US chief sustainability officer roles drop 10% in past year

A 10% drop in chief sustainability officer roles across US firms in the past year signals something real about corporate commitment – or lack thereof.

The headline figure matters because it's not a blip. CSO positions have proliferated since 2019, but this pullback suggests either consolidation, reduced investment, or boards retreating from standalone sustainability leadership. The distinction matters enormously.

Edie's analysis unpacks the nuance here: some organisations are embedding sustainability deeper into existing C-suite roles rather than creating new ones. Others are folding the function into operations, procurement, or investor relations. That can work – if the mandate is clear and the board holds real accountability. More often, it signals budget cuts dressed up as "integration".

The role itself has shifted. Early CSOs were often comms-facing – reporting sustainability initiatives, crafting narratives. Modern ones manage supply-chain decarbonisation, climate scenario analysis, regulatory compliance across CSRD and SEC disclosure rules, and increasingly, scope 3 emissions. It's harder work, needs different skillsets, and carries real commercial risk if executed poorly.

The 10% drop matters because it happens alongside intensifying regulatory pressure. EU firms face mandatory CSRD disclosures; US firms watch SEC climate rules evolve. Walking back CSO headcount at this moment suggests either that boards think the pressure will ease – unlikely – or that they're absorbing sustainability into operational line roles without the dedicated firepower needed.

Which interpretation does your board hold?

‘Deeply rooted, delivering value’: The changing role of the CSO

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