Chief Sustainability Officers

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

Median Annual Wage: $173,320

Education: Bachelor's degree (42%); Master's degree (31%); Post-baccalaureate certificate (19%)

Projected Growth: Slower than average (3% to 7%)

Related Job Titles: Sustainability Coordinator; Corporate Sustainability Process Manager; Director of Sustainability; Director of Sustainability Programs; Director of Sustainable Design; Supply Chain Manager, Sustainability and Energy; Sustainability Director; Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability (VP CSR and Sustainability)

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Chief Sustainability Officers.

More Management Careers

  • Supervise employees or volunteers working on sustainability projects.
  • Research environmental sustainability issues, concerns, or stakeholder interests.
  • Develop methodologies to assess the viability or success of sustainability initiatives.
  • Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of sustainability programs.
  • Evaluate and approve proposals for sustainability projects, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and integration with other initiatives.
  • Develop, or oversee the development of, marketing or outreach media for sustainability projects or events.
  • Develop, or oversee the development of, sustainability evaluation or monitoring systems.
  • Create and maintain sustainability program documents, such as schedules and budgets.
  • Direct sustainability program operations to ensure compliance with environmental or governmental regulations.
  • Identify educational, training, or other development opportunities for sustainability employees or volunteers.
  • Develop sustainability reports, presentations, or proposals for supplier, employee, academia, media, government, public interest, or other groups.
  • Review sustainability program objectives, progress, or status to ensure compliance with policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
  • Formulate or implement sustainability campaign or marketing strategies.
  • Identify and evaluate pilot projects or programs to enhance the sustainability research agenda.
  • Conduct sustainability- or environment-related risk assessments.
  • Write project proposals, grant applications, or other documents to pursue funding for environmental initiatives.
  • Write and distribute financial or environmental impact reports.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Chief Sustainability Officers.

  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Chief Sustainability Officers.

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