How CHROs can help drive their organizations towards net zero

Knut Haanaes, Professor of Strategy and Lundin Sustainability Chair at IMD Business School, explains why CHROs will play a key role in their organizations’ progress towards net zero.

As organizations pursue the decarbonization imperative with increasing determination, there is a growing realization that no single leader or business function alone will be able to drive progress towards net zero. One role that will nevertheless be vital in the process is that of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).

A significant organizational challenge

The transition to net zero is a challenging exercise in large-scale transformation. Organizations will approach decarbonization in different ways – and certainly at different paces – but all will experience a period of significant change and upheaval. At IMD, our experience of transformation initiatives tells us that they succeed or fail according to the leadership and the capabilities of the organization.

Enter the CHRO, whose role is…