Head of Sustainability

SFI Agri Commodities; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

SFI Agri Commodities is seeking a Head of Sustainability to lead their sustainability strategy focusing on the cocoa market and involving environmental and social compliance. The successful candidate will work to enhance sustainable practices across supply chains, engage with stakeholders, and ensure the company meets international sustainability standards while promoting farmer welfare.

Benefits

Flexible, hybrid working environment

Private medical insurance

25 days annual leave

Pension

Enhanced parental leave

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in sustainability and corporate social responsibility roles.
• Proven track record in developing sustainability strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and management of sustainability strategy.
• Promote sustainable practices across the supply chain.
• Advise on compliance with environmental standards.

Skills

Leadership

Sustainability Management

Communication

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics

Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or MSc)

Job description

At SFI Agri Commodities, we are a dynamic agricultural commodities trading company with a strong focus on the global cocoa market. Through leveraging the deep industry expertise of our parent company Sunbeth Global Concepts; we have quickly emerged as a trusted player in the sourcing and export of high-quality agro commodities, including cocoa beans, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, and soya beans.

At the heart of our operations is a commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainable trade practices. Through our partners, we work closely with farming communities to ensure fair value for their produce, while promoting ethical standards and prioritizing farmer welfare across our supply chains.

The founder of SFI Agri Commodities, Olasunkanmi Owoyemi, began his journey working alongside

his father at Sunny Owo Ventures Nigeria Limited, a cocoa sourcing company in Ondo State. There,

he laid the foundation for Sunbeth Global Concepts and its strong presence in the cocoa sector.

Think this could be the right fit for you? We’d love to hear from you.

Role Overview:

Reporting: CEO

The Head of Sustainability will lead the development, implementation, and management of the

sustainability strategy for SFI. This role will focus on driving sustainable and resilient supply chains

and business practices, ensuring positive environmental and social impact throughout the chain and

down to the farmer level, and ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. The

Head of Sustainability will collaborate with internal teams, stakeholders, and external partners to

promote the strategy and programs of SFI and Sunbeth, integrating sustainability and responsible

sourcing into our core operations and trading practices. This role will guide the company through the

international sustainability agenda and discussions and be the lead for SFI in sustainability platforms

and conversations. In the first year, this role will also take responsibility for advising the Nigerian

company on the proper set-up of their sustainability management structures

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive cocoa sustainability and responsible sourcing

strategy aligned with the company’s overall vision and objectives.

• Lead, support and develop the sustainability teams and management in origin sourcing countries
• Work in cross-functional teams to identify and implement sustainability initiatives that reduce environmental impact and enhance social responsibility, throughout the supply chain starting at farmer level
• Set ambitious, measurable sustainability goals for the company, and track progress toward their achievement.
• Oversee the environmental impact assessment of the company’s agricultural supply chains, focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water use, deforestation, and waste.
• Lead efforts to promote regenerative agriculture practices, including working closely with suppliers and producers to improve production methods and increase the adoption of sustainable agriculture techniques.
• Ensure compliance with relevant environmental and human rights regulations and standards across all markets of operation.
• Promote social sustainability, focusing on human rights, living income, community engagement and development, and ensuring that the company's supply chains comply with our responsible sourcing strategy and any relevant regulations.
• Advise and lead in the roll out of sustainability programs across additional commodities such as cashew, soya and coffee.

Technical:

• Collaborate with clients on joint program design, alignment and implementation
• Advise the company as subject matter expert in frameworks and industry collaboration platforms for human rights, child protection, living income, avoiding deforestation and GHG emission reduction in cocoa agroforestry systems
• Ensure that the company sustainability strategy remains relevant, practical, impactful and benefits the farmers whilst aligning with client program requirements

Industry Collaboration:

• Act as the main point of contact for sustainability issues with external stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, NGOs, clients, investors, and industry groups.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to advance sustainability objectives and manage potential risks related to environmental and social factors.
• Lead internal sustainability awareness programs to engage employees in sustainability initiatives and build a strong sustainability culture within the company.

Sustainability Reporting & Metrics:

• Develop and oversee sustainability reporting, ensuring accurate and transparent communication of the company’s sustainability performance to stakeholders.
• Implement sustainability performance metrics, reporting tools, and data collection systems to measure the company’s progress in achieving sustainability goals.
• Lead the preparation of annual sustainability reports, ensuring compliance with international reporting frameworks.
• Explore new technologies, market opportunities, and innovations in sustainability to enhance the company's competitive advantage.
• Stay informed on global trends in sustainable agriculture, climate change, and environmental stewardship and bring new ideas to the company to drive continuous improvement.

We’re looking for someone with:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics, International development, Environmental Studies or a related field
• Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or MSc) in a relevant discipline is preferred

Experience:

• Experience in sustainability, environmental, or corporate social responsibility (CSR) roles, preferably within the cocoa or chocolate sectors.
• Strong experience within in a leadership capacity.
• Deep understanding of sustainability challenges and opportunities in the agricultural sector, particularly in West Africa, including supply chain management, environmental impact, and social issues.
• Proven track record of developing and executing agri-food sustainability strategies that have led to measurable improvements.
• Strong knowledge of relevant environmental regulations, sustainability reporting frameworks, and industry standards.
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills with the ability to influence and drive change across the organization.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage and persuade internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience with sustainability data analysis, reporting, and performance metrics.
• Experience with GHG accounting in cocoa landscapes, child labour and deforestation risk assessments
• Familiarity with sustainable agriculture certification and verification systems
• Knowledge of emerging sustainability trends in the agricultural commodity sector and related industries.
• Experience with managing cross-functional teams and collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including farmers, producers, NGOs, and governmental bodies.
• High ethical standards and commitment to achieving impact at all levels of the supply chain and particularly at farmer level.
• Results-driven with a proactive and entrepreneurial mindset
• Adaptability to changing sustainability environment and focus areas
• Attention to detail and a disciplined approach to dealing with customer enquiries and engagement.

Additional:

• This role will be expected to recruit a small team of experts as required
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills

Benefits and Perks of Working for SFI Agri Commodities

As a fairly new company, we’re still in the early stages of building out our perks and benefits, which makes this an exciting time to join us. You’ll have the opportunity to help shape our workplace culture and the kind of employee experience we create as we grow.

That said, here’s what we currently offer:

• Flexible, hybrid working environment
• Private medical insurance
• 25 days annual leave
• Pension
• Enhanced parental leave

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our employees.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Executive

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Business Development and Sales

• Industries

  Wholesale Raw Farm Products

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