Month: August 2024

NEW YORK, August 20, 2024 /3BL/ – A list of the 100 leading Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) in the United States and Canada has been released. Executives stem from a diverse range of industries, including retail, consumer brands, services and technology, underscoring the universality of the sustainability challenge.

The list has been published by Futur/io Institute, a pioneering organization dedicated to nurturing and inspiring leadership in sustainable innovation and building the most impactful network of CSOs globally. An extensive database was compiled with scientific partner The Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School.

Women represent two-thirds of the Top 100 CSOs of North America, with 67 women and 33 men featured on the list. US companies are the majority, occupying 91 positions, while Canada has 9 companies present.

The complete list is available on the CSO Awards website.

“We want to shine a light on the importance of these leaders and the role of the CSO. They are breaking new ground in the transition to desirable futures in which business and sustainability thrive together, in synergy” stated Harald Neidhardt, CEO & Curator of the Futur/io Institute. “Every year, we celebrate the most important CSOs in Europe during the World Economic Forum week in Davos. Now, we are bringing the prestigious CSO Awards to Climate Week in New York, to honor the leaders of companies in the United States and Canada.”

To be featured in the Top100 list, the executives must be the highest sustainability representative of the company or group with an executive role, occupy the position for at least a year, and be considered a thought leader.

At a company level, the list includes companies headquartered in the USA or Canada, with an annual revenue of over $1 billion and at least five thousand employees. Oil and gas companies were not considered, in an effort in line with the recent COP29 of the United Nations Climate Secretariat (UNFCCC) to encourage fast divestment from fossil fuels and resource-heavy industries.

The Futur/io CSO Awards Top 100 List is the first chapter in an initiative that aims to celebrate the leading Chief Sustainability Officers of North America. The CSO Awards will culminate at a gala ceremony in New York City on September 23, during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week. The CSO Awards North America are supported by premium partners IntegrityNext and Celonis.

The Futur/io four-quadrant model was developed in partnership with scientific research partners, such as the Leonardo Centre at Imperial College Business School and Denominator, specialized in human-centric data. Futur/io Institute will narrow down the Top100 list to 20 names, who will be the nominees of the CSO Awards. The final three Award Winners, as well as the special mentions, will be selected by a Grand Jury composed of thought leaders in sustainability and only announced at the gala ceremony.

Top 100 Eligibility Requirements

Company Level

Over $1 Billion in annual revenues. The CSO Award focuses on major companies where sustainability practices grant the most impact in reducing emissions and contributing to groundbreaking changes, whilst bearing the most challenges.Company headquarters must be based within the USA or Canada.Company Headcount +5k employeesCompanies that have published the latest sustainability report by July 2, 2024 (data source must include at least the first quarter of 2023)The awards do not include oil & gas, defence, and consulting companies, or related industries.

CSO Level

We consider the job titles of Chief Sustainability Officer or equivalent, operating a C-level, Vice president or director position.Highest sustainability representative of the company or group with executive roles.Only one CSO/equivalent role per group or affiliated companies.At least one year in the current position to be eligible for further nomination stage (one year before September 1, 2024).Thought leadership ranked by the number of followers on LinkedIn and public appearances.

About Futur/io

We believe in co-creating desirable futures where ideas and innovation drive a regenerative economy that benefits people and the planet.

Our goal is to create the most impactful network of Chief Sustainability Officers dedicated to transforming businesses to serve people, planet and profit.

To know more, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

Success often starts with an opportunity and a connection. 

For the past two summers, U.S. Bank intern Alex Bryant has been working with the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion program to help teach high school students basic programming skills. 

“I had an opportunity to instill this love of technology and coding into students and it was awesome to pass on that knowledge,” Bryant said. “It was a really enriching experience.”

Bryant, a rising senior at Emory University in Atlanta, is wrapping up her summer internship at U.S. Bank where she has been working in software development, focusing on user interface design and implementation and AI/machine learning. 

Bryant was one of a dozen U.S. Bank interns who took part in the Girls Who Code Intern Meet-up event in Atlanta. This marks one of the first Girls Who Code Intern Meet-up events held nationally. 

U.S. Bank recently hosted the event at its Elavon offices in partnership with Girls Who Code, a leading nonprofit organization focused on closing the gender gap in technology. The bank has served as a corporate sponsor with Girls Who Code for more than seven years, investing over $1 million in the organization. 

The meet-up included 30 Girls Who Code college students and early career people representing12 universities and an additional 12 U.S. Bank interns. The goal was to create a networking opportunity for U.S. Bank leaders, interns and Girls Who Code participants to meet and engage with each other. U.S. Bank Chief Information Officer for Payment Services Rachel Hansen served as the host and addressed the group. 

“It is critical that we continue to provide opportunities for these young women,” Hansen said. “Girls Who Code is a super important organization to partner with. It helps us create a diverse environment, which is extremely valuable and takes involvement from everyone.”  

A panel of U.S. Bank leaders covered topics that included mentorship and allyship, landing a first job in technology, career advancement and upskilling, how to search and apply for jobs, interviewing skills and how to stand out in a competitive job market. 

“Girls Who Code meetups provide a sense of community,” Bryant said. “It’s nice to have a support system for personal and professional growth.”

According to Girls Who Code, the organization has served 670,000 young women and non-binary students over its 10-year history. In the 2023-24 academic year, Girls Who Code served nearly 100,000 girls, women and nonbinary individuals.

Learn more about Girls Who Code here.