Dairy Sustainability Director Job Description

This Dairy Sustainability Director job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Head of Sustainability, ESG Director, Chief Sustainability Officer or Environment Director. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

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Job title	Dairy Sustainability Director
Also known as	Head of Sustainability, ESG Director, Chief Sustainability Officer, Environment Director
Department	Dairy leadership and board
Reports to	Chief Executive Officer
Direct reports	Sustainability managers and specialists covering climate, farm programmes, packaging and reporting

What does a Dairy Sustainability Director do?

Leads the sustainability strategy for a dairy business, from on-farm emissions and animal welfare through processing, packaging and distribution. Sets credible targets, works with farmers and suppliers to deliver them, and makes sure sustainability performance is measured and reported accurately to the Board, customers, investors and other stakeholders.

Dairy Sustainability Director duties and responsibilities

Strategy and targets

Develop and lead the sustainability strategy in line with business strategy and customer expectations
Set evidence-based targets for emissions, water, waste, packaging and animal welfare for Board approval
Build sustainability into investment decisions, product development and procurement
Track emerging science, regulation and customer requirements, and advise the executive team on their impact

Climate and emissions

Measure scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions using recognised accounting methods
Lead plans to reduce on-farm emissions, including methane from cattle digestion and manure
Work with operations to cut energy use and move processing sites to lower-carbon energy
Assess climate-related risks to milk supply, plants and markets and build them into risk management
Test carbon removal and on-farm sequestration options for credibility before the business relies on them

Farm programmes and animal welfare

Design farmer sustainability programmes covering emissions, soil, biodiversity, water and animal welfare
Give farmers practical tools, advice and incentives, working with milk supply and field teams
Set animal welfare standards for supplying farms with veterinary and milk supply teams, and monitor them
Collect reliable farm-level data while respecting farmers' time and their rights over their data
Share results and good practice with farmers and, in co-operatives, with farmer members

Water, packaging and waste

Reduce water use and improve wastewater quality at processing sites, especially in water-stressed areas
Lead packaging strategy to reduce material use and increase recyclable and recycled content
Cut food waste across manufacturing, logistics and customer channels
Work with procurement to build environmental and social standards into supplier selection

Reporting and assurance

Produce accurate, consistent sustainability data and reports for the Board, customers, lenders and investors
Make sure public sustainability claims are backed by evidence and reviewed by legal and compliance teams
Prepare the business for external assurance of sustainability data
Respond to customer, investor and rating agency requests for sustainability information
Report progress against targets regularly to the Board or its sustainability committee

Stakeholders and team leadership

Engage customers, farmers, industry bodies, researchers and communities on shared sustainability goals
Secure funding and partnerships for research and pilot projects
Lead and develop the sustainability team and build sustainability skills across other functions

Dairy Sustainability Director qualifications and experience

Essential

Degree in environmental science, agriculture, engineering or a related subject, or equivalent experience
Substantial experience leading sustainability programmes in dairy, agriculture, food or a related sector
Sound knowledge of greenhouse gas accounting across scopes 1, 2 and 3, including agricultural emissions
Experience of designing and delivering programmes with farmers or agricultural suppliers
Track record of producing robust sustainability data and reports for boards, customers or investors
Experience of influencing senior leaders and building support across functions

Desirable

Postgraduate qualification in sustainability, climate or agricultural science
Practical knowledge of dairy farming systems, animal welfare and nutrition
Experience of preparing sustainability data for external assurance
Experience of life cycle assessment or product carbon footprints

Skills and attributes

Strategic thinking and target setting
Data analysis and carbon accounting
Stakeholder engagement and influencing
Clear, accurate written and spoken communication
Programme and change management
Commercial awareness, including the cost and value of sustainability actions
Credibility and rapport with farmers

How success is measured

Progress against emissions reduction targets across scopes 1, 2 and 3
Share of milk supply covered by farm sustainability programmes and reliable farm data
Water and energy use per tonne of product
Recyclable and recycled content of packaging
Animal welfare standards met on supplying farms
Timeliness, accuracy and assurance outcomes of sustainability reporting

Working conditions and safety

Based at head office with regular travel to farms, processing sites, customers and industry events, including some international travel. Attends executive meetings and Board or committee meetings to report progress.

Lead by example on health, safety, food safety and animal welfare
Uphold the code of conduct and all legal and compliance requirements
Raise concerns and report incidents promptly

Dairy Sustainability Director interview questions

Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy Sustainability Director role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.

How would you build a credible emissions reduction plan when most of the business's emissions come from farms?
What a good answer shows: Recognises farm emissions dominate scope 3; covers baseline data, feed, manure, farm practice, incentives, processing energy and realistic targets.
How do you measure on-farm emissions reliably across thousands of supplying farms?
What a good answer shows: Practical data collection, recognised calculation methods, sampling and checks, support for farmers, and honesty about data gaps and uncertainty.
How would you reduce water use and the impact of packaging at processing sites?
What a good answer shows: Water audits, reuse, more efficient cleaning, better wastewater treatment, and lighter, recyclable packaging that still meets customer and food safety needs.
How do you balance animal welfare, emissions and farm profitability in a farmer programme?
What a good answer shows: Understands the trade-offs, avoids measures that harm welfare, involves farmers and vets, and links actions to incentives and practical support.
A major retail customer wants a large cut in the carbon footprint of its milk within three years. How do you respond?
What a good answer shows: Tests what is feasible with data, builds a joint plan, shares costs and rewards with farmers, and agrees honest milestones.
Farmers push back on a new sustainability data request, saying it is costly and intrusive. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Listens, simplifies the request, explains the benefits, reuses existing data, offers support or payment, and pilots before rolling out.
How do you make sure public sustainability claims are accurate and can be defended?
What a good answer shows: Evidence for every claim, consistent methods, legal and compliance review, external assurance where suitable, and no vague or overstated wording.
Which sustainability risks would you bring to the Board, and how would you present them?
What a good answer shows: Climate risks to milk supply, water stress, welfare incidents and customer or reputational risks, set out with likelihood, impact and actions.
How do you get busy operations and procurement teams to own sustainability targets?
What a good answer shows: Builds targets into business plans and measures, shows the commercial value, provides practical tools, and recognises teams that deliver.
Describe how you have built and developed a sustainability team.
What a good answer shows: Clear priorities, the right mix of technical and engagement skills, development plans, and a team trusted by farmers and executives.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy Sustainability Director do?

What qualifications does a Dairy Sustainability Director need?

Employers usually look for: degree in environmental science, agriculture, engineering or a related subject, or equivalent experience; substantial experience leading sustainability programmes in dairy, agriculture, food or a related sector; sound knowledge of greenhouse gas accounting across scopes 1, 2 and 3, including agricultural emissions.

Who does a Dairy Sustainability Director report to?

A Dairy Sustainability Director usually reports to the Chief Executive Officer. Direct reports typically include sustainability managers and specialists covering climate, farm programmes, packaging and reporting.

Can I use this Dairy Sustainability Director job description for my own vacancy?

Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.