Chief Sustainability Officers Wield ‘Extraordinary Power’

July 5, 2007

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Chief sustainability officers are becoming more popular with companies that want to profit from going green and want to guard the value of their brand, The New York Times reports.

“Environmental vice presidents usually spend company money, but this new breed is helping companies make money,” said Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

The titles vary, mixing and matching “chief” and “vice president,” “sustainability” and “environmental,” making it impossible to track how many people fill the role. But whatever they are called, the new environmental chiefs – many of them named in the last two years – wield extraordinary power, according to The Times. They are exploring partnerships with vendors and customers to create green products – and they have the power to close the deal. They are also getting a vote – often, the deciding vote – on product research and advertising campaigns.

AMR Research’s John Davies has noticed that the chief green officer reports, just like other top executives, directly to the CEO. Organizationally, he or she oversees both internal and external opportunities, according to the article. This translates to having direct and indirect reports that oversee environmental health and safety, energy, procurement, and regulatory affairs. In addition to these organizations, the chief green officer in many cases is also responsible for environmental stewardship, corporate communications, strategic partnerships, and product innovation.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Stay competitive through sustainability.

Find out how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

it will take hundreds of these sustainability officer to correct the damage that chaney has done. in addition there will be a line by line accountability documentating all the damge,lying,covering up,that chaney has done and it will not be pretty. the day of accountability is now here.and when there are tools to measure climate change in less than 3 yrs chaney will be held accountable to the metric ton for his
falsly changing climate reports.the days under the bush administraion of silencing critics of climate change are over. there will be a financial cost for chaneys action and it will be displayed in full when he is in the grave. we will not see 4 presidents at chaneys funeral….and we all will see “how the most powerfull vp in history” conducted himself

domainguy | January 30th, 2009

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader