
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
-
Mike Barry
Director, Mikebarryeco Consultancy
Read more -
Harco J. Leertouwer
Managing Director - Europe
Read more -
Tanith Allen
Director - Sustainable Business - UK
Read more -
Catherine Harris
Director of Sustainable Business - US
Read more -
Greg Brittian
Head of Sustainable Business - APAC
Read more -
Johnny Goldsmith
Head of Infrastructure & Transportation - Sustainable Business - UK
Read more -
Rufus Bullough
Head of Technology - Sustainable Business - UK
Read more -
Elisabeth Tengbergen
Principal Consultant - Sustainable Business - Europe
Read more
Quotes from the Series
-
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
-
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
-
“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
-
“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
-
“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
-
"Doing what I do is the best job in the world."
Julia Barrett - Chief Sustainability Officer
Willmott Dixon
-
“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
-
"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
-
“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
-
“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
-
"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
-
"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
-
"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
-
"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.
-
Climate Data Analyst
£Competitive
City of London
Acre has partnered with a global asset manager who are looking to grow their London-based climate solutions team. This team is focused on the int...
Apply now -
Head of Fund Operations
$Competitive
Stamford
We are proud to be supporting Mobilize Capital Partners in the hiring of a Head of Fund Operations. Head of Fund Operations and Accounting Role: ...
Apply now -
Senior Responsible Investment Manager
£Competitive
London
We are currently working with a leading pension provider seeking a Senior Responsible Investment Manager to join the business. Our client is an a...
Apply now -
Director of Responsible Business
£130,000 - £150,000
London
Acre is working with a leading professional services business looking for a Director of Responsible Business for a fixed-term contract covering 12 ...
Apply now -
Sustainability Communications Manager
£Competitive
Milton Keynes
Are you excited about the power of communication for influencing real change? Acre has partnered with a strategic change consultancy on a mission...
Apply now -
Senior Business Development Manager - Denmark
€Competitive
Denmark
About Schneider Electric As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrat...
Apply now -
Inside Sales Manager - Benelux
€Competitive
Netherlands
Schneider Electric's Sustainability Business addresses clients' diverse energy and sustainability management needs. Experts within the division pro...
Apply now -
Program Manager Environmental Permitting
$Competitive
Cleveland
Are you a technical whiz when it comes to environmental standards, especially for air quality and air permitting? Are you equally as talented in fo...
Apply now -
ESG Senior Manager - REIT
£Competitive
London
Are you an experienced ESG professional with a proven track record of influencing senior stakeholders across the built environment? We are lookin...
Apply now -
Associate Director of Carbon Finance
£Competitive
London
We are currently supporting an innovative emerging markets private credit investor to launch a new strategy centred around decarbonisation in globa...
Apply now -
Interim Carbon Engagement Manager
£500 - £600 Per Day
London
Acre is partnering with an established client in the transportation landscape to help organise their strategic success. This forward-thinking organ...
Apply now -
Client Manager
£450 - £650 Per Day
London
Acre is partnered with an ESG consultancy looking for a Client (Account) Manager to join their growing organisation. Using your experience, you wil...
Apply now -
Investment Principal - Deeptech/ClimateTech VC
£Competitive Salary + Bonus
London
We are currently supporting a leading multistage VC seeking a new Investment Principal to join its deep tech fund (AuM £400m+). Our client has be...
Apply now -
ESG Lead - Value Creation - Private Equity
£Competitive
London
Do you want to work within a private equity investment fund that sees sustainability as key to its long-term value creation plan? Are you intereste...
Apply now -
VP, Origination & International Growth - LDES
$Competitive + Bonus + Equity + Benefits
North America
Acre is partnered with a prominent Long Duration Energy Storage business looking to identify a seasoned Originator. Reporting directly into the CCO...
Apply now -
Sustainability Manager
$Competitive
Ontario
Are you an ESG and Sustainability whiz, passionate about environmental impact? Is your dream job getting to work on a long-term sustainability + ES...
