away from Fairtrade International after 14 years – wasn’t easy. I had to be certain that I was moving to the right organization at the right time in its development, and the right post. I am impressed by the SBTi leadership team’s commitment to further enhance the SBTi compliance systems. I look forward to working with them and the wider team to ensure that the SBTi is an exemplar of best practice in this field.”

The announcement of Anita as Compliance Director follows the recent appointments of Maria Outters as Chief Impact Officer in January and Paul Simpson as Strategic Advisor in February.

The SBTi will also announce details of its Technical Council, a permanent, independent decision-making body in March. These are important steps in the SBTi’s strategic plans to scale the growth and impact of science-based targets.

Luiz Amaral, CEO of the SBTi, said: “Last year I announced plans to expand and strengthen the SBTi to meet soaring demand and continue to consolidate it as the most credible, trusted and transparent standard for corporate climate ambition and action.

“Anita’s appointment is a critical part of this work and I am delighted that, when she decided to make the move into the climate action sector, she chose the SBTi. With her exceptional experience and diverse knowledge, I am excited about what she will bring to the initiative and look forward to working with her to deliver the next phase of responsible growth for the SBTi.”

Anita was born in India, is a Canadian citizen, has lived in Malta and works out of Germany. She defines herself as transnational, where “home” means more than one country.

On March 27, the SBTi will be hosting a webinar to share new details on the structure, role and members of the initiative’s new Technical Council. Luiz Amaral, CEO, will also give an overview of the initiative’s most recent technical developments, including updates to our sector-specific guidance.