Head of Sustainability

COFCO International is a global agri-business with a clear vision, strong values and a positive culture, focused on being a leader in the global grains, oilseeds and sugar supply chains. We provide the food the world needs in a responsible way. Headquartered is Geneva, Switzerland, we are ambitious, with the right structures and culture to meet the world's increasing and changing needs. With 11,000+ people in 35 countries, our global portfolio includes assets across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. We trade with over 50 nations, while providing farmers unique direct access to the growing Chinese market.

The Role

As a rapidly growing international agri-business, meeting rising demand for food in a sustainable way is key to our purpose. Sustainability is defined as a core value for COFCO International. Together with Integrity, Inclusiveness and Innovation, it is part of our culture that guides day-to-day business and behaviours.

Reporting to the Director Sustainability & Communications and managing a team of sustainability professionals across several countries, the Head of Sustainability is a senior management role overseeing the company’s sustainability strategy across all product lines.

The Head of Sustainability plays a key role in ensuring that the environment and human rights are respected across the company’s supply chain including grains and oilseeds, sugar, coffee, cotton and maritime freight. The role also supports COFCO International’s wider goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the transition to sustainable agriculture.

The Head of Sustainability will also have the opportunity to influence senior and cross-functional stakeholders, build partnerships and represent the company externally at industry events and different kinds of industry coalitions. The role can be based at COFCO International's offices in Europe with hybrid and flexible working arrangements in place.

The role will involve frequent travel to other company offices and sites.

Key responsibilities:

• Oversee and ensure effective roll out of the global sustainability strategy, policies and commitments, including through developing action plans, establishing clear sustainability KPIs to measure progress, and effectively managing resources to support sustainability initiatives
• Monitor and assess the company’s sustainability performance, making adjustments as needed to achieve targets and capture evolving sector outlook, and report progress to senior leadership
• Prepare sustainability reports and disclosures, ensuring compliance with relevant non-financial reporting regulations and standards
• Assess and mitigate sustainability-related risks, including regulatory, reputational and supply chain risks, in particular those related to land use change and human rights
• Oversee the efforts to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint to ensure the company meets its emission reduction commitments
• Build strong relationships with leaders across businesses and departments and support business functions in integrating sustainability in internal processes, such as supplier due diligence, and in developing commodity or region-specific programmes, such as decarbonisation projects, restoration and nature-based solutions, farmer livelihood programmes, etc.
• Address sustainability due diligence related queries from stakeholders, including investors, customers, and civil society, ensuring proactive follow-up action and resolution
• Network with internal and external stakeholders to identify and tackle sustainable financing opportunities, including project-specific co-investment and corporate sustainability-linked facilities
• Represent the business in various sustainability platforms, forums, conferences, and industry associations, while contributing to the development of sector-wide solutions

Requirements

• Proven relevant experience in corporate sustainability, sustainable finance and ESG strategy development and implementation, preferably in the context of food, agriculture and/or shipping
• Pragmatic, capable of multitasking and an entrepreneurial mindset
• Outstanding people and team leadership skills, demonstrated ability to manage conflict effectively, and “One COFCO” mindset
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Familiarity with climate science, climate-and nature-related policies, standards and frameworks, in particular in relation to agriculture
• Experience with product certification systems, supply chain traceability, monitoring and evaluation, due diligence
• Master degree in relevant discipline (sustainability, engineering, business administration, economics, international relations).
• Fluent in English. Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin are an asset
• Strong communication and reporting skills to convey sustainability progress and performance to internal and external stakeholders
• Cultural awareness and experience of working in an international environment

COFCO International is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.   www.cofcointernational.com