The agri-food sector is facing growing scrutiny when it comes to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. From reducing greenhouse gas emissions to ensuring fair labor practices and creating transparent supply chains — ESG is no longer a side issue. It’s a strategic priority, and it calls for strong leadership at the highest levels of an organization.

The Board’s ESG Mandate
Boards of directors play a central role in setting ESG expectations and ensuring that executive teams can deliver on them. This means embedding ESG into corporate objectives, risk oversight, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Boards that take this responsibility seriously position their organizations for long-term success and resilience.

What Defines Effective ESG Leadership?
The right ESG leaders bring a unique combination of capabilities:
• A deep understanding of environmental science and the social issues that matter to agri-food
• A strategic mindset that connects ESG with growth and risk mitigation
• Stakeholder engagement skills that involve investors, NGOs, customers, and employees
• The ability to lead cultural and operational transformation across functions

Executive Search: A Strategic Lever
Hiring the right ESG leaders requires a thoughtful and targeted search process. This includes:
• Defining clear roles that balance technical knowledge with leadership capacity
• Broadening talent pipelines to include diverse backgrounds — from academia and NGOs to industry
• Using robust assessments to evaluate influence, adaptability, and change leadership potential
• Aligning incentives with long-term ESG outcomes

It’s Not Just About Hiring
Boards must ensure that ESG leaders don’t operate in isolation. Their work must be fully integrated into the business — from operations and marketing to finance and supply chain. Sustainability goals should be woven into KPIs and accountability frameworks at the executive level.

A Practical Example
One global food producer appointed a Chief Sustainability Officer with expertise in regenerative agriculture and a proven track record of cross-functional leadership. This executive led the company to a significant reduction in its environmental footprint and secured ESG-linked financing, which strengthened investor confidence and brand reputation.

The Payoff
Boards that prioritize ESG leadership are better prepared to meet regulatory shifts, respond to stakeholder expectations, and create sustainable competitive advantage. In today’s world, strong ESG performance is not just about doing good — it’s about doing smart business.

Warm regards,
Wilko Grievink
📱 +31 6 553 622 53
✉️ wilko.grievink@hightouchglobal.com