Ralph Lauren is no longer committing to a 2040 horizon for net zero. Instead, it’s focusing on “rolling” targets every five years that leadership believes it can execute with confidence. The strategy comes as the iconic fashion brand has beat its science-based emissions deadline of 2030 for the past two years.

On the surface, the company is swimming against the corporate tide by getting rid of its long-term target, one that had not been validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Seventy percent of companies on the Global Forbes 2000, of which Ralph Lauren is one, have a net zero target, according to the New Climate Institute.

At the same time, however, Ralph Lauren shows progress rare in the apparel industry, overshooting its 2030 target of 30 percent emissions cuts, which is SBTi-validated: It made cuts of 34 percent since 2020 across Scopes 1, 2 and 3. In 2024, it was already at a 33 percent emissions reduction.

An ‘exemplar’ (but)

The company said it seeks to maintain progress by focusing on what it can directly control, rather than counting on new technologies, like textile recycling, that haven’t scaled yet. In the next few years, it plans to set new sustainability targets that will come due in 2035.

Ralph Lauren’s annual emissions fell in its latest count to 1,230,541 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to its FY 2025 sustainability report, released Oct. 2. That’s about as much as 151,000 U.S. homes emit each year.

“We will continue to follow a science-based methodology aligned with the Paris Agreement to advance our work,” the report said, “further scaling proven approaches across raw materials sourcing; direct supplier engagement to phase out on-site coal; and advancing collective financing mechanisms to fund relevant supplier initiatives.”

“Ralph Lauren’s decarbonization progress is impressive and can serve as an exemplar of what is possible,” said Ken Pucker, an apparel industry veteran who teaches at Dartmouth and Tufts universities. But, he continued, “with the elimination of the company’s net zero goal, and the focus on shorter-term goals, it is surprising to not yet see revised targets.”

Emissions origins

Scope 3 is responsible for 99 percent of Ralph Lauren’s greenhouse gas footprint. The top three sources are raw materials, at 26 percent, followed by processes such as mills and dyeing shops (18 percent) and consumer product use (17 percent).

Three key areas helped the emissions progress reported in 2025, according to the company:

• A selective strategy of producing fewer units for sale: However, Ralph Lauren does not share production totals — a common blind spot in fashion that activists would like to see revealed.
• Sourcing lower-impact materials: In 2025, Ralph Lauren reached “sustainable” materials in 98 percent of goods, a 6 percent rise from a year earlier. While many other brands are embracing polyester and other fossil-fuel fabrics, Ralph Lauren uses only 6 percent polyester. Cotton makes up 80 percent of its fabric, almost all of it organic, recycled or grown using regenerative practices.
• Helping suppliers to eliminate coal: Toward this effort, only one of the 80 plants that Ralph Lauren has worked with internally still uses coal. Ralph Lauren engages 170 supplier facilities through the Apparel Impact Institute’s Carbon Leadership Program. In 2025, it joined the institute’s Future Supplier Initiative, which helps finance suppliers’ energy transitions.

Varied reactions

Ralph Lauren’s 2025 report attracted a mix of admiration and concern. The nonprofit Ceres, for one, advocates for companies to blend both distant and near-term climate deadlines. “A net-zero target sets a clear North Star for a company to align internal teams, engage its suppliers and respond to stakeholder expectations and current and emerging regulations, including those outside of the United States,” said Ceres Company Network Senior Director Mary Ann Ormond.

In June, the activist group Stand.earth rated Ralph Lauren a D+ on its 2025 fossil-free fashion scorecard. The company is one of only six major labels markedly phasing out synthetics, which the nonprofit noted while dinging it on climate commitments and transparency.

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For companies seeking to improve the accuracy of Scope 3 inventories, corporate carbon footprints can offer an upgrade to more commonly used methods. But a new study from European researchers suggests that “unpredictable variation” in company-level data severely limits the usefulness of the approach.

To total up Scope 3 numbers — emissions from suppliers, use of products by customers and other indirect sources — companies most often base estimates on activity levels or spending. For a purchase of steel, for instance, a company might multiply the quantity purchased by an estimate of the emissions associated with the production of a typical ton of the material. Use of these emissions factors makes the process relatively easy to implement, but such broad estimates disadvantage suppliers selling lower-carbon versions of a product.

As an alternative, a supplier can estimate its total emissions — its corporate carbon footprint — and allocate a fraction of that total to its customers, depending on how much of its output each purchases. The process, which is used by CDP and other standard-setters, ensures the benefits of any emissions reductions implemented by the supplier will be passed on to customers — but it also means many less relevant factors influence the estimate.

Unstable estimates

Company footprints can fluctuate due to acquisition or divestments, for example. Product lines can be eliminated or expanded, and accounting methodologies change. All would impact a supplier’s footprint — and hence the emissions allocated to customers — but might not change the actual emissions associated with the customer’s purchases.

