As society continues to navigate the climate crisis, the role of a chief sustainability officer (CSO) has never been more urgent or important. Today's CSO is expected to assess risk and build resilience, identify emerging opportunities, and influence the thinking and behaviour of businesses, investors, governments and regulators - all for the better.
Part of understanding and strengthening this ever-evolving role means unpacking the skillset required and the challenges faced. With that, Acre has launched a series of interviews with sustainability leaders across different industries, from around the world, to share their perspectives on the current and future role of the CSO.
The Evolution of the CSO's Role
How has the role and the sustainability leadership landscape developed over the last 3 years and how will it change in the coming 5 years?
The Skillset Required
What advice would you give to anyone aspiring to become a CSO? What skillsets and networks are needed to become future change-makers?
Reflection on COP26
Reflecting on COP26, what’s next for tackling the climate crisis?
Meet Your Hosts
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Mike Barry
Director, Mikebarryeco Consultancy
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Harco J. Leertouwer
Managing Director - Europe
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Tanith Allen
Director - Sustainable Business - UK
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Catherine Harris
Director of Sustainable Business - US
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Greg Brittian
Head of Sustainable Business - APAC
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Johnny Goldsmith
Head of Infrastructure & Transportation - Sustainable Business - UK
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Quotes from the Series
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If the world is going to get towards net zero, if we are going to solve many of these wicked problems, whether it be climate change, whether it be world hunger, we have to engage Asia.
Founder & CEO
Outsourced Chief Sustainability Officer Asia
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You need to prepare to be a game changer. We are challenging/revealing the status quo and looking at how things are done. We’re saying, “There could be a better way of doing this.” You need to be brave and prepared to fight many uphill battles. But it will pay off because once those points of why those changes are needed are understood, then people start to get on board. Once they see results, the level of satisfaction is out of this world.
Simeon Cheng - Group Director, Sustainability
Vitasoy International
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“The changes are all around taking a holistic view of business and being able to translate that into a vision, into a strategy and practical actions. The requirements for the Chief Sustainability Officer have exploded and we have to be able to do all of those things, all of the time.”
Daniella Vega - Global Senior Vice President of Health & Sustainability
Ahold Delhaize
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“Sustainability is something that should be embedded in everyone’s functions within the company and everyone should take responsibility for their part.”
Annamiek de Graaf - Specialist - Health & Sustainability
Ahold Delhaize
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“Lose the emotion, lose the triple bottom line - it’s not about being pragmatic, it’s asking if your business is sustainable and if not why not.”
Tony Henshaw - Experienced Board Member
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"Doing what I do is the best job in the world."
Julia Barrett - Chief Sustainability Officer
Willmott Dixon
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“It’s now much more about working together. If you lead a team, it’s about finding cross-functioning teams, upskilling people and getting the right experts within the company on board. It’s about being the glue and facilitator, being consultative and empowering others - This is more important now than ever before."
Dorothée D'Herde - Head of Sustainable Business
Vodafone
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"One call to action is to work across the company, work across your value chain and don’t be afraid to be bold. Make bold commitments and think bold."
Nicola Kimm - Chief Sustainability Officer
HeidelbergCement
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“We need to train young people to be creative with the planning and with the execution of strategies that are either creating opportunities or creating risks”
Martin Kathriner - Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director
Coca Cola HBC
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“In order to perform on such a level, you need to have past experience in sales, stakeholder engagement or supply chain - there are various areas of the business that interrelates with sustainability. The more background you have, the better it is”
Michael Dickstein - CSR Leader
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"To be able to play your part alongside your peers in a leadership team, it helps to have business acumen. My advice would be to try and find a way to get that capability and insight as it’s so important. If you want to be strategic and play that strategic role, everything we are doing is about embedding it into a business strategy."
Miguel Veiga-Pestana - Chief Sustainability Officer
Reckitt
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"When you get in your lane and you’re really curious about something there’s no stopping you. If you continually read and think about things in your life, you can build that picture of how you want to make an impact through your career."
Harriet Talbot - Global Sustainability Manager
Unilever
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"When you are thinking about the Chief Sustainability Officer role, you have got to be curious - read, engage with others. I spend a lot of time reading different forms of media and other people’s opinions from different areas to really understand the big emerging macro-level issues."
Rebecca Marmot - Chief Sustainability Officer
Unilever
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"In my view, the one person who is actually the Chief Sustainability Officer of a company is the CEO or the Managing Director. They have a viewpoint of what the customers are asking about from their head offices and marketing department, and therefore know what changes need to be made.”
Deeksha Vats - Chief Sustainability Officer
Aditya Birla Group
New Opportunities
Find Your Next Challenge
Operating globally from our offices in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, we live by our values, and we are driven by our shared vision; brighter futures for all.
This is what drives us – the knowledge that we are providing organisations with outstanding talent, with the right skills to make the biggest impact in progressive organisations, across sustainability, climate change, corporate affairs & communications, corporate responsibility,ESG, impact investing, health & safety, environment and energy & clean technology.
