There’s a new title in the C-suite: chief ESG officer. While top executives with “ESG” in their title are new and not yet widespread, this role is an opportunity that companies may consider as they face increasing pressure to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues; companies like C.H. Robinson, Royal Caribbean, and Verizon have recently appointed chief ESG officers. But what does a chief ESG officer do? And when should a company have one?
Does Your Company Need a Chief ESG Officer?
Three questions to ask before appointing one.
February 17, 2022
Illustration by Barbara Gibson
Summary.
CEOs and boards of directors are under increasing pressure to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. To support them, companies like C.H. Robinson, Royal Caribbean, and Verizon have recently appointed chief ESG officers. To discover whether your company would benefit from having one, the authors suggest considering three questions: Do your stakeholders care about ESG? What role does ESG play in your strategy? And would a chief ESG officer be complementary?