Head of sustainability and CSO search
Chief sustainability officers, heads of sustainability and ESG leads for corporates and private equity portfolio companies. UK, US and Europe.
Request a callWho we place
We find the person who owns sustainability inside a business: the strategy, the reporting, and the hard conversations with the board, investors and customers.
- Chief sustainability officers
- Heads of sustainability and heads of ESG
- First sustainability hires for private equity portfolio companies
- Sustainability reporting and disclosure leads
- Climate, decarbonisation and transition plan leads
- Interim sustainability leaders to cover a gap or a reporting cycle
Who we work for
We work for listed companies, private businesses and the investors who own them.
- Private equity portfolio companies, often as the first sustainability hire
- Listed and private corporates
- Financial services and commodities groups
- Real estate and infrastructure owners and operators
- Professional services firms
Getting the hire right
The title covers very different jobs. In one business it means reporting and data; in another it means changing how the company buys, builds and sells. We spend the kickoff working out which you need, because the right person for one is often wrong for the other.
For portfolio companies the brief usually comes from the fund but the person works for management. We make sure both are behind the role before we go to market, and that candidates hear the same story from each.
Reporting rules are moving on both sides of the Atlantic, and many candidates are wary of roles that turn out to be compliance only. A clear sense of what the business wants the role to change is what attracts the strongest people.
How we run the search
We start with forty-five minutes with the hiring manager, and the sponsor at the fund where there is one, on what the person will have to change in their first year and who they will need to bring with them. We then approach people directly, most of whom are not on the market, interview for motivation as much as experience, and send a shortlist within one to two weeks.
The full process is on our executive search page. Permanent search is what we do. Interim on request.
Roles we have filled
- Head of Sustainability, listed commodities and financial services group, London
- Head of ESG, private equity-backed professional services firm, UK
- Head of ESG, European outlet retail property business
- Sustainability Manager, private equity-backed cold-chain logistics business, UK
- Senior Project Developer, independent power producer, Paris
Questions we are asked
Is this your first sustainability hire? Can you help us shape the role?
Yes. Many of our portfolio company searches are the first hire of their kind. We will help you decide the level, the reporting line and what the first year should deliver before we start.
Do you work with the private equity sponsor or the company?
Both. The fund often starts the conversation, but the person works for the management team, so we brief with both and keep both informed.
Can you find someone with industry experience?
Usually, but it narrows the pool. We will tell you early whether sector experience is worth the trade-off or whether a strong sustainability leader from a neighbouring sector will do the job better.
Do you offer interim cover?
Permanent search is what we do. We take on interim assignments on request, for example to cover a reporting cycle while a permanent search runs.
How long does it take?
You will have a shortlist within one to two weeks of the kickoff. After that the timing depends on your interview process and notice periods.
How do your fees work?
We agree fees and terms with you before a search starts and will talk you through them on a first call.