A Framework of Professional Transferable Competences for System Innovation: Enabling Leadership and Agency for Sustainable Development

System Innovation (SI) is a critical approach in driving individual and collective actions towards sustainable development (SD). This article presents the validation process of the Climate-KIC Professional Competence Framework (CF) for SI. This framework is based on principles of system thinking and the need for human capital to deal with challenges related to long-term sustainability. It comprises twenty competences grouped into five stages that describe contexts where professionals implement transformations: Exploring, Framing, Designing, Implementing and Strengthening. The stages are not linear or strictly sequential because overlapping and loops are frequent in transformational and disruptive changes. The CF fulfils several functions in the development of human and social capital: competences’ assessment, their development and training, and their certification to make them more interpretable in the labour market. The methodology for assessing professionals’ competences and the certification procedure are described. Overall, the CF aims to promote the development and visibility of human capital in a critical area for sustainability.