Does having a senior executive in charge of sustainability automatically make those companies green? Figuring out whether executives with this title are actually involved in driving change may be a tricky task, especially when major corporate disasters such as 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse, had executives with such titles.

So, how can one really find out if senior executives or anyone similar to that title are actually doing their job of corporate responsibility?

One way is to follow the money. It is important to recognize the ways in which a company allocates its resources. A chief sustainability officer (CSO) can also drive a company into a positive direction by focusing on the company’s long term direction. Where can change be led and in which areas can the company be responsive? By achieving answers to these questions,  CSO’s will be creating an influential way in which their companies will move upward.
The most effective way to bring about progress and change is when the CSO is connected with it’s company’s operations. Through this, a CSO can make better decisions and be well-knowledgeable of the areas that need more attention.