Boeing Chief Sustainability Officer Brian Moran: 7 Things to Know

Boeing has named Brian Moran (pictured above) to succeed Chris Raymond as chief sustainability officer (CSO), effective January 2024. Raymond will shift to president and CEO of Boeing Global Services (BGS), the aerospace company said.

Here are seven things to know about Moran's experience and expertise; Boeing's sustainability goals; and recent milestones.

1. Business Scope and Scale: The aviation company has approximately 145,000 employees across the United States and in more than 65 countries. Boeing revenue for the 12 months ending September 30, 2023 was $75.76 billion, up 23.34% from the previous 12-month period.

2. Aerospace Challenges: Critics are calling on the aviation industry to accelerate their net-zero efforts. Among the areas of concern: The International Council on Clean Transportation predicts the aviation industry will fall far short of its pledge to generate net zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to The Wall Street Journal.

3. Boeing's Sustainability Goals: By 2030, Boeing intends to achieve the following sustainability goals:

• Achieve 55% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG from 2017 base year.
• Maintain net-zero emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2.
• Achieve 100% renewable electricity.
• Work with suppliers to increase GHG reporting and proactively address risks driven by climate change-driven risks.

4. Boeing's Sustainability Milestones: In 2023, Boeing made these moves...

• November 2023: The company and the United States launched an initiative to "catalyze the development and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) among Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries." SAF is key to achieving aviation industry net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Boeing asserts.
• May 2023 The company launched Cascade to support the aviation industry's net-zero goals.
• May 2023: The company named Jim Hileman as VP of Boeing's Sustainability & Future Mobility organization (S&FM). That team "ensures the company’s technical expertise and market leadership in sustainability technologies, as well as emerging, advanced aerial mobility applications," the company said. Hileman reports to CTO Todd Citron, while also working closely with the Chief Sustainability Officer.

5. Brian Moran's Responsibilities: Moran will be responsible for advancing Boeing's sustainability efforts, focused on aerospace sustainability priorities, stakeholder-oriented reporting, industry-wide partnerships and company performance to achieve key sustainability goals, the company said. Moran is based in Boeing's Amsterdam office, and reports to President and CEO Dave Calhoun, as well as to the Governance & Public Policy committee of the Boeing Board of Directors. He will also serve on Boeing's Executive Council.

6. Brian Moran's Experience: Moran has been VP, Global Sustainability Policy & Partnerships. He leads a global team that "elevates and showcases Boeing's focus on sustainability, which includes informing the global policy landscape and deepening partnerships to advance Boeing's sustainability objectives, such as the scaling of sustainable aviation fuels," the company said.

7. Executive Perspectives: In a prepared statement about Moran's new role, Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun said: "With more than 20 years of Boeing service, Brian has wide-ranging expertise within nearly every aspect of our operations and businesses, including a deep understanding of and commitment to our partners and stakeholders around the globe. Sustainability is a key priority at Boeing, and I am confident under Brian's leadership, our team will continue to elevate our focus and enable our company and our industry to achieve a more sustainable aerospace future."  

Boeing 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.

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