Pathway to the C-suite: The chief sustainability officer (CSO)

The authors have created a framework that defines the six key roles that Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) tend to adopt, with slight variations according to the company, industry and location. They identified these roles after collectively working with and teaching global executives in the sustainability sphere, and following a workshop with CSOs under the auspices of IESE’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership?Center of Excellence. The roles within the model are divided into operational or strategic areas, while also considering the time frame of activities or tasks. It is also important to note that, in each of the six roles, some activities are internal, while others are external as they deal with reporting agencies, regulators, shareholders and other stakeholders such as customers, interest groups and the communities where the company operates. Readers should have a better idea of the responsibilities and reporting lines of the evolving role of the CSO in companies today.