Chief Sustainability Officers

Employers

CSOs work for a variety of companies, including major corporations, regional and local companies, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Chief sustainability officers are top-level executives; depending on the structure of the organization, they may report to chief executive officers. They have at least five or more years of prior work experience in management positions on sustainability programs.

Starting Out

Many sustainability officers get their start through entry-level positions working on environmental programs for companies. Participating in an internship while in school is another way to get started in this career. Speak with your school's career services office for help with locating internship opportunities in sustainability. You can also locate employment opportunities by attending career fairs and searching for job openings listed at Web sites such as CareerBuilder, Indeed, and LinkedIn, among others, as well as through LinkedIn.