Top 10: Sustainability Leaders in Europe
Europe has one of the largest economies in the world and some ambitious sustainability regulations to follow.
Every country in Europe has either signed and ratified, or acceded to, the Paris Agreement, making a commitment to reach net zero by 2050.
However, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network found that progress in the continent on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is slowing down.
Sustainability Magazine has ranked 10 of the top sustainability leaders in Europe helping to accelerate progress in businesses.
10. Philippine de TâSerclaes
Company: Dassault Systèmes
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Paris, France
Dassault Systèmesâ Chief Sustainability Officer Philippine has more than 20 years of global experience and leads the company's strategy to enhance sustainable business solutions.
She joined the business in 2022 with experience from JPMorgan Chase, the International Energy Agency and Schneider Electric.
âSustainability is at the heart of Dassault Systèmesâ purpose â empowering businesses and people with virtual twin experiences capable of harmonising product, nature and life,â Philippine wrote on LinkedIn. âWe believe technology can be a force for good.â
9. Sophie Graham
Company: IFS
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: LinkĂśping, Sweden
As Chief Sustainability Officer at IFS, Sophie uses technology to drive sustainable change across industries.
She leads the companyâs global strategy, focussing on community impact, customer support and operational excellence.
Sophie joined IFS in 2021 to lead its ESG strategy with previous experience from businesses including Santander and Fujitsu.
âThe path to a low carbon future is through new technologies that deliver both commercial and sustainability benefits,â she says.
8. Ingrid De Ryck
Company: AB InBev
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Leuven, Belgium
Ingrid took on the role of Chief Sustainability Officer at AB InBev in 2024, responsible for iconic brands including Budweiser, Corona, Stella Artois and many more.
âOur beers are made from a few simple ingredients â grains, hops and water,â explains Ingrid on LinkedIn. âProtecting these precious resources is essential to our business. At AB InBev, we recognise that farmers are the foundation of our delicious products and we work to support them across our value chain.â
7. Judith Wiese
Company: Siemens
Title: Chief People and Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Munich, Germany
Judith is the Chief People and Sustainability Officer of leading technology business Siemens, supporting sustainability improvements like efficiency and automation.
She joined the business in 2020 with previous experience from Mars and dsm-fiemenich.
Judith said on LinkedIn: “For over 177 years, Siemens has been the backbone of economies. Today, we continue to shape a sustainable future.
“Sustainability matters to us more than ever. It’s central to how we create value, drive growth, protect the planet and enable progress for billions of people.”
6. Karen Pflug
Company: Ingka Group
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Leiden, the Netherlands
Karen took on the role of Chief Sustainability Officer at Ingka Group, IKEAâs largest franchisee, in 2021.
Previously she held roles at Reebok and Nike and was Chief Executive Officer of Ikano Insight, a firm specialising in data management and analytics founded by the owner of IKEA.
Throughout her career, Karen has led major business transformation and change initiatives, with a strong emphasis on innovation, sustainable design and retail. She has lived in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong and Sweden.
5. Virginie Helias
Company: Procter & Gamble
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Ohio, US
Based in Switzerland, Virginie has focussed on sustainability since 2011 before becoming P&G’s Chief Sustainability Officer in 2019. She joined the business in 1988.
“While I recommended the creation of this position, my vision has always been for the role to become obsolete, with sustainability seamlessly integrated into everything P&G does,” Virginie says on LinkedIn. “As I often say to people seeking a career in sustainability: excel in your field and make sustainability a part of it.”
4. Ewan Andrew
Company: Diageo
Title: Global Supply Chain & Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: London, UK
Ewan Andrew was appointed President, Global Supply Chain & Procurement and Chief Sustainability Officer at Diageo in September 2019.
He joined the business in 2003 and has held roles across supply chain, procurement, and manufacturing before taking on sustainability.
Ewan explains: “I have the pleasure of leading our Global Supply Chain and Procurement teams, as well as being Chief Sustainability Officer. I know first-hand how critical grain-to-glass sustainability is to the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations.”
3. Rebecca Marmot
Company: Unilever
Title: Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer
Headquarters: London, UK
Since Rebecca joined Unilever in 2007, the company has played a role in major sustainability milestones including the creation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2015.
She began her career in PR and marketing before moving into consultancy work. Rebecca then moved into politics before taking her skills to the corporate world at L’Oréal and then joining Unilever.
“We've made strong strategic choices about where to focus and have made encouraging early progress against our goals,” Rebecca says. “We’re also stepping up our focus on systemic sustainability challenges to drive change that will benefit our business and society.”
Under her leadership, the company aims to achieve net zero emissions across its value chain by 2039, reach an end to plastic pollution through reduction, circulation and collaboration and support resilient and regenerative natural and agricultural ecosystems.
2. Agustín Delgado Martín
Company: Iberdrola
Title: Chief Innovation and Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Bilbao, Spain
Under Agustín’s leadership, Iberdrola has strengthened its position as a global leader in renewable energy, committing to carbon neutrality and accelerating investments in green innovation.
Before joining Iberdrola, he worked in research and development, focusing on sustainable energy technologies. Since taking on his leadership role, he has been instrumental in advancing Iberdrola’s global decarbonisation efforts and spearheading technological advancements in the energy industry.
He has been a driving force behind Iberdrola’s pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, as well as the company’s expansion in offshore wind, hydrogen and smart grid technologies.
Agustín says: “One of the things we have learned is that technology is not a problem. We used to think in a linear way but technology is evolving more exponentially and so we need to think in an exponential way, and we also need to be very focused on action.
“With this, we want to be one of the companies that is in a leading position to embrace and promote this change.”
1. Esther Finidori
Company: Schneider Electric
Title: Chief Sustainability Officer
Headquarters: Paris, France
Esther took on the role of Chief Sustainability Officer and joined the executive committee at Schneider Electric from 1 June 2025. She said: "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 decarbonisation and energy efficiency, while reinforcing our business relevance."
Esther joined Schneider in 2016 as Director, Sustainable Supply Chain and COâ Strategy. She held this position until 2021 when she became Group Environment VP before taking on the role of France Operations Strategy VP.
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.
With origins in 1836, Schneider Electric has been an innovator and pioneer in digitalisation to drive sustainability for nearly 200 years. Esther leads the company’s ESG efforts which are part of its core business strategy.
