Rabobank North America Hires Chief Sustainability Officer: 4 Things to Know

Rabobank has hired Persefoni veteran Terryn Lawrence (pictured, top of page) as chief sustainability officer for North America, the financial services firm announced.

Here are four things to know about Lawrence and her role at at Rabobank North America.

1. Business Scope and Scale: Rabobank is one of the world's largest banks with over $660 billion in assets. In the Americas, Rabobank Wholesale Banking North America is a corporate and investment bank that serves the food, agribusiness, commodities and energy industries. And Rabo AgriFinance, a subsidiary of Rabobank, is a financial services provider for farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses in the United States.

2. Terryn Lawrence's Role at Rabobank: Lawrence will build and lead a cross-functional sustainability community within the North American region across Rabobank. In addition, she will collaborate closely with the global Rabo Carbon Bank and Food System Transition teams to accelerate sustainable food production with climate-smart initiatives that reduce emissions and remove carbon from the atmosphere, the company said.

Lawrence will focus on working across the food value chain -- on products and businesses like regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, and greener innovations, the company said. Her department will develop a North American sustainability strategy and objectives in alignment with our global ambition to integrate sustainable solutions that are good for customers, society and the world, Rabobank added.

3. Terryn Lawrence's Experience: Lawrence previously was managing director for partnerships at Persefoni, a carbon management software platform that enables financial institutions and corporations to measure, manage and report their carbon emissions.

Moreover, Lawrence has built and scaled several ESG-focused technology startups, including one of her own, and has worked with many large financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies, Rabobank stated. She also earned a certificate from the University of Cambridge's Business Sustainability Management program within the Institute of Sustainability Leadership. She also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arkansas' Walton College. Lawrence now resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

4. Executive Perspectives: Lawrence will report to Shawn Smeins, head of rural banking, North America, at Rabo AgriFinance. In a prepared statement about hiring Lawrence, Smeins said: "This role is vital as opportunities arise in the food and agricultural and energy space, and will continue to position Rabobank North America as a premier financial services provider focused on the region's agriculture industry. Terryn brings a wealth of experience in leading cross-functional initiatives and has an extensive track record of developing sustainability-related commercial opportunities to drive new growth for customers."

Added Lawrence: "I am excited to support our commitment to advancing the food value chain by providing sustainable business solutions that produce more while using fewer natural resources to feed the growing global population. I look forward to applying my experience and passion for sustainable innovation and environmental stewardship with business development to make an impact and bring value to our clients and communities."

New 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.