Search for President, CDP North America. New York, New York

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1 Search for New York, New York THE SEARCH CDP North America seeks an inspired leader as its next President to lead a highly capable and financially strong organization to greater growth and impact. CDP provides the only global system that tracks how companies and cities measure, disclose, manage, and act upon vital environmental information. CDP s annual request for information from public companies is sent on behalf of its investor signatory base, which includes approximately 700 key financial service sector enterprises. By securing quantitative and qualitative information on environmental performance, CDP analysts and researchers can then transform that data into detailed analyses on critical environmental risks, opportunities, and impacts for investors, policymakers, and other constituents worldwide. CDP maintains and makes public the largest collection of global climate change, water, and forest risk data to better inform sustainable strategic business, investment, and policy decisions. CDP s work has never been more urgent. A recent United Nation s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a landmark report illustrating how much more dire and immediate the consequences of climate change are. According to the report, if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, the atmosphere will warm up by as much 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit by The world could be much closer than previously thought to a situation of mass food shortages, wildfires, die-off of coral reefs, coastal flooding, and drought. To avoid the most serious effects, a major transformation of the world economy must occur 1. CDP North America has an urgent mission to convene and collaborate with a diverse array of private sector, government, and subnational actors to initiate important changes where others have not. It has a unique model based on the comprehensive gathering of information and its strategic application, as well as its significant multiplier effect given its extensive user community. Given that North America is home to the largest concentration of companies and capital, and in turn has the largest impact on the environment, the President of CDP North America has an opportunity to accelerate and help reshape the direction of sustainability issues throughout the world. To achieve this, the next President will expand and deepen partnerships with investors, private companies, NGOs, and governments; increase CDP North America s revenue through fundraising and fees; raise visibility through an effective program for strategic communications; and work effectively and collaboratively with the larger CDP global organization. The President reports to the Board of CDP North America and CDP s Global Leadership. The President will be responsible for leading a staff of 50 in New York City and deliver on a $10 million budget for 2018/ Major Climate Report Describes a Strong Risk of Crisis as Early as 2040:

2 Page 2 of 6 CDP North America has engaged the search firm Isaacson, Miller for this important recruitment. Instructions for applying, nominating, or inquiring can be found at the end of this document. CDP GLOBAL CDP invented the practice of comprehensive annual environmental disclosure in 2002, when it sent its first information request for climate information to public companies. At the time, CDP had just 35 investor signatories with combined assets of $4.5 trillion, with 245 companies responding. Today, CDP has roughly 700 signatories, with combined assets of $87 trillion and over 7000 companies responding from 90 countries on climate change, water security, and deforestation. Investors want to align their portfolios with the transition to a sustainable economy. This requires the movement of large amounts of financial capital toward low-carbon, less water-intensive investments. CDP data has been essential to enabling this progress. In its supply chain program, CDP has 115 organizations, representing a combined annual spend of more than $3.3 trillion, requesting data from over 11,500 suppliers. CDP s newest disclosure program gathers data from over 750 cities and states. CDP s launch in the UK in 2002 was the first systematic linkage between environmental and financial information. This request for information sparked a rapid growth in environmental disclosure around the world, engaging investors, companies, and governments on the benefits of greater transparency. And today CDP remains the world s authoritative global platform for environmental transparency and accountability data for multiple stakeholders. In addition to its core disclosure programs, CDP provides a variety of channels for global leaders to support the advancement of environmental risk management and action. For instance: CLIMETRICS, powered by CDP data, is a fund rating which enables investors to integrate climate impact into their investment decisions. CDP s research helps investors understand which companies are best and least prepared for the low-carbon transition. Businesses, investors, and policymakers build the data into their decision-making because they re able to analyze the risks and opportunities presented by a transition to a low-carbon economy. CDP maintains the portal for the Non-state Actor Zone for Climate Action, cited in the Paris Agreement, to provide the world with a more complete picture of non-state actor climate initiatives. CDP hosts the Climate Disclosure Standards Board, an international framework to bring environmental factors into financial disclosure standards. CDP s data feeds important initiatives such as America s Pledge, We Are Still In, and the Global Climate Action Summit, which are driving US non-state actor action on climate change. These actors not only include companies and investors but an increasing number of policy makers, including cities and states, committed to a below 2-degree future. CDP has helped guide policy and investments decisions through co-chairing the Mobilizing Business working group within the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (a convening by the World Bank Group), as well as through CDP s investment-grade Carbon Pricing Corridors

