Energy · Chief Sustainability Officer
Chief Sustainability Officer executive search.
Retained CSO and Head of ESG search for listed companies, corporates, regulated financial services and industrial businesses.
What the role is
A short definition.
A Chief Sustainability Officer holds executive-level accountability for the organisation’s sustainability performance — climate, nature, social, and governance. In modern practice this means CSRD or TCFD reporting, transition planning, investor-facing narrative, regulatory engagement, and cross-functional coordination with the CFO on climate-related financial disclosures. The CSO role has shifted materially in the last three years from advisory to accountable.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Sustainability strategy aligned to the commercial plan and material topics
- CSRD, TCFD, SASB, or equivalent reporting frameworks
- Transition planning and Scope 1/2/3 emissions strategy
- Investor-facing sustainability narrative and coordination with IR
- Regulator engagement — SFDR/SDR in financial services, sector-specific frameworks
- Cross-functional coordination with CFO, CRO, Ops, Legal and Product
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On the transition from an advisory Head of Sustainability to an accountable CSO; on entry into a new reporting regime (CSRD, TCFD, SFDR); ahead of a listing or IPO; on a strategic reset around net-zero commitments; on the departure of an incumbent.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained. Candidate pools include sitting CSOs at comparable-scale businesses, senior Head of ESG or Head of Sustainability leaders ready for the CSO step-up, and (for sectoral-specialist briefs) senior operational leaders with genuine sustainability accountability. Every mandate is led by a partner with sustainability sector fluency.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a CSO and a Head of Sustainability?
CSO is typically the executive-committee-level accountable role; Head of Sustainability is often an advisory or operational role reporting to a CSO or COO. The trend is toward CSO seats being genuinely executive; boards writing a “Head of Sustainability” brief for what is really a CSO role will slow the search.
Do you handle CSO searches for listed companies specifically?
Yes. Listed-company CSO search is a specialism — the role includes investor-facing narrative, Annual Report content, and coordination with the CFO on climate-related financial disclosures.
Can you support ESG leadership within asset managers?
Yes. Head of Sustainable Investment, Head of ESG (Asset Management) and comparable roles within asset managers are a distinct specialism requiring SFDR / SDR fluency.
How long does a CSO search take?
Twelve to sixteen weeks brief to accepted offer is typical. Board-facing CSO searches involving Audit Committee or Chair interviews can run longer.
How is CSO compensation structured?
Base, cash bonus, and (in listed environments) LTIP participation with sustainability performance modifiers. Comp is rising sharply in the last two years as the role professionalises.
Related practice