Apply now -
General Manager - Principal Consultant (CSRD + Sustainability)
€Competitive
Paris
Acre is partnering with a leading Sustainability Consultancy to recruit an established leader with sustainability, supply chain advisory and/or non...
Apply now -
Senior Manager, Sustainability - CSRD Programme
£Competitive + Benefits
London
Are you interested in playing an integral role in the sustainable transformation of one of the world's most iconic luxury goods brands? As Chanel...
Apply now -
Carbon Verification Lead
$110,000 - $140,000
United States of America
The future of the carbon solutions space lies within new innovative solutions which are scalable, measurable, and completely verifiable. Our clie...
Apply now -
Partnership Director
€Competitive
Amsterdam
Do you want to make a positive difference to the future of people and our planet? Acre is supporting the Organic Cotton Accelerator in recruiting a...
Apply now -
Energy Manager - Commercial Real Estate
£Competitive
London
Are you a charismatic Energy Manager with a track record of influencing occupiers and engineers to effectively drive change? Acre is working with...
Apply now -
Director of Sustainability
$Competitive
Chicago
Location: Downtown Chicago, IL Work Type: In-office role, not open to remote Company Overview: Bridge Industrial is a leading and innovative comm...
Apply now -
Senior Business Development Manager, The Netherlands
£120,000
Netherlands
The Organisation Acre is working with a global impact investment manager seeking to hire a Senior Sales Manager to join its capital raising and pro...
Apply now -
Technical Director
$Competitive
Denver
Acre is currently partnered with a global reforestation and conservation company looking to onboard a skilled Technical Director to lead their tech...
Apply now -
Head of Programmes
€Competitive
Paris
Are you an experienced sustainability leader in the fashion industry who's led large-scale transformation projects with a passion for driving impac...
Apply now -
Impact Associate
£Competitive + Bonus & Benefits
London
Acre is excited to announce our partnership with EQT. We have partnered to appoint an Impact Associate to work across their impact and mainstream f...
Apply now -
CEO/President
$Competitive
Washington D.C.
Copper is critical to a sustainable future, thus enabling the clean energy transition and global decarbonization efforts. The International Copper ...
Apply now -
Interim TCFD Manager
£60,000 - £70,000
London
Acre is thrilled to collaborate with a renowned industry frontrunner in the technology sector, celebrated for their dedication to research and inno...
Apply now -
Senior Manager - ESG Programmes
£Competitive
London
Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world, and they want to become known sustainability leaders too. With ambi...
Apply now -
Senior Manager - ESG Supply Chain Operations Programmes
£Competitive
London
Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Starbucks has an exceptionally complex supply chain: from coffee, m...
Apply now -
Data Manager
£60,000 - £65,000 + Benefits
Norway
*Please note that the role can be based in a wide range of locations across Europe, with a preference for Norway-based candidates. This could be a ...
Apply now -
AVP - Environmental Sustainability
£65,000 - £75,000
London
Acre is working with a leading bank to help them hire an AVP of Environmental Sustainability. They are one of the leading banks in the UK with a ...
Apply now -
Sustainability Project Manager
£Competitive
City of London
We are currently working with a global financial institution looking to build out their London-based project management team on a permanent basis t...
Apply now -
African Managing Director
£Competitive
Nairobi
Acre is delighted to be supporting the global leadership at New Forests to identify a Managing Director for their African business based in Nairobi...
Apply now -
Director, Renewable Energy
€Competitive
Paris
Are you a seasoned investment professional passionate about the energy transition? Here is an opportunity to join a well-established and purpose-...
Apply now -
Environment Manager
£Competitive
England
Stagecoach is part of the fabric of daily life in the UK and has served communities across the UK for more than 40 years. Today, around 2.5 million...
Apply now -
Senior Investment Officer - EM Private Credit Fund
£Competitive Salary + Bonus
London
We are currently supporting an innovative emerging markets private credit investor to launch a new strategy centred around decarbonisation in globa...
