The three superpowers of the Chief Sustainability Officer

The KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook confirms that sustainability is important for companies. More than two thirds of global CEOs have fully integrated ESG into their company as a means of creating value. But what role does the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) play in a company, and does the company need this position?

The short answer is yes, absolutely. Given the changes and challenges that companies will face during the ESG transformation in the coming years, a strong CSO position or head of sustainability function is crucial. Today’s CSOs primarily have a strategic rather than a representative role. Sustainable transformation is a fundamental, long-term change process at all levels of the company. For this to succeed, three special skills are required, which we call the three superpowers of the CSO: understanding, connecting, and communicating.

These three superpowers and central tasks of the CSO make one thing clear: the ideal CSO needs a comprehensive set of knowledge and skills, and should consider these when assembling their team.

The CSO will play a crucial role in the sustainable transformation of companies over the next five to ten years. They are the "Agent of Change" and will make many difficult individual decisions with the Management Board, including with the Chief Officers for Finance, Operations, Innovation, Technology, Information, Human Resources, and others.

Companies should establish a strong position for ESG or sustainability. By equipping the responsible person with authority, creative competence, and sufficient resources, they can fully develop their superpowers within a well-functioning team, alongside the CEO.