Japan's First: 94 Top-Tier "Decarbonization Senior Advisors" Certified by Ministry of the Environment! GX Certification Exceeds 10,000 Decarbonization Advisors
SkillUpNeXt Co., Ltd. announced that 94 individuals passed the first certification exam for the Ministry of the Environment's highest-tier "Decarbonization Senior Advisor" qualification. This brings the cumulative number of decarbonization advisors trained by the company through GX Certification to over 10,744, strengthening its position as a leading company in fostering GX professionals for decarbonization management.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 3, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 3, 2026 at 11:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 21, 2026 at 05:40 (426h 9m after Collected)
SkillUpNeXt Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director Shinichi Tahara; hereinafter "SkillUpNeXt") is pleased to announce that 94 successful candidates have emerged from the "2026 1st GX Certification Specialist Examination (results announced on April 2, 2026)," the first examination held after receiving certification as a "Decarbonization Senior Advisor," the highest level in the Ministry of the Environment's certification system. Concurrently, the cumulative number of "Decarbonization Advisors" produced through the "GX Certification" series (Basic, Advanced, and Specialist) has reached 10,744, surpassing 10,000.
## Background
Starting from the fiscal year ending March 2027, the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions, based on Japanese reporting standards formulated by the Sustainability Standards Board of Japan (SSBJ), is expected to become mandatory for some prime-listed companies. This trend makes effective decarbonization management an urgent task not only for listed companies but also for the entire supply chain.
Meanwhile, it is predicted that approximately 2 million GX professionals will be in short supply by 2030 to achieve a decarbonized society. Securing GX professionals is crucial for promoting effective decarbonization strategies. Against this backdrop, SkillUpNeXt has been focusing on developing practical personnel through its "GX Certification" series since 2023. On February 1, 2026, as the only company in Japan to be certified as a "Decarbonization Senior Advisor" by the Ministry of the Environment, the birth of 94 successful candidates in this first examination marks a significant step forward in advancing corporate decarbonization management to an effective phase. SkillUpNeXt will continue to contribute to resolving the shortage of GX professionals and to the sustainable growth of companies.
## Trends and Voices of Candidates for the 2026 1st GX Certification Specialist Examination
Looking at the candidates for the "2026 1st GX Certification Specialist Examination" by industry, manufacturing (23.5%), for which Scope 3 compliance across the entire supply chain is an urgent issue, accounted for the largest share. This was followed by a wide range of industries supporting these companies in practical aspects and solutions, including information and communications, services, finance, construction, local governments, and professional services, underscoring that decarbonization is a "common challenge for society as a whole," not limited to specific industries.
By age, those leading practical efforts, aged 35-54, accounted for 58.1% of the total. However, younger individuals under 30 and seniors over 55 were also well represented, indicating a broad distribution across generations. This shows that advanced knowledge such as the GHG Protocol is becoming established as an essential business skill for leading decarbonization, regardless of position or generation.
## Background
Starting from the fiscal year ending March 2027, the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions, based on Japanese reporting standards formulated by the Sustainability Standards Board of Japan (SSBJ), is expected to become mandatory for some prime-listed companies. This trend makes effective decarbonization management an urgent task not only for listed companies but also for the entire supply chain.
Meanwhile, it is predicted that approximately 2 million GX professionals will be in short supply by 2030 to achieve a decarbonized society. Securing GX professionals is crucial for promoting effective decarbonization strategies. Against this backdrop, SkillUpNeXt has been focusing on developing practical personnel through its "GX Certification" series since 2023. On February 1, 2026, as the only company in Japan to be certified as a "Decarbonization Senior Advisor" by the Ministry of the Environment, the birth of 94 successful candidates in this first examination marks a significant step forward in advancing corporate decarbonization management to an effective phase. SkillUpNeXt will continue to contribute to resolving the shortage of GX professionals and to the sustainable growth of companies.
## Trends and Voices of Candidates for the 2026 1st GX Certification Specialist Examination
Looking at the candidates for the "2026 1st GX Certification Specialist Examination" by industry, manufacturing (23.5%), for which Scope 3 compliance across the entire supply chain is an urgent issue, accounted for the largest share. This was followed by a wide range of industries supporting these companies in practical aspects and solutions, including information and communications, services, finance, construction, local governments, and professional services, underscoring that decarbonization is a "common challenge for society as a whole," not limited to specific industries.
By age, those leading practical efforts, aged 35-54, accounted for 58.1% of the total. However, younger individuals under 30 and seniors over 55 were also well represented, indicating a broad distribution across generations. This shows that advanced knowledge such as the GHG Protocol is becoming established as an essential business skill for leading decarbonization, regardless of position or generation.