Top 10 CSOs of global organisations
Sustainability has literally become a full-time career for some individuals. With climate change higher on the business agenda than ever before, organisations require sustainability leaders to take on new challenges. The responsibilities of these leaders include creating strategies, leading sustainability projects and managing the development of the people and communities affected by their business activities. Many of these individuals have spent years honing their skills for their industries and have become passionate about sustainability, taking it upon themselves to delve deeper into the critical issues that must be addressed to protect people and the planet.
10: Catherine Dolton, Chief Sustainability Officer, InterContinental Hotels Group
Employed by InterContinental Hotels Group for over 20 years, Chief Sustainability Officer Catherine Dolton is in charge of responsibility strategy for the group’s global operations, overseeing the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and contributions to charitable organisations or local communities. The company recently launched Journey to Tomorrow, a programme that will drive 10 years of responsible business through a series of ambitious targets set to support people, community development and the planet.
09: Charlotte Wolff-Bye, Chief Sustainability Officer, PETRONAS
Educated at the University of Cambridge and Harvard Business School, Charlotte Wolff-Bye has led a successful career working with organisations like Arcelor Mittal, Equinor, and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). At PETRONAS, as the Chief Sustainability Officer, Wolff-Bye is in charge at an exciting time as the company strives to reduce carbon in the fuel industry and modernise conventional fuel solutions with lower carbon alternatives.
08: Andrew Boyd, Chief Sustainability Officer, Perfetti Van Melle
Since joining Perfetti Van Melle, an Italy-based confectionery company, Andrew Boyd has been responsible for the sustainability initiatives of a global corporation with 17,000 employees that serve 150 countries. Boyd held sustainability roles in other large businesses, including Unilever and Mondelēz International, and is considered an expert in climate change risk mitigation, waste management, water reduction and multi-stakeholder engagement. He also holds extensive knowledge of environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting and benchmarking.
07: Judith Wiese, Chief People and Sustainability Officer, Siemens AG
Judith Wiese finds inspiration in people and their incentives to achieve more in their careers. As the Chief People and Sustainability Officer of Siemens AG, Wiese is involved in managing diversity and well-being within the team while also managing sustainability in the organisation. With several years working within organisational culture and talent management, Wiese is well-equipped for more successful years developing people and culture through her position at Siemens.
06: Marisa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Credit Suisse
Marisa Drew is proudly involved in the sustainability journey of Credit Suisse. In over 18 years, Drew has developed her career at the company since joining as a Managing Director in charge of global market and finance origination. As the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Drew is responsible for ensuring sustainability is considered within its strategies and overseeing finance and impact investment on behalf of the bank’s clients.
05: Richard Batten, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, JLL
Richard Batten is out to prove just how sustainable real estate can be. As the Global Chief Sustainability Officer of JLL, Batten has 35 years in the property sector, which has provided him with great skills and knowledge of investors, sales, acquisition and funding structures for commercial real estate. Previously, Batten was responsible for industrial and sustainability markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
04: Rebecca Marmot, Chief Sustainability Officer, Unilever
A long-standing member of the Unilever team, Chief Sustainability Officer Rebecca Marmot oversees the company’s sustainability strategy implementation. Before 2019, Marmot worked as the company’s Global Vice President of Sustainability; a leading role in the newly merged Global Sustainability, Global Advocacy & Policy team and Global Partnerships team. Previously, Marmot worked for organisations including L’Oreal, Bell Pottinger, and the UK Department of Trade and Industry.
03: Rasmus Skov, Head of Global Public Affairs & Sustainability Solutions, Ørsted
As one of the leading renewable energy organisations that advocates sustainability and climate change, Ørsted is well placed to provoke change in the industry. The leader of its sustainability initiatives, Rasmus Skov, Head of Global Public Affairs & Sustainability Solutions, has been with the company since 2017 when he joined as the Head of Sustainability. His position has since developed into the current role, which incorporates more global operations.
02: Päivi Makkonen, Head of Supply Chain Sustainability, Neste
Päivi Makkonen, Head of Supply Chain Sustainability, comes from a working background in management, and sustainability and technical marketing. Previously a member of KCL and Metsä Group – a sustainable bioenergy organisation – Makkonen led a proactive role, which put the company ahead of customer sustainability demands. She is passionate about topics like circular economy, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), climate change, emissions, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Since joining Neste in 2019, during an exciting time for the company, she has managed the strategic initiatives in relation to sustainable business and headed up a global team of professionals spanning Espoo (Finland), Houston, Singapore, Shanghai and Melbourne. This team’s primary role focuses on making changes in the supply chain and improving sustainability communications with suppliers.
01: Olivier Blum, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is one of the leaders in the sector as it proudly represents more than 20 years of sustainability commitment. As the sustainability lead for the organisation, Olivier Blum has been with the company for more than 28 years and continues to make an impact as he emphasises the importance of access to clean energy and digital solutions as basic human rights.
In previous years with the company, Blum has held positions in sales and marketing, strategy, management and distribution. He is passionate about finding new business opportunities and engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Blum spends a lot of his time and energy developing the working environment to ensure employees can reach their full potential.
