Elaine Brady
Managing Partner, Barden Leinster
Jonathan Olden
Managing Partner, Barden Munster
For executive teams, appointing the right sustainability lead has become a strategic decision rather than an operational one, and it comes down to finding the right fit.
Sustainability now shapes strategy, investment, risk, and reputation, so it needs clear ownership at the top. “The challenge isn’t always having the data or understanding what needs to change,” explains Elaine Brady, Managing Partner at Barden Leinster. “It’s deciding who ultimately owns the sustainability agenda.”
That means looking past who does the day-to-day work, to who is accountable for the outcome. Ownership below executive level rarely carries the authority to move procurement, finance, or operations. “Sustainability can’t sit in the margins of the business. Someone at executive level needs to be accountable,” says Brady.
Deciding who holds the seat
“Who you put in that seat is a real statement of intent,” continues Brady. “It sets the direction for the next five years and the calibre of people you can attract around them.”
Seniority, reporting lines, and budget are not administrative details. Pitched too far down, the role struggles to attract experienced professionals later, because few will come in beneath someone more junior than themselves. “Getting that appointment wrong can be catastrophic. The person needs genuine ownership, influence, and the authority to deliver change,” says Brady. “This could be the COO, CFO, or a whole new appointment entirely.”
Sustainability can’t sit in the margins of the business.
Someone at executive level needs to be accountable
Skills matter, but fit matters more
Skills are easily assessed on paper; fit is more challenging. Through their Leaders for Better interview series, Barden asked Irish B Corp leaders what they find hardest to hire for at leadership level, and every one of them gave the same answer: fit. Several build it into their processes deliberately, giving the individual real time with the wider leadership team before any offer is made.
That holds across every practice area, according to Jonathan Olden, Managing Partner at Barden Munster. “When we talk to leaders about sustainability appointments, the list of required skills can be very long. But ultimately, it’s fit that will determine whether the person succeeds,” he says. “You can teach skills, but you can’t teach cultural fit. It comes down to culture, morals, and the kind of leadership you need to make change happen.”
The takeaway: decide who owns the sustainability agenda before writing a specification. If the answer is a new appointment, pitch it at a level that will still attract the right people in five years. That is far harder to correct later than it is to get right at the start.
Barden is a partner-led talent advisory, recruitment, and executive search firm, and a certified B Corp. Our partners work directly with executive teams to find leaders with the experience and the fit to move an organisation forward. For a confidential conversation, contact Elaine [email protected]
