Pentair restructures governance and eliminates CSO position

NYSE-listed water management company Pentair has eliminated the role of Chief Sustainability Officer, held by Karla Robertson, in a move to better integrate sustainability into the business.

Robertson left the company, which sells water supply and filtration products as well as pool and spa equipment, on June 10, 2025.

The sustainability team now reports to Chief Technology Officer Philip Rolchigo and aligns to the technology and innovation function, “further advancing its focus on integrating sustainability efforts into the business and product innovation processes”, according to a Pentair SEC filing.

Robertson, who joined the company as General Counsel in 2017 and added the CSO function to her responsibilities in 2020, said “it was with great pride, appreciation and accomplishment that I elected to leave Pentair in conjunction with this restructure to focus on new, ambitious challenges”.

“The elimination of the CSO role (...) is a reflection that sustainability is now well incorporated throughout Pentair,” she noted in a post announcing her departure.

The role of General Counsel and Secretary is being filled on an interim basis by Aaron Gunderson, Associate General Counsel, while the firm makes its selection for its next General Counsel and Secretary.

Pentair sustainability achievements under CSO’s leadership

Under Robertson’s leadership as CSO in 2021, Pentair announced a target of 30% absolute water withdrawal reduction and 50% Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction by 2030, against a 2019 baseline.

In 2024, the company said it had achieved both these targets: a 32.8% water withdrawal reduction and a 51.3% decrease in operational emissions. This triggered the setting of new targets: restoring 100% of the water volume withdrawn by Pentair manufacturing sites in high-water-stress areas annually, and cutting Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 60% by 2030, still from a 2019 baseline.

“I am so proud of Pentair’s significant sustainability achievements and advancements over the past five years while I have led the function and that we accomplished what we set out to do (and then some!). I am grateful to Pentair, its Board and John Stauch for supporting my ambitious vision and goals for the past many years and the confidence in me to lead both the legal and sustainability functions and well position them for Pentair’s future,” added Robertson.

Pentair’s climate targets are not verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).