Who is Schneider Electric’s New CSO, Esther Finidori?
Schneider Electric has appointed Esther Finidori as its new Chief Sustainability Officer.
Esther began her role and joined the executive committee from 1 June 2025 with a mission to develop and deploy the company’s new sustainability strategy.
This follows the departure of Chris Leong from the role which she began in January 2025.
"It's a privilege to step into this pivotal role at a company that embodies sustainability as its core purpose," Esther shared on LinkedIn.
"Thank you Olivier Blum and Jean-Pascal Tricoire for the trust and for this opportunity to contribute to Schneider’s positive impact.
"I’m looking forward to embarking on this journey with the talented Schneider Sustainability team and all our global partners, as we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible and drive decarbonization and energy efficiency, while reinforcing our business relevance."
Esther Finidori’s career so far
Esther joined Schneider in 2016 as Director, Sustainable Supply Chain and CO₂ Strategy.
She held this position until 2021 when she became Group Environment VP before taking on the role of France Operations Strategy VP.
In this position, Schneider says that she “drove influence, commercial strategy, sales excellence and circular economy initiatives”.
Before joining Schneider, Esther worked as an environmental consultant specialised in climate change and energy transition.
She holds a Master of Science in Engineering from Ecole Centrale Paris and a Master of Philosophy in Technology Policy from the Judge Business School of Cambridge University.
Sustainability at Schneider Electric
With origins in 1836, Schneider Electric has been an innovator and pioneer in digitalisation to drive sustainability for nearly 200 years.
The company’s core purpose is to empower all to make the most out of the world’s resources.
Integrating sustainability into its core business strategy, Schneider Electric is heavily investing in carbon neutrality, renewable energy, circular economy, energy efficiency, biodiversity, environmental protection, sustainable supply chains and diversity and inclusion.
In 2024, the company was recognised as number two in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 250 Companies in Sustainability.
The company aims to reach net zero by 2050 through end-to-end decarbonisation with targets validated by the SBTi.
In 2025 it aims to achieve carbon neutral operations and extend this feat across its value chain in 2040.
Schneider Electric evaluates its sustainability progress through Schneider Sustainability Impact (SSI) scores, a tool rates its performance on a scale from one to 10 in terms of meeting six long-term commitments to the planet.
- Act for a climate-positive world
- Be efficient with resources
- Live up to its principles of trust
- Create equal opportunities
- Harness the power of all generations
- Empower local communities
In Q1 of 2021 it achieved a SSI score of 7.95.
Previous CSO Chris Leong
Chris Leong, previously Chief Sustainability Officer at Schneider Electric, has joined Ecolab as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer.
On her departure from Schneider, Chris said on LinkedIn: “It’s been a true privilege to contribute to the world’s most sustainable company’s growth journey, innovating for impact, and driving progress and sustainability for all!"
In her time at Schneider, Chris was recognised by Sustainability Magazine as one of the Top 250 Leaders in Sustainability and Top 250 Women in Sustainability.
“I’m exhilarated, thrilled, proud and humbled to join Ecolab as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer,” Chris said on LinkedIn when announcing her appointment.
“I am honoured and privileged to lead an incredible team of talented associates in global marketing, sustainability and innovation.
“A team anchored in deep-rooted understanding of customer needs, driving bold innovation, obsessed with delivering tangible value for our customers.”
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