Chief Sustainability Officer

Role Summary

The Chief Sustainability Officer drives environmental and social responsibility strategy across the company’s operations. In logistics, this includes emissions reduction, ethical sourcing, waste minimization, and community engagement—balancing profitability with long-term sustainability.

Required Education, Certifications, and Experience

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, or Sustainability (required)

Master’s in Sustainability, Public Policy, or MBA with ESG focus (preferred)

Certifications:

  • LEED Green Associate or LEED AP
  • ISSP Certified Sustainability Professional
  • GHG Protocol / Carbon Accounting Certifications

Experience:

10+ years in sustainability, environmental compliance, or corporate responsibility

Experience with ESG reporting, carbon footprint analysis, and circular economy initiatives

Core Skills

  • Enterprise risk assessment (ERA)
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery
  • Insurance and claims strategy
  • Cyber risk and data breach response planning
  • Compliance program oversight
  • Vendor and regulatory risk evaluation

A Hypothetical Day in the Life of a Chief Procurement Officer

6:00am – Sustainability Dashboard Check: You review your company’s carbon dashboard: diesel consumption, scope 2 electricity usage, and landfill diversion rates. You forward a note to Ops about missed lighting automation in two facilities.

7:30am – Regional Emissions Briefing: You join a call with your Midwest Regional Manager to discuss a pilot program for electric yard tractors. You align on data collection methods and vendor training needs.

8:30am – Exec Sync: You update the C-suite on progress toward your company’s 2030 net-zero targets. You highlight the need for additional metering at cross-docks and request budget allocation for LED upgrades.

10:00am – Investor ESG Update: You meet with investor relations to prepare for upcoming ESG disclosures. You review scope 3 emission trends and align on narrative framing for recent progress.

11:30am – Packaging Waste Initiative: You work with Procurement and Ops to launch a packaging redesign sprint to reduce box sizes and increase recyclable content. You request lifecycle cost analysis from Finance.

1:00pm – Community Impact Review: You speak with your Corporate Affairs lead about expanding paid volunteer hours and formalizing a partnership with a local environmental nonprofit near your largest facility.

2:30pm – Vendor Scorecard Finalization: You finalize the new supplier sustainability scorecard, which will apply during RFP evaluations. You align with Legal and Procurement to ensure the language is enforceable.

4:30pm – Research & Development Check-In: You touch base with your sustainability analyst on their white paper reviewing hydrogen fuel cells for short-haul fleet use.

5:30pm – Strategy Memo Draft: You end your day drafting a strategy brief for the board on decarbonization ROI across energy, fleet, and packaging initiatives.