The Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is responsible for a corporation’s approach to environmental responsibility and sustainability, including areas such as labor practices, social welfare, and economic development. The CSO reviews business processes to identify areas where a change in approach could increase the company’s commitment to sustainability and manages the transition. This position is strategic in nature and involves assessing the impact of changes on the corporation’s bottom line over time.
A chief sustainability officer (CSO) is responsible for a corporation’s approach to environmental responsibility and lessening its negative impact on the world’s ecosystems. It’s a position that has become popular as the public has increased its focus on global warming and conservation issues. OSC finds innovative ways for the corporation to fulfill its obligations as a responsible corporate citizen concerned as much about the future as it is about profits today.
Sustainability, at its core, applies to the preservation of our natural world and the desire not to further degrade the environment to the detriment of future generations. In the 21st century, however, the concept of sustainability has taken on a life of its own and it seems that there is no single definition that adequately defines all applications. As the international community continues to embrace economic globalism, it continues to expand the notion of sustainability to include areas that do not fall under environmentalism, such as labor practices, social welfare and economic development.
International law has fostered this tendency to treat sustainability as a philosophy and a thread that runs through all corporate behavior rather than as a narrow environmental approach. Companies in both the European Union and the United States are now required to determine the world impact of key actions they wish to take in advance and submit a sustainability plan. This commitment to sustainability has become such an important key to successful national and international business that the role of the Chief Sustainability Officer has been developed to manage the process.
A chief sustainability officer reviews the company’s business processes to identify areas where a change in approach could increase the company’s commitment to sustainability. He reviews the opportunity and presents it to the CEO and board of directors. If management decides to implement the opportunity, the CSO manages the transition.
This position is strategic in nature. Deciding to change a business process to a more sustainable approach is a long-term investment that can bankrupt a company if the change is not properly evaluated and planned. For example, a CSO might suggest changing a coffee company’s farming practices to a sustainable approach endorsed by major environmental groups. The CSO’s job is to determine the impact of that change on the corporation’s bottom line over time and make an informed recommendation on moving forward.
Another example of process change that a Chief Sustainability Officer can lead is in relation to product packaging. Many companies have moved to smaller containers that use biodegradable and recycled materials. A CSO takes responsibility for assessing and managing this transition. In addition, OSC is involved in all parts of the transition, including matters such as the public relations plan to educate the client on the benefits of the change.
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