Chief Sustainability Officers

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

Also called: Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), Corporate Sustainability Process Manager, CSR and Sustainability VP (Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Vice President), Sustainability Chancellor, Sustainability Chief, Sustainability Director, Sustainability Initiatives Vice President (Sustainability Initiatives VP), Sustainability Manager, Sustainability Programs Director, Sustainable Design Director, Chief Environmental Commitment Officer (CECO), Chief Green Officer (CGO), Climate Change and Sustainability Manager, Corporate Sustainability Manager, Energy and Sustainability Manager, Energy Sustainability Manager, Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure Manager, Environmental and Sustainability Manager, Environmental Sustainability Manager, ESG Manager (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Manager), Global Sustainability Manager, Sustainability Energy Manager, Sustainability Reports Director, Sustainability Research and Advocacy Director, Sustainability Strategy Manager

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of sustainability programs.
Develop or execute strategies to address issues such as energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education, and building design.
Develop, or oversee the development of, sustainability evaluation or monitoring systems.
Supervise employees or volunteers working on sustainability projects.
Develop sustainability reports, presentations, or proposals for supplier, employee, academia, media, government, public interest, or other groups.
Develop, or oversee the development of, marketing or outreach media for sustainability projects or events.
Identify and evaluate pilot projects or programs to enhance the sustainability research agenda.
Create and maintain sustainability program documents, such as schedules and budgets.
Formulate or implement sustainability campaign or marketing strategies.
Research environmental sustainability issues, concerns, or stakeholder interests.

Skills, machines and equipment

Writing
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Complex Problem Solving
Social Perceptiveness
Persuasion
Judgment and Decision Making
Systems Analysis
Systems Evaluation
Active Learning

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree (74.07% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

O*NET Job Zone 5: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

129,540–356,200 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 11-1011.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Suggested development: build experience in safety leadership, staff development, budgeting, and continuous improvement before seeking responsibility for a larger department or plant.
Possible next steps include broader operations or multi-site leadership; vacancies, qualifications, and advancement are employer-specific, not guaranteed.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: Master's Degree (74.07% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET Job Zone 5: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Chief Sustainability Officers