forbes.com
CSO Role Expands as Sustainability Takes Center Stage
A Forbes survey of 1,100 global executives reveals a significant increase in collaboration between CEOs and CSOs on sustainability initiatives (43% in 2025 vs. 21% in 2024), driven by growing sustainability budgets and the integration of sustainability into core business strategy.
- How is the increased focus on sustainability governance impacting the collaboration between CSOs and other departments?
- This expansion of the CSO role reflects a broader trend of incorporating sustainability into core business strategy. The Forbes Research 2025 State of Sustainability Survey, based on over 1,100 global executives from large companies, shows that 76% of organizations now consider sustainability governance a core pillar of their long-term strategy, necessitating increased cross-functional collaboration.
- What is the most significant change in the role and influence of Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) within organizations?
- The role of Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) is rapidly evolving, with 43% of top leaders now collaborating with their CSOs on sustainability initiatives—a significant increase from 21% in 2024. This increased collaboration is supported by growing financial backing, with 93% of CSOs anticipating larger sustainability budgets in the next year.
- What are the potential challenges or limitations to the continued growth and influence of CSOs, given the high level of optimism reported in the survey?
- The increasing prominence of CSOs, with 96% reporting directly to the CEO or board and 31% leading sustainability strategy (up from 15% last year), indicates a shift towards greater accountability and integration of sustainability into organizational decision-making. This trend suggests future growth in both the CSO role's influence and the financial resources allocated to sustainability initiatives.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article uses positive framing and optimistic language throughout. Headlines like "For CSOs, greater responsibility and visibility" and "CSOs are confident in their organization's progress" present a biased perspective. The focus on increased budgets, collaboration, and influence reinforces a positive narrative about CSOs without critically examining potential challenges.
Language Bias
The language used is largely positive and celebratory, with terms like "growing financial support," "vast majority," and "more committed." These terms lack nuance and could be replaced with more neutral alternatives, such as "increased funding," "most," and "believe their organization is actively pursuing sustainability." The use of "impossible 83%" highlights an outlier finding needing further context.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the positive aspects of CSO roles and their growing influence, potentially omitting challenges or criticisms of the sustainability movement within corporations. There is no mention of potential conflicts of interest or limitations of current sustainability initiatives. The high percentage of CSOs believing they are more committed than their peers (83%) lacks context or counterpoints. The survey methodology and potential biases are not discussed.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a largely positive view of CSO roles and their impact, without exploring potential downsides or counterarguments. The framing implicitly suggests that increased CSO engagement automatically equates to improved sustainability practices, ignoring complexities and potential limitations.
Sustainable Development Goals
The increasing number of CSOs and their growing influence within organizations indicates a stronger commitment to integrating sustainability into business strategies. This directly supports SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable business practices and resource management.