2 answers
Breona
Student
Norfolk, Virginia
3
Questions
Asked
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What do you do daily as a Chief Sustainability Officer?
I've recently found out about this position and I'm currently deciding if this is the one for me.
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2 answers
Joan Shea
Global Marketing Director
108
Answers
Newcastle, WA
Updated
Joan’s Answer
Hi Breona!
A sustainability officer is responsible for developing and implementing sustainability strategies and initiatives within an organization. Their day-to-day activities can vary depending on the specific needs and goals of the organization, but some common tasks may include conducting research, analyzing data, developing and implementing sustainability programs, and engaging with stakeholders. For example, Melanie Nakagawa, Microsoft’s chief sustainability officer, works on projects such as the Climate Innovation Fund and is featured in a Fast Company article discussing her work.
I hope this information helps you on your journey to becoming a Sustainability Officer.
A sustainability officer is responsible for developing and implementing sustainability strategies and initiatives within an organization. Their day-to-day activities can vary depending on the specific needs and goals of the organization, but some common tasks may include conducting research, analyzing data, developing and implementing sustainability programs, and engaging with stakeholders. For example, Melanie Nakagawa, Microsoft’s chief sustainability officer, works on projects such as the Climate Innovation Fund and is featured in a Fast Company article discussing her work.
I hope this information helps you on your journey to becoming a Sustainability Officer.
Asheen Phansey
Director of ESG & Sustainability
5
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Asheen’s Answer
Hi Breona, thanks for your interest in this space! I've worked in the corporate sustainability/ESG space for 15 years as a head of sustainability at multiple companies. It's a great field to be in, because you get paid to save the world :)
Generally, a CSO (or equivalent... few of us have that literal title, but can be VPs or Directors of sustainability) will set the strategy and direction for sustainability at the company. For example, why do we want to pursue a sustainability strategy: are customers, employees, or investors mainly asking us, or do we see it as a growth opportunity? What sorts of sustainability programs will jive with the culture, skills, and main products/services of the business? What's the balance of social and environmental topics that we'll pursue... e.g. a manufacturing company might start with an environmental focus, while a law firm might start with a social focus. Will we start a philanthropic arm to donate to nonprofits, and if so, what sorts of causes? What are the main sources of our social and environmental impacts (e.g. carbon footprint or gender pay equity), and what are we willing to do about it? How much will the organization invest in sustainability, in terms of both budget and headcount, and where will the function report?
These are the high-level questions that the CSO has to answer. In terms of what they do, it's a lot of presenting to and gaining buy-in from various executives, since sustainability is very cross-functional. A good CSO knows that the more they can embed sustainability into the core operations and functions of the business, the more lasting power those programs will have, so they spend a lot of time socializing the idea that sustainable business is good business with internal and external folks, trying to turn them into their champions. Joan mentioned above "conducting research, analyzing data, developing and implementing sustainability programs;" in my experience these are generally tasks completed by folks who report to a CSO, such as a sustainability manager or director.
HTH!
Asheen
Check out articles that CSOs write on www.greenbiz.com!
Generally, a CSO (or equivalent... few of us have that literal title, but can be VPs or Directors of sustainability) will set the strategy and direction for sustainability at the company. For example, why do we want to pursue a sustainability strategy: are customers, employees, or investors mainly asking us, or do we see it as a growth opportunity? What sorts of sustainability programs will jive with the culture, skills, and main products/services of the business? What's the balance of social and environmental topics that we'll pursue... e.g. a manufacturing company might start with an environmental focus, while a law firm might start with a social focus. Will we start a philanthropic arm to donate to nonprofits, and if so, what sorts of causes? What are the main sources of our social and environmental impacts (e.g. carbon footprint or gender pay equity), and what are we willing to do about it? How much will the organization invest in sustainability, in terms of both budget and headcount, and where will the function report?
These are the high-level questions that the CSO has to answer. In terms of what they do, it's a lot of presenting to and gaining buy-in from various executives, since sustainability is very cross-functional. A good CSO knows that the more they can embed sustainability into the core operations and functions of the business, the more lasting power those programs will have, so they spend a lot of time socializing the idea that sustainable business is good business with internal and external folks, trying to turn them into their champions. Joan mentioned above "conducting research, analyzing data, developing and implementing sustainability programs;" in my experience these are generally tasks completed by folks who report to a CSO, such as a sustainability manager or director.
HTH!
Asheen
Asheen recommends the following next steps: