How to be a Chief Sustainability Officer
THIS ROLE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CRITICAL
The Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) has become a crucial member of leadership teams, deeply involved in shaping company strategy and enhancing operations across all areas. However, despite the abundance of sustainability frameworks, practical insights on implementing effective corporate sustainability strategies remain elusive and organisations struggle to transition in a meaningful and practical way.
This book is an essential guide for new or prospective CSOs, providing foundational insights how to anchor sustainability within the core strategy of an organisation. It helps to focus on impactful changes and avoid distraction and “greenwash". Using a proven framework, this book de-constructs the CSO role. It links sustainability to the core areas of culture and strategy. It guides the reader through seven technical areas that make up the full sustainability role. It covers execution, building your team and leveraging technology. Finally, it looks to the future of this rapidly evolving area.
This book distils over two decades of sustainability theory and 30 years of combined management experience into a hands-on, comprehensive guide for CSOs. It also serves as an important reference for Boards, Committees, and leaders who are ready to embrace the sustainability transition and position their organisations for long-term, ethically-driven success.
"In this indispensable book, the authors gather the latest thinking and cut through the confusion to provide a deeply practical, constructive and realistic guide to navigating through these pressures and becoming more effective and empowered in the process.”
Alison Taylor, author of "Higher Ground"
AUthors
Anna Krotova
Anna Krotova is a Sustainability Director and a pioneer in sustainability. She has been working in the field since 2010, advocating for transparent and responsible business practices that are rooted in respect for planetary boundaries and human rights. In her roles at the International Finance Corporation, Metabolic, Global Reporting Initiative, and private sector companies, Anna has helped organisations improve their sustainability practices, usher in impactive changes in company operations and culture, and encourage meaningful reflection around sustainability issues. She holds an MA in Environmental Policy from Moscow State University as well as an MSc in Industrial Ecology from Delft University of Technology, and she serves in various capacities across the sustainability community. She lives in Amsterdam with her husband and son.
Jennifer Geary
Jennifer Geary is a senior executive with over 25 years of experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from finance to not-for-profit. Jennifer is also an author, speaker and mentor to emerging businesses. Now a native of London, she has worked in mainstream banking (Barclays plc) and in fintech (Alkanza, Asto by Santander, nCino).
Having long held an interest in corporate social responsibility and sustainability, she served as Chief Operating Officer of Save the Children UK between 2015-2017, a £400m NGO which serves in 68 countries and helps 22 million children every year. She has attained qualification as a chartered accountant, PRINCE 2 practitioner, CISA and CISSP and most recently completed a course in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing at NYU Stern.