Apply now -
Senior Sustainability Capability Manager
£Competitive
London
Acre is working with a renowned property management company looking for a Senior Sustainability Capability Manager to work as an integral part of t...
Apply now -
Co-Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Fixed Income
£Competitive
City of London
We are currently supporting a leading global investment management group in their search for a fixed-income portfolio manager to join their high-pe...
Apply now -
Senior Consultant, Sustainable Finance - Paris
€Competitive
Paris
Acre has partnered with a leading strategy advisory for the investment management business. Pioneers in advising asset managers, private equity, an...
Apply now -
Board Trustees - Ocean Generation
Voluntary Basis
United Kingdom
Introducing Ocean Generation Ocean Generation is on a mission to empower 50 million young people to take Ocean action by 2030. In just 1 minute, th...
Apply now -
Interim Carbon Accountant
£500 - £700 Per Day
London
We are working with a specialist sustainability consultancy looking for an interim carbon accountant. In this role, you will be joining the team ...
Apply now -
Interim Reporting Consultant
£450 - £550 Per Day
England
Acre is working with an ESG-targeted consultancy, looking for an experienced reporting candidate to support and advise their clients on frameworks ...
Apply now -
Climate & Net Zero Implementation Specialist
$130,000 + $150,000 + Base
New York
Acre is proud to partner with Morgan Stanley in hiring a Climate & Net Zero Implementation Specialist. The team is seeking an ambitious person with...
Apply now -
Director of Sustainable Finance - Germany
£Competitive
Frankfurt am Main
Acre is working with a leading global bank to help them hire a Director of Sustainable Finance in Germany. Reporting to the Head of Sustainable Fin...
Apply now -
VP Sustainable Finance
£Competitive
Dubai
Acre is working with a leading global bank to help them hire a VP of Sustainable Finance for their Dubai team. Reporting to the Head of Sustainable...
Apply now -
Consultant
£Competitive
City of London
Acre has partnered with an award-winning boutique consultancy, specialising in ESG for over 25 years, who are looking for a consultant to join thei...
Apply now -
Senior Sustainability Client Services Manager
£Competitive
City of London
Acre has partnered with a high-profile organisation in the global luxury industry who are looking for a passionate and driven Senior Sustainability...
Apply now -
Group Sustainability Manager
£Competitive + Comprehensive Benefits Package
Burton-on-Trent
Briggs of Burton plc is a leading engineering and manufacturing company, designing and building process engineering solutions that serve the clean ...
Apply now -
Senior Sales Manager - Carbon Offsetting
€Competitive
Paris
We are pleased to be partnered with Removall Carbon in their search for a Senior Sales Manager. Removall Carbon Removall supports companies and o...
Apply now -
President / Managing Director - Carbon Solutions
$200,000 - $300,000 + Equity
New York
Acre has been retained by one of the most established names in the North American Carbon Solutions market to recruit a Managing Director - Carbon S...
Apply now -
Regulatory Affairs - Sustainable Packaging and Green Claims
€Competitive
Italy
Are you a regulatory affairs professional who wants to have an impact at the global level? Unwrap your full potential at Perfetti Van Melle. Perf...
Apply now -
Chief People Officer
€120,000 - €140,000
Amsterdam
GRI: The global leader for impact reporting GRI envisions a sustainable future enabled by transparency and open dialogue about impacts. GRI helps o...
Apply now -
Investment Associate, Renewable Energy
€Competitive
Paris
Are you an investment specialist passionate about the energy transition and looking for the opportunity to join a well-established and purpose-lead...
Apply now -
VP / Principal, Renewable Energy
€Competitive
Paris
Are you a seasoned investment professional passionate about the energy transition? Here is an opportunity to join a well-established and purpose-...
Apply now -
ESG Reporting Specialist
£Competitive
City of London
Are you an experienced sustainability/ESG professional with a strong understanding of non-financial sustainability/ESG reporting? Are you looking t...
