EXECUTIVE SEARCH

Driving Climate Impact Through Purposeful Leadership

How 6 Group secured a Head of Certification to deliver meaningful climate action.

CLIENT OVERVIEW

Our client is a pioneer in the carbon removal market, offering a certification platform for engineered carbon removal methods. As part of Nasdaq, the company plays a critical role in verifying and issuing COâ‚‚ Removal Certificates (CORCs) for carbon negative projects worldwide. With the increasing global focus on credible climate action, our client sought to strengthen its leadership team by hiring a Head of Certification to steer its verification framework and methodology.

 

THE PROJECT

The client engaged 6 Group to lead the executive search for a Head of Certification – a high-impact, strategic leadership position. The key capabilities required by the client were:

  • Driving and evolving their certification methodologies;

  • Maintaining alignment with international carbon crediting standards;

  • Leading a growing team of Certification Officers;

  • Collaborating with scientific, regulatory, and technology stakeholders.

 

THE CHALLENGE

Some of the key challenges of this particular search included:

  • Finding a senior professional with rare expertise in carbon markets and certification;

  • Ensuring a balance between scientific integrity and operational scalability;

  • Navigating a limited talent pool with deep carbon crediting experience across Europe.

 

 

WHY 6 GROUP

We were chosen by the client due to our specialised capability in handling niche, mission-critical leadership searches within the sustainability, energy, and innovation sectors. Our retained search model and structured delivery enabled a tailored, consultative approach.

We were trusted by the client to:

  • Represent the client’s brand credibly in a competitive and evolving space;
  • Access and attract both passive and active candidates;
  • Assess candidates’ key functional and behavioural competencies using a rigorous methodology.
  • Offer strategic hiring intelligence and talent mapping insights across Europe.

OUR APPROACH

6 Group adopted a multi-stage, methodical approach:

1. Briefing and Strategy Formation

In-depth alignment with the client’s leadership on technical and cultural fit.

Development of a custom candidate specification and project plan.

2. Market Mapping

Extensive identification of talent across certification bodies, carbon removal firms, and climate tech organisations.

A target list included companies such as Verra, Gold Standard, ICROA, EcoAct, South Pole, and Carbon Tracker.

3. Direct Search & Outreach

Discrete engagement of senior professionals across Europe.

Focus on individuals with experience in MRV systems, carbon credit frameworks, and stakeholder engagement.

4. Assessment & Shortlisting 

Functional and behavioural interviews using a competency-based model.

Evaluation of leadership skills, technical proficiency, and mission alignment.

5. Client Representation

Active promotion of the client’s vision, remote culture, and leadership opportunity to increase buy-in.

THE OUTCOME

Initial Results (as of March 28, 2025):

  • 8 qualified potential candidates identified;
  • 3 contact engagements, with 2 progressing to client interviews;
  • 2 high-quality profiles progressed to final interviews.

Quality Over Quantity:

  • 6 Group focused initially on high-impact, low-hanging fruit candidates with strong alignment before expanding the search funnel. This allowed faster progression to interviews with top talent.

Market Intelligence Provided:

  • Insight into where expertise clusters geographically (UK, Germany, Italy) and the status of talent availability in this emerging field.

WHY WE MADE THE DIFFERENCE

Sector-Specific Expertise:

  • Deep understanding of carbon removal certification frameworks, allowing precise targeting.

Brand-Ambassadorship:

  • Strong representation of the client’s mission, culture, and market relevance.

Structured Methodology:

  • A rigorous search and assessment process ensured quality control and alignment.

Global Outlook:

  • Focused yet international search across Europe, with flexible consideration for remote or relocation-based candidates.

Client Collaboration:

  • Ongoing feedback loops and transparency throughout the process ensured alignment at every stage.

CONCLUSION

The Head of Certification was offered the role and accepted within 6 weeks. Through a highly targeted, intelligent executive search process, we quickly positioned the client to engage with top-tier talent for the critical Head of Certification role. The initial shortlist demonstrates the success of a quality-first approach and positions the client to make a strategic leadership appointment that strengthens their global credibility in carbon removal certification.

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