What is a Chief Sustainability Officer?
Chief Sustainability Officer Example Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.
Life As a Chief Sustainability Officer
- Research environmental sustainability issues, concerns, or stakeholder interests.
- Identify and evaluate pilot projects or programs to enhance the sustainability research agenda.
- Review sustainability program objectives, progress, or status to ensure compliance with policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
- Identify educational, training, or other development opportunities for sustainability employees or volunteers.
- Develop, or oversee the development of, sustainability evaluation or monitoring systems.
- Formulate or implement sustainability campaign or marketing strategies.
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Chief Sustainability Officer Skills
When polled, Chief Sustainability Officers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Types of Chief Sustainability Officer
- Sustainability Reports Manager
- Director of Sustainability Programs
- Energy Sustainability Manager
- Environmental Sustainability Manager
- Sustainability Program Manager
What Kind of Chief Sustainability Officer Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 308,900 jobs for Chief Sustainability Officer in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Chief Sustainability Officer. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 20,000 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Chief Sustainability Officer are Washington, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Ohio, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Chief Sustainability Officers Salary
The salary for Chief Sustainability Officers ranges between about $68,360 and $208,000 a year.
Chief Sustainability Officers who work in California, District of Columbia, or Georgia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Chief Sustainability Officers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $204,590 |
Alaska | $179,630 |
Arizona | $194,360 |
Arkansas | $126,960 |
California | $228,270 |
Colorado | $198,130 |
Connecticut | $210,650 |
District of Columbia | $247,500 |
Florida | $187,870 |
Georgia | $218,590 |
Hawaii | $201,680 |
Idaho | $94,470 |
Illinois | $230,070 |
Indiana | $148,730 |
Iowa | $211,560 |
Kansas | $172,100 |
Kentucky | $152,670 |
Louisiana | $208,110 |
Maine | $152,780 |
Maryland | $198,260 |
Massachusetts | $221,810 |
Michigan | $206,660 |
Minnesota | $195,320 |
Mississippi | $112,310 |
Missouri | $167,980 |
Montana | $132,400 |
Nebraska | $220,950 |
Nevada | $215,590 |
New Hampshire | $180,250 |
New Jersey | $233,050 |
New York | $220,040 |
North Carolina | $210,050 |
North Dakota | $172,900 |
Ohio | $201,100 |
Oklahoma | $157,540 |
Oregon | $212,290 |
Pennsylvania | $231,120 |
Rhode Island | $242,350 |
South Carolina | $182,760 |
South Dakota | $251,950 |
Tennessee | $152,730 |
Texas | $239,680 |
Utah | $165,020 |
Vermont | $136,410 |
Virginia | $228,540 |
Washington | $220,730 |
West Virginia | $153,880 |
Wisconsin | $154,820 |
Wyoming | $131,020 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Chief Sustainability Officers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Chief Sustainability Officers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- Email software
- SAP
- Microsoft Project
- Scheduling software
- Microsoft Dynamics GP
- Teleconferencing software
How to Become a Chief Sustainability Officer
What education or degrees do I need to become a Chief Sustainability Officer?
What work experience do I need to become a Chief Sustainability Officer?
Where Chief Sustainability Officers Are Employed
The table below shows the approximate number of Chief Sustainability Officers employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: Dave Dugdale via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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