3 Page 3 of 6 initiative. Such efforts have allowed companies to better benchmark the levels of prices they need to embed within decisions in order to be on track with their sustainability goals. Outside of the private sector, CDP has done much to engage cities around the world with respect to climate change. Over the last six years there has been a 10-fold rise in cities disclosing to CDP. CDP has been an essential pillar within the work of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group by providing the established reporting framework and evidence base with which cities and key partners can track emissions reductions, adaptation progress, and share best practices. Current Focus Areas CDP s global disclosure system enables companies, cities, states, and regions to measure and manage their environmental impacts in three focus areas: 1) Climate: Climate change presents both risks and opportunities for business. In the private sector, many companies are committing to take action to stay ahead of the material risks and take advantage of emerging low-carbon opportunities. The number of companies disclosing to CDP that they embed an internal carbon price into their business strategies has grown from 150 global companies in 2014 to over 670 in There is growing recognition that targets should be aligned with climate science to effectively future-proof corporate growth. Long-term targets, that are ambitious enough to meet the global effort to hold warming below 2 degrees Celsius, help companies to avoid investments in highcarbon infrastructure. CDP encourage business to move beyond incremental, business-as-usual emissions reductions, and think in terms of the new, low-carbon economic paradigm. 2) Water: Access to safe, resilient water supplies is essential to economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, water security was put under the international spotlight. But if these goals are to be achieved by 2030, there needs to be more robust data of the current landscape and what needs to change. Many companies are already rising to this challenge. Today some 2,000 of the world s largest companies measure, manage, and report their water risks and impacts through CDP up from 1,200 just three years ago. Since 2016 there has been a 61% rise in the number of companies looking at circular economy techniques to improve water quality, while 75% more companies are considering access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in water risk assessments compared to ) Forests: Tackling deforestation is critical to addressing climate change: 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are directly caused by deforestation and up to 33% of climate mitigation efforts depend on preserving forests. Up to $941 billion of output in publicly listed companies is dependent on commodities linked to deforestation, including soy, palm oil, cattle, and timber. Some 87% of companies reporting to CDP identify risks from deforestation, and 32% are already experiencing impacts on their business from those risks. With risks looming, investors are increasingly concerned about deforestation, but a lack of information is leaving them in the dark. By encouraging companies to disclose standardized data regarding deforestation risks, CDP s forests program seeks to empower investors to undertake strategic engagement and portfolio allocation decisions to reduce these risks and support the ecosystems on which we rely.

4 Page 4 of 6 Current Leadership and Organization CDP Global has regional offices and local partners spanning 50 countries and over 250 staff worldwide. It has a global operating budget of $28 million. Paul Simpson is the current CEO. Paul has been at the forefront of CDP's expansion since its inception in 2000 and has led CDP from a climate-specific focus into other environmental areas. More information can be found at CDP NORTH AMERICA CDP started a North American program as a sponsored project within Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in This North American operation was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 2011, and it then became an independent tax-exempt organization in 2014 with its own board of directors. CDP North America leads and supports integrated, mission focused programming in close partnership with the international offices of CDP Global. The organization has experienced tremendous growth and established a great foundation for the future. The CDP North America office in New York City is the largest office outside of the headquarters in London, with approximately 50 employees. With 214 investor signatories, 125 supply chain and reporter services members, and close to 2,000 disclosing companies, CDP North America leads the way in driving action to reduce the environmental impact of companies and cities. Role of the President of CDP North America The President has fiduciary responsibility for the independent, non-profit entity that is CDP North America. Direct reports to the President include a Chief Operating Officer; Head of Investor Engagement; Head of Corporations and Supply Chains; Head of Global Initiatives; and Head of Development. Along with his/her director reports, the President leads, manages, and develops the North America team and office. S/he approves global thematic (climate, water security, and forests) strategies and stakeholder (investors, corporations, cities, states, and governments) plans for North America. The President is expected to work closely with other regional heads (Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America) and the Global Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on strategy, operations, resources, and fundraising opportunities. Most crucially, the President is the lead external representative for the organization. LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES The success of the next President of CDP North America will be determined by how well s/he meets the following opportunities and challenges: Serve as a visible and powerful external voice of CDP The President of CDP North America must serve as an active representative; relationship steward and builder for the organization; and thought leader in the effort to move capital markets towards an environmentally sustainable future. The next President will lead an organization that works with a diverse array of organizations, from national/international non-governmental organizations, private industries, powerful members of the investment community, to influential government officials across the globe. The President must ensure that CDP North America plays a critical role in helping to shape current debates amongst business and political leaders around climate change, water, and forest issues. The President