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Client Success Executive
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England
Are you passionate about making luxury more sustainable and good for the environment? Acre is exclusively working with a boutique consultancy, who ...
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Principal Consultant - Oil & Gas Sector
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City of London
Looking for a new role that enables you to have significant impact? Acre has partnered with a leading Human Rights consultancy; their mission is ...
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Carbon Strategy Development Manager
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United Utilities is responsible for water and wastewater services in the North West of England, and are part of the fabric of daily life for 7.4 mi...
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Vice President / Director of Business Development
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San Francisco
Acre has been retained by an innovator in industrial Carbon Capture solutions who is leading the way in developing a groundbreaking Carbon Capture ...
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Process Safety Lead
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Are you passionate about Health & Safety topics and employee wellbeing? Do you have a talent for driving change and moving others willingly towards...
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Senior Sustainability Expert - Social Domain
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ABOUT amfori Our client amfori believes that companies can simultaneously focus on people and planet as well as profit. The organisation also belie...
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Director, Environmental Sustainability
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ABOUT THE ROLE The Director, Environmental Sustainability role at SC Johnson is a leader responsible for leading the development, implementation an...
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Sustainability Consultant - Law Firm
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Climate and Nature Senior Consultant (Senior Manager) - Law Firm
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Chair of the Board of Trustees
Voluntary Basis
England
Are you seeking a board opportunity with a high-impact charity that aligns with your values and vision for society? Passionate about refugee welfar...
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Integrated Catchment Manager (Essex and Suffolk Water)
£60,000 - £70,000 + Broader Package
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Are you an environmental specialist with a key interest in water sustainability? Keen to join an innovative business that values open communication...
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Commercial Development Analyst
$90,000 - $115,000 + Equity, 401K Match, Healthcare
San Jose
Acre has partnered with an electrolyzer technology developer that is revolutionizing the hydrogen supply chain market through first-principles inno...
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Head of ESG
£55,000 - £65,000
Dorset
Does developing and leading an ESG strategy appeal to you? Do you want to be at the forefront of an organisation's sustainability journey, helping ...
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Investor Relations Principal | Coverage, France
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Paris
Our client is a leading private equity firm specializing in energy transition and innovation, boasting assets under management (AuM) reaching €6 bi...
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Impact Measurement & Management Lead
$130,000 - $180,000
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Senior Project Engineer - Air Separation Unit (ASU)
$175,000 - $200,000 + Bonus, Shares, 401K Match, Healthcare
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Senior Legal Counsel Sustainability & Environment
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Luxembourg
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Business Development Director
$110,000 - $140,000
United States of America
Acre is partnered with Forest Stewardship Council Investment & Partnerships (FSC I&P), a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, Washington, whose...
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Director of HR and People Operations
$150,000 - $180,000
United States of America
Acre is proud to be partnered with ImpactAssets, a trailblazing impact investor that is dedicated to changing the trajectory of our planet's future...
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Landscape Finance Manager
€Competitive
Amsterdam
Do you want to use your finance expertise for the benefit of holistic landscape restoration? Please read further! Acre has partnered with Commonl...
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Interim Reporting Specialist
£Competitive
London
Do you have a proactive, client-focused approach when it comes to ESG? We are working with a communications consultancy that is looking for an ES...
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Interim Environment and Sustainability Manager
£Competitive
England
Are you a seasoned senior environmental professional with a passion for driving positive change in the transport sector? We are working with a hi...
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Senior Consumer Sector Analyst
£Competitive
London
We have partnered with a sustainability-focussed asset manager, who is looking for a Senior Consumer Sector Analyst to join their research team and...
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Group Director of Sustainability & Impact
$Competitive
Singapore
Are you passionate about hospitality and sustainability? Are you looking for a role to truly make an impact? If the answer is YES, we'd like to hea...
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Senior Director Structured Products
$Competitive
Toronto
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Group Sustainability Manager
£Competitive
Europe
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Sustainability Consultant
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Netherlands
Adviseur Duurzaamheid bij Arup Acre is trots om samen te werken met Arup, een wereldwijd toonaangevend ingenieurs-, ontwerp- en adviesbureau op zoe...
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Manager - Impact Measurement & Valuation
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Our client, ALDI SÜD, is a leading retailer operating in 11 countries with a focus on making quality products available to its customers at the rig...
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ESG Manager
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Are you looking for an opportunity to design, develop and implement a sustainability strategy for a global business? Acre is partnering with a gl...
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ESG Manager
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Ede
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Senior Director of Business Development and Investor Relations
$180,000 - $200,000 + Bonus
New York
Location: Remote (US-based, preference for EST time zone), plus travel. Our client is an asset manager dedicated to mobilizing private sector inv...
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Business Development Manager - Carbon
$90,000 - $130,000
United States of America
Join the Climate Trust in Tackling Climate Change: Carbon Business Development Manager Needed! Acre is pleased to support the Climate Trust in th...
