Schneider Electric names new Chief Sustainability Officer

Schneider Electric has named Esther Finidori as its new Chief Sustainability Officer following Chris Leong’s departure.

Finidori has been on the company’s sustainability team since 2016 and was promoted to Vice President of Strategy for Schneider Electric France in 2022. As CSO, she will be joining the executive committee and work to “reinforce its business relevance and leadership on innovative social and environmental practices”.

Before joining Schneider Electric, she worked as an environmental consultant for several years, and in her sustainability roles at the company she helped shape and execute its environmental initiatives, positioning it as a sustainability leader.

Chris Leong's departure

Finidori replaces Chris Leong, who announced her departure this week after just six months as Chief Sustainability Officer. Leong left to take on the role of Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at US-headquartered water treatment firm Ecolab, based in Hong Kong.

“It’s been a true privilege to contribute to the world’s most sustainable company’s growth journey, innovating for impact, and driving progress and sustainability for all,” Leong said in a Linkedin post announcing her new role.

Schneider Electric’s sustainability ambitions

Schneider Electric has an ambition to earn 80% of its revenue from ‘impact’ solutions by 2025 (it had reached 74% in 2024), and a near-term science-based target to cut absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 76% and absolute Scope 3 emissions by 25% by 2030. 

According to its latest sustainability report, Schneider has cut Scope 1 emissions by 51% since 2021, and Scope 3 by 19%.