Biotechnology Company CSL Names Chief Sustainability Officer: 4 Things to Know

CSL, a global biotechnology company, has promoted Jeffrey Ball to chief sustainability officer (CSO). Ball is the first executive to hold the CSO position at CSL.

Here are four things to know about Ball and CSL's sustainability strategy.

1. Business Scope and Scale: CSL, founded in 1916, is based in Melbourne, Australia. The biotechnology company develops medicines, vaccines and various therapies. CSL employs roughly 32,000 people -- who serve customers in more than 100 countries.

2. Sustainability Focus and Milestones: CSL's Sustainability Strategy focuses on Environment, Social and Sustainable Workforce pillars. In June 2023, CSL committed to "seeking validation of its near-term company-wide emissions reduction in line with climate science with the SBTi," the company said.

Pages 48-49 of CSL's 2023 annual report includes various environmental goals and progress updates -- including annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions through March 2021, March 2022 and March 2023. Scope 3 emissions data is not included in the report. Statistics for energy consumption, water consumption, and total waste also are include in the report. On the recycling front, CSL had a 44% waste recycling rate for the year ended March 2023, up from 38% during the corresponding 12-months one year earlier.

3. Jeffrey Ball's Sustainability Expertise and Responsibilities: Ball joined CSL in 2019. Previous roles at the company, according to his LinkedIn bio, include:

• Senior VP of network strategy and operational excellence (2019-2022)
• Senior VP of EHS, sustainability lead, network strategy and operational excellence (2022-2023)
• Senior VP Enterprise EHS, sustainability & strategy realization (2023)

Ball has "played a vital part in the evolution of CSL's Sustainability Strategy," the company said. Key milestones include establishing governance structures like the Executive Sustainability Committee, which is responsible for setting the Sustainability Strategy and its day-to-day management and execution, CSL noted. Earlier, Ball held key posts at Aspen Aerogels, Genzyme, Amgen and Bayer.

4. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement about Ball's new role, CSL CEO and Managing Director Paul McKenzie said: "Sustainability is key to CSL delivering long-term shared-value creation. As a science-based organization, we understand the importance of data-driven decision-making and continual evaluation and improvement of our processes and products, and we are applying the same focus to Sustainability. Jeffrey has extensive experience in the biopharma/biotech industry. He recognizes the business value of aligning the Sustainability Strategy with our 2030 Strategy, and of executing through careful consideration of our impacts, challenges, and opportunities, and taking meaningful action to realize our vision of a sustainable future for all our stakeholders."

Added Ball: "I am honored to serve as CSL's first Chief Sustainability Officer and to continue the work of embedding sustainability throughout the enterprise. I am proud of the significant work the CSL team has already done and look forward to the opportunity to advance these important efforts. Guided by CSL's values and our purpose for a sustainable future for people and planet, we are taking the critical next steps on our sustainability journey."

First CSL Chief Sustainability Officer: Why Technology Partners Should Care

By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.

Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.