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Sustainability Expert (LCA)
£40,000 + Broader Package
Oxfordshire
Does developing a more sustainable value chain and future through innovative industrial technology sound like the ideal new challenge for you? Ac...
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Lead Process Engineer
$100,000 - $150,000 + 401K, Equity, 100% Healthcare Coverage
San Francisco
Acre has partnered with a battery production technology startup that has created a first-of-a-kind chemical production system that is more efficien...
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Net Zero Senior Manager
£Competitive
London
Are you a passionate environmental sustainability professional seeking a change? Are you motivated by the idea of working in an organisation that t...
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Senior Investment Associate, Sustainable Cities
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Paris
Are you a seasoned investment professional with a strong commitment to driving sustainable urban development and decarbonisation? Here is an oppo...
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Carbon & ESG Reporting Manager
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Acre has partnered with a leading and dynamic agriculture business that is heavily committed to creating the right impact; having set their Science...
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Brand & Sales Manager
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Project Development Director
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Executive Assistant
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Sustainable Sourcing Lead
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Director of Pilot Plant & Testing
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Acre has partnered with an exciting start-up in the rapidly growing Carbon Repurposing/Utilization industry that has created a desperately needed a...
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Our Latest Episodes
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Episode 4 • OCSO Asia
Joining us for the fourth episode of the 'Future of the CSO - APAC' series is Dr Darian Mcbain - Founder & CEO of Outsourced Chief Sustainability Officer Asia, an organisation that provides global sustainability consulting and strategic advisory services from experienced CSOs. She has over 20 years of experience in sustainability, working for corporates, government, the UN, academia and NGOs.
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Episode 3 • Vitasoy International
Joining us for the third episode of the 'Future of the CSO - APAC' series is Simeon Cheng - Group Director, Sustainability at Vitasoy International, an international food and beverage company publicly listed in Hong Kong. He is a sustainability professional with 25 years of experience leading the development of sustainability strategies and overseeing implementation in consultancy and corporate environments.
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Episode 2 • Digital Standards Initiative
Joining us for the second episode of the 'Future of the CSO - APAC' series is Pamela Mar, Managing Director of the Digital Standards Initiative and former Executive Vice President – Knowledge & Applications at the Fung Group. At the time of the interview, Pam led the Fung Academy’s knowledge generation, application, and dissemination in support of the Fung Group’s business success and readiness for the future. Her ongoing dedication to the industry, knowledge and passion made her the ideal interviewee for episode 2.
Who is Involved?
Acre
At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with the potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on their journey to crafting a legacy. Our two decades of experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.
Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we also understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact.
Patricia Dwyer, CEO at The Purpose Business
Co-Host of our APAC 'Future of the CSO' Interviews
Pat is an internationally-respected sustainability expert, passionate about sharing her 20+ years of experience and leadership to help businesses in Asia thrive through responsible growth. She has guest lectured, spoken and moderated across global platforms including The Obama Foundation, The World Economic Forum, The Thomson Reuters Foundation, The University of Cambridge and The Climate Competent Boards Certificate Program, sharing her insights in sustainability, purpose, leadership and governance.
Pat and her team of globally-experienced sustainability and business practitioners across industry, academia, NGOs and government at The Purpose Business, guide companies to activate purpose, address ESG impacts and scale sustainability responsibly, in order to future-proof their business. Pat has advised and worked with blue chip companies including MTR, The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Marsh Asia, Cathay Pacific, Jardine Matheson, Swire Properties, Universal Robina, Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, and Ayala.
Mike Barry, Director at mikebarryeco
Co-Host of our UK & European 'Future of the CSO' Interviews
Mike is a leader in sustainable change. During his time at M&S, he helped evolve Plan A to become a change management programme designed to make sustainability 'how M&S did business'. The business achieved zero-waste-to-landfill status, moved to 100% renewable electricity and achieved carbon neutrality across its global estate of stores, offices and warehouses. Having worked at an international level of business, with charities, with think tanks, and with start-ups, he has a broad array of experience. Upon leaving M&S he formed mikebarryeco ltd in order to support organisations across society and the economy to deliver sustainable change.
Watch the Full Series Here
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the future of the cso
16 November 2022
Episode 2 • The Digital Standards Initiative • The Future of the CSO • APAC • Pamela Mar
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sustainability recruitment
climate change recruitment
19 October 2022
Episode 1 • UOB • The Future of the CSO • APAC • Eric Lim
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featured video
the future of the cso
21 June 2022
Episode 9 • HeidelbergCement • The Future of the CSO • EU • Nicola Kimm
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the future of the cso
16 May 2022
Episode 8 • Coca Cola HBC • The Future of the CSO • EU • Michael Dickstein
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sustainability recruitment
the future of the cso
03 May 2022
Episode 7 • Unilever • The Future of the CSO • UK • Rebecca Marmot
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the future of the cso
27 April 2022
Episode 6 • Reckitt • The Future of the CSO • UK • Miguel Veiga-Pestana
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