Chief Sustainability Officers - the next big thing in the boardroom?

09.07.2010

Growing numbers of blue-chip firms have started hiring dedicated executive officers to watch over their companies' sustainability strategies, leading to the potential sidelining of traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) managers.

The creation of the chief sustainability officer role marks an important step forward for environmental and CSR executives, offering a board-level position which takes responsibility for sustainability initiatives and shapes the development of revenue-generating green products and services. While CSR managers typically report to the board, chief sustainability officers will report directly to the chief executive. But, will CSOs be seen as a threat or an opportunity to CSR managers authority?

CSR managers could regard the emergence of CSOs as a threat to their authority

CSR managers did not necessarily have specialist knowledge of sustainability issues when first taking up the role. Instead, they tended to boast a wide range of management skills, including general people management, new product development and managing profit and loss accounts, although they.

Experts in the field say that some existing CSR managers could regard the emergence of CSOs as a threat to their authority, particularly given that sustainability professionals may struggle to secure board-level positions.

Other professionals, instead, predict that some CSR and sustainability executives could develop the skills needed to secure CSO positions. The emergence of the new role represents a great opportunity for existing sustainability managers to fill the skills gap that has developed within many firm's green strategies, particularly given that it will take several years for CSOs to become a standard position within the board room.

Growing numbers of firms look set to go down the CSO route, following numerous surveys that have suggested that the absence of appropriate leadership skills is one of the main barriers to successful green strategies.

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