Sophie Beckham of International Paper Wins Bronze at 2024 CSO Awards for Sustainability Leadership
Sophie Beckham, Chief Sustainability Officer at International Paper, received recognition this week at the 2024 CSO Awards North America, organized by Futur/io. These awards celebrate Chief Sustainability Officers from major companies in the U.S. and Canada who are making significant strides in corporate sustainability. Beckham was awarded the Bronze Award, sharing the spotlight with the Gold Award recipient from Starbucks and the Silver Award recipient from Salesforce.
The CSO Awards North America, initiated by the Futur/io Institute, aims to inspire and cultivate leadership in sustainable innovation while creating a robust global network of Chief Sustainability Officers. "Our goal with the CSO Awards North America extends beyond merely recognizing companies," stated Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute. "We highlight the crucial role of Chief Sustainability Officers as proactive change-makers who inspire action and ambition within their organizations."
Beckham’s selection followed a comprehensive evaluation process crafted by Futur/io in collaboration with the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School. This process was supported by knowledge partners Denominator, focusing on human-centric data, and Rainforest Partnership, which emphasizes biodiversity.
Futur/io outlined that the selection criteria involved a four-quadrant model assessing corporate behavior maturity, regulatory performance regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adherence, and both environmental and human impacts, along with a self-assessment survey. The Top 20 ranked CSOs were then evaluated by a Grand Jury to determine the final award winners.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized among so many committed leaders in sustainability,” Beckham remarked. “This award represents the hard work of everyone at International Paper and our global teams striving to achieve our Vision 2030 goals.”
As VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, Beckham leads the development of sustainability strategies aligned with International Paper’s Vision 2030 objectives. She acts as the primary spokesperson for the company on sustainability and stewardship issues. Her career has been focused on fostering sustainable business practices through intentional leadership in both consumer goods and forest product manufacturing. Beckham has been advancing International Paper's environmental stewardship initiatives since 2013, holding various roles within the company. She earned her Master of Forestry from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, now known as the Yale School of the Environment.
Click here to know more about Futur/io’s 2024 CSO Awards North America.
The CSO Awards North America, initiated by the Futur/io Institute, aims to inspire and cultivate leadership in sustainable innovation while creating a robust global network of Chief Sustainability Officers. "Our goal with the CSO Awards North America extends beyond merely recognizing companies," stated Harald Neidhardt, CEO and Curator of the Futur/io Institute. "We highlight the crucial role of Chief Sustainability Officers as proactive change-makers who inspire action and ambition within their organizations."
Beckham’s selection followed a comprehensive evaluation process crafted by Futur/io in collaboration with the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society at Imperial College Business School. This process was supported by knowledge partners Denominator, focusing on human-centric data, and Rainforest Partnership, which emphasizes biodiversity.
Futur/io outlined that the selection criteria involved a four-quadrant model assessing corporate behavior maturity, regulatory performance regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adherence, and both environmental and human impacts, along with a self-assessment survey. The Top 20 ranked CSOs were then evaluated by a Grand Jury to determine the final award winners.
“I am deeply honored to be recognized among so many committed leaders in sustainability,” Beckham remarked. “This award represents the hard work of everyone at International Paper and our global teams striving to achieve our Vision 2030 goals.”
As VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, Beckham leads the development of sustainability strategies aligned with International Paper’s Vision 2030 objectives. She acts as the primary spokesperson for the company on sustainability and stewardship issues. Her career has been focused on fostering sustainable business practices through intentional leadership in both consumer goods and forest product manufacturing. Beckham has been advancing International Paper's environmental stewardship initiatives since 2013, holding various roles within the company. She earned her Master of Forestry from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, now known as the Yale School of the Environment.
Click here to know more about Futur/io’s 2024 CSO Awards North America.
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