Apply now -
Interim Carbon Data Lead
£500 - £700 Per Day
London
Acre is working with a large infrastructural organisation on their strategic success. They have curated a strategy for sustainable growth which a...
Apply now -
ESG Manager
£Competitive
London
Acre is delighted to partner with Fastmarkets to help them hire an ESG Manager. Fastmarkets is the most trusted Price Reporting Agency (PRA) in the...
Apply now -
Group Financial Director
£Competitive
Exeter
Are you an aspiring CFO who is passionate about combining finance strategy, reporting and risk management with reducing climate impact? Are you kee...
Apply now -
VP, Marketing
$Competitive
Toronto
Join Us in the Climate Change Revolution: Vice President of Marketing at Carbon Streaming Are you ready to make a monumental impact on the fight ...
Apply now -
Interim Reporting and Disclosures Lead
£Competitive
England
Acre is working with a leading UK financial services business, which is looking for an Interim ESG Reporting and Disclosures Lead to play a pivotal...
Apply now -
Sustainability Manager
£Competitive
London
Are you a sustainability professional that is motivated to have a positive impact on a global scale and enable companies to deliver with purpose? A...
Apply now -
Commercial Finance Lead - Sustainability
S$Competitive
Singapore
Are you passionate about using financial insights to drive sustainable investment whilst positively impacting supply chains? We are looking for a...
Apply now -
Sustainability Program Manager
€Competitive
Eindhoven
Are you experienced in project management and seeking a role in sustainability? Our client is a global leader when it comes to agri-food commodit...
Apply now -
Partner
£Competitive
Berlin
Demand for blue foods - food from aquatic sources - is expected to double by 2050. Innovation in this sector is desperately needed, and Hatch has b...
Apply now -
Senior Director, Climate and Environment
$Competitive
Vancouver
Are you a sustainability executive who'd like to design and implement the climate and environmental strategy for a high-growth, globally recognized...
Apply now -
Decarbonisation Lead
£Competitive + Excellent Benefits +Bonus
London
Do you want to make a significant impact by driving a large-scale decarbonisation programme? Are you able to influence a wide range of stakeholde...
Apply now -
Manager, Standards
€Competitive
Amsterdam
Acre is supporting GRI in the recruitment of a (Senior) Manager within the Standards team to work either hybrid from Amsterdam or remotely (+/-2 ho...
Apply now -
Senior External Alignment Manager, Standards
€Competitive
Amsterdam
Acre is supporting GRI in the recruitment of a Senior External Alignment Manager, Standards Division, to work either hybrid from Amsterdam or remot...
Apply now -
Senior Technical Content Manager, Standards
€Competitive
Nederland
Acre is supporting GRI in the recruitment of a Senior External Alignment Manager, Standards Division, to work either hybrid from Amsterdam or remot...
Apply now -
Director of Sector Standards
€Competitive
Amsterdam
Acre is supporting GRI in the recruitment of a Director of Sector Standards to work either hybrid from Amsterdam or remotely (+/-2 hours CET) with ...
Apply now
Our Latest Episodes
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
-
the future of the cso
16 November 2022
Episode 2 • The Digital Standards Initiative • The Future of the CSO • APAC • Pamela Mar
Read more -
sustainability recruitment
climate change recruitment
19 October 2022
Episode 1 • UOB • The Future of the CSO • APAC • Eric Lim
Read more -
the future of the cso
21 June 2022
Episode 9 • HeidelbergCement • The Future of the CSO • EU • Nicola Kimm
Read more -
the future of the cso
16 May 2022
Episode 8 • Coca Cola HBC • The Future of the CSO • EU • Michael Dickstein
Read more -
sustainability recruitment
the future of the cso
03 May 2022
Episode 7 • Unilever • The Future of the CSO • UK • Rebecca Marmot
Read more -
the future of the cso
27 April 2022
Episode 6 • Reckitt • The Future of the CSO • UK • Miguel Veiga-Pestana
Read more