What is a Chief Sustainability Officer?
Position Description 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
- Direct sustainability program operations to ensure compliance with environmental or governmental regulations.
- Research environmental sustainability issues, concerns, or stakeholder interests.
- Review sustainability program objectives, progress, or status to ensure compliance with policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
- Formulate or implement sustainability campaign or marketing strategies.
- Develop or execute strategies to address issues such as energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education, and building design.
- Conduct sustainability- or environment-related risk assessments.
Featured schools near , edit
Things a Chief Sustainability Officer Should Know How to Do
Chief Sustainability Officers state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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
- Environment Coordinator
- Director of Sustainability Programs
- Stakeholder Manager
- Corporate Sustainability Manager
- Environmental and Sustainability Manager
Are There Job Opportunities for Chief Sustainability Officers?
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. There will be an estimated 20,000 positions for Chief Sustainability Officer per 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.
Chief Sustainability Officer Average 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
Becoming a Chief Sustainability Officer
Education needed to be a Chief Sustainability Officer:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Chief Sustainability Officer?
Where Chief Sustainability Officers Work
Below are examples of industries where Chief Sustainability Officers work:
References:
Image Credit: Dave Dugdale via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
GradDegree.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© GradDegree.com – All Rights Reserved.