5 Page 5 of 6 must ensure that existing relationships are strengthened and new ones fostered. Moreover, s/he should continue to play a lead role in brokering new agreements between CDP North America and private industry and investors for the services the organization provides. CDP North America operates within a competitive arena where there are many voices and entities that deal with issues related to the environment and sustainability. For funders, influencers, and the broader public it can often be difficult to understand where a given organization fits within the broader landscape. CDP in many ways pursues a mission and set of activities that distinguishes itself from other organizations. The President must leverage this to devise strategies that will more effectively communicate CDP North America s mission in influential spaces so that it will be better known and understood. Increase CDP North America s revenue and resources Over the last decade, CDP North America has done very well raising philanthropic support for its important work. The organization has grown at a strong pace and is now poised for even greater growth. The next President should expect to grow the organization s income by a minimum of 50% in the next three years. Towards this end, the President should look to increase current support from foundations and even look to potential support from high net worth individuals. With more of the broader public becoming aware of the serious dangers posed by climate change, water pollution, and deforestation, the President must find ways to marshal this awakening in the service of CDP s mission. Expand the North American Board The current board of CDP North America is a small (five members) but deeply committed and insightful group that has helped advise successive Presidents and contributed tremendously to the organizations growth and standing. The next President should find ways to expand this group with individuals that would contribute in similarly positive ways. S/he will work with current board members to think broadly about potential individuals who could bring a unique set of skillsets and connections. Work effectively and collaboratively with the larger CDP global organization While CDP North America is its own separate non-profit entity, it is nonetheless embedded in a much larger global organization with tremendous organizational breadth and depth that it is able to draw from to advance its work. The next President must strike a balance between aligning North America s strategies with the global CDP system, but also ensure that CDP North America is able to pursue opportunities in a fashion that is right for its geographical context. Doing so successfully will require building trust and good will with all the relevant stakeholders across the CDP family. Effectively manage North American team and operations In the last four years, the staff in the North America office has doubled, and the professional development and organizational systems and processes are stronger than ever. The next President will have the privilege of working with a highly experienced and capable staff that are very effective in their roles. The task for the President will be in effectively delegating to and leveraging the personnel in North America in the service of CDP s mission. The President must set the right example of professionalism and commitment to mission that will inspire the team to do their very best.

6 Page 6 of 6 QUALIFICATIONS Primary Requirements Leadership and management experience in a growing organization at least five years leading an organization or significant business unit of an organization with full profit and loss responsibility. Knowledge of climate change, water security, forests, and environmental issues. Proven record of fundraising success. Experience reporting to a Board of Directors and capacity to build and strengthen the Board. Preeminent communication capabilities, proven with external stakeholders at very senior levels. Very high level of motivation and drive. Willingness to travel in North America and globally. Strong interpersonal and networking skills capability to work in a multi-cultural and international environment. Track record in managing multiple projects and maintaining strategic focus. Additional Requirements 10+ years experience working in United States. Knowledge and experience of working with and influencing investors, corporates, cities, and governments. A demonstrated track record of enhancing diversity and inclusion at all levels, the ability to articulate its value with confidence and authority, and a deeply held belief in its power to transform an organization. Track record of executive experience across multiple teams and projects. Active network of contacts and colleagues in public and private sector. Strong academic track record with a graduate or post-graduate degree in a relevant environmental or business field. PROCESS FOR APPLICATIONS, NOMINATIONS & INQUIRIES Interested applicants are required to send a cover letter and resume to the following web address: Inquiries and nominations must also be submitted to the same web address with correspondences addressed to the search firm representatives noted below. Application reviews will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search. Andrew Lee & Kahn Lee Isaacson, Miller th Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC CDP North America is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law.