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Chief Sustainability Officer

Business

Communicate and coordinate with management, shareholders, customers, and employees to address sustainability issues. Enact or oversee a corporate sustainability strategy.

BusinessRenewable Energy

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of sustainability programs.
  2. 2Develop or execute strategies to address issues such as energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education, and building design.
  3. 3Develop, or oversee the development of, sustainability evaluation or monitoring systems.
  4. 4Supervise employees or volunteers working on sustainability projects.
  5. 5Develop sustainability reports, presentations, or proposals for supplier, employee, academia, media, government, public interest, or other groups.
  6. 6Develop, or oversee the development of, marketing or outreach media for sustainability projects or events.
  7. 7Identify and evaluate pilot projects or programs to enhance the sustainability research agenda.
  8. 8Create and maintain sustainability program documents, such as schedules and budgets.
  9. 9Formulate or implement sustainability campaign or marketing strategies.
  10. 10Research environmental sustainability issues, concerns, or stakeholder interests.
  11. 11Direct sustainability program operations to ensure compliance with environmental or governmental regulations.
  12. 12Evaluate and approve proposals for sustainability projects, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and integration with other initiatives.
  13. 13Develop methodologies to assess the viability or success of sustainability initiatives.
  14. 14Review sustainability program objectives, progress, or status to ensure compliance with policies, standards, regulations, or laws.
  15. 15Write project proposals, grant applications, or other documents to pursue funding for environmental initiatives.
  16. 16Write and distribute financial or environmental impact reports.
  17. 17Identify educational, training, or other development opportunities for sustainability employees or volunteers.
  18. 18Conduct risk assessments related to sustainability and the environment.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • CGO
  • CSO
  • CECO
  • ESG Manager
  • Sustainability Chief
  • Sustainability Manager
  • Sustainability Director
  • Chief Green Officer (CGO)
  • CSR and Sustainability VP
  • Sustainability Chancellor

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EconomicsDraws directly on Administration and Management — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
History (Sejarah)Draws directly on Law and Government — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Bahasa MelayuDraws directly on Communications and Media — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • English Language86%

    English

  • Administration and Management83%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Law and Government74%

    History (Sejarah)

  • Communications and Media71%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • Building and Construction70%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Education and Training68%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

6%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Hotel & Tourism Manager

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Chief Sustainability Officers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org