Chief Sustainability Officer

Job Title: Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)

Location: Mumbai or Delhi

Reports to: Group CEO / Board of Directors

Experience Required: Minimum 12 years, with at least 5 years in a critical leadership role

Location & Travel

Role based in Mumbai or Delhi , with occasional domestic and international travel.

About the Company

The LHR Group, an executive search firm has been mandated to hire for a reputed Indian conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai, with business interests across sectors including manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, consumer goods, and technology. With a strong commitment to responsible growth and inclusive development, we are seeking a visionary and strategic Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to lead and shape our sustainability agenda across all group companies.

Role Overview

The Chief Sustainability Officer will be responsible for defining, leading, and executing the Group's overall sustainability strategy. The CSO will ensure alignment with global best practices, ESG compliance, and long-term environmental, social, and governance goals, while driving stakeholder engagement and creating measurable impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership:
• Develop and implement a group-wide sustainability vision, strategy, and roadmap.
• Integrate sustainability into core business functions and growth plans.
• Guide the Board and Executive Leadership on sustainability-related risks and opportunities.
• Policy and Governance:
• Formulate sustainability and ESG-related policies and frameworks.
• Establish governance models to ensure accountability, performance monitoring, and compliance with international standards (e.g., GRI, SASB, TCFD, SDGs).
• Stakeholder Engagement:
• Act as the company's primary spokesperson on sustainability matters.
• Collaborate with internal teams, industry bodies, regulators, NGOs, and governmental agencies.
• Lead the preparation and publication of the annual Sustainability/ESG Report.
• Operational Implementation:
• Drive cross-functional initiatives on carbon footprint reduction, circular economy, biodiversity, water stewardship, renewable energy, waste management, and responsible sourcing.
• Promote sustainability innovation across R&D, supply chain, and manufacturing.
• Data, Reporting, and Compliance:
• Oversee data collection, performance tracking, and impact measurement.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and reporting to SEBI, BRSR, and other statutory bodies.
• Identify and manage ESG risks and opportunities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Public Policy, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 12 years of total professional experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role focused on sustainability, ESG, CSR, or environmental management.
• Proven experience in setting and delivering ESG strategies within large, complex organizations (preferably in a conglomerate or multinational setting).
• Strong understanding of global sustainability frameworks, climate risk, and ESG reporting standards.
• Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder management, and analytical skills.

Preferred Attributes

• Thought leadership in sustainability with a strong network in the global ESG space.
• Exposure to green finance, carbon markets, and impact investing is a plus.
• Experience working with diverse teams across multiple geographies and industries.