To examine the problem, crtl+s, a Berlin-based sustainability consultancy, teamed up with researchers at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland. They looked at corporate carbon footprint data disclosed to CDP by 62 European companies, all of which had committed to emissions goals with the Science Based Targets initiative.

“All 62 companies exhibited strong volatility in specific emissions over the five-year period,” the team concluded in a white paper released this week. “Even among climate leaders, emissions data proved unstable.”

Using footprints from 2018 as a starting point, the group plotted percentages changes over the following five years. In the case of tech company Philips, total emissions came close to doubling one year before dropping back below baseline 12 months later.

Tracking emissions

The team will next search for the cause of such sudden changes. “But I know for sure it’s not specific emission reduction activities,” said ctrl+s CEO Moritz Nill. Changes from such causes are more likely to be in the 2 percent-per-year range, he added.

Product footprints are coming

The long-term solution, Nill and others say, is to use carbon footprints tied to specific products. Industry groups are collaborating to streamline the creation and sharing of such footprints, including Catena-X in car manufacturing, Mondra in food retail and sector-agnostic systems such as the Partnership for Carbon Transparency, which is being developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

In the meantime, Nill recommends sticking with emissions factors and refining the estimates using information from suppliers about specific emissions-reductions measures they have implemented.

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The opinions expressed here by Trellis expert contributors are their own, not those of Trellis.​

Sustainability consulting is currently a highly competitive career path, despite current ESG headwinds. Firms often receive 1,000 to 5,000 applications for a single role, and most organizations have turned to AI for help with identifying candidates with the greatest potential. 

To understand how candidates can stand out in today’s competitive landscape, I spoke with senior leaders at five sustainability consultancies. It quickly became clear that once highly sought-after experience in areas such as disclosure and greenhouse gas accounting has become easier to find. As a result, many technical skills have become table stakes, leading firms to focus more on specific combinations of skills, attributes and cultural fit. 

While networking has always been important, it carries a heightened significance in today’s job market. Referrals remain the best way to get your resume seen by a human and conversations with current employees can help you understand the nuances of what each firm values. 

Below are summaries of my conversations, edited for length and clarity. 

3R Sustainability

Headquarters: Pittsburgh, PA 

Approximate sustainability advisory team size: 40 consultants

Best known for: Sustainability strategy and management systems; decarbonization and resilience for the built environment; reporting, scoring, ratings and sustainability assurance

Jana Lake, president and owner on what makes 3R unique: 3R stands out for its human touch — we prioritize long-term relationships, a partnership approach with our clients and work–life balance for our consultants. Our consultants are encouraged to listen deeply, ask the right questions and motivate clients who may feel overwhelmed, while also supporting each other with a team-first mentality. We work remotely with our clients so that everyone has the flexibility they need to spend time with family or pursue other passions outside of work. 

What 3R Sustainability looks for in candidates: Cultural fit has always come first. We’re looking for candidates with a partnership mentality and a growth mindset who take a coaching approach to their work. It’s also important for candidates to clearly understand the sustainability context and what drives business value, reduces risk and improves management systems. 

How candidates can stand out: Candidates with internal sustainability experience have a unique appreciation for how difficult it can be to drive change across an organization and that makes them more empathetic and effective. We also appreciate candidates who have assurance experience and can understand how a sustainability assessment works from the other side of the table.

SE Advisory Services

Headquarters: Paris, France 

Approximate sustainability advisory team size: 3,300 consultants

Best known for: Net-zero strategy; regulatory-grade reporting; high-integrity carbon credits; climate risk consulting

Stuart Lemmon, head of the global sustainability practice, on what makes the team unique: We have always differentiated ourselves by the quality of the work that we do. We use processes that are underpinned by rigorous science to develop solutions for our clients that are data-driven and in alignment with international standards. 

The firm has been recognized as the “World’s Most Sustainable Company” by TIME Magazine and Statista for the past two years. We’re part of a larger global team of experts in energy, resilience, strategy and efficiency who really understand this work and walk the talk, which puts us in a very strong position to offer our clients high-quality end-to-end solutions. 

What SE Advisory Services looks for in candidates: We’re heavily focused on candidates with strong data science and engineering skills. They must be able to understand and interpret data within the context of the science and then understand how it informs strategy. 

We’re also looking for candidates who can engage effectively with clients. Every member of the team is expected to serve as a trusted adviser directly supporting our clients on their sustainability journey. And as a values-driven organization, we’re looking for people who are passionate about creating impact for our clients, are open and transparent, and work well within an empowered environment. 

How candidates can stand out: Exceptional candidates are capable of guiding a client’s progress along their journey while also thinking about where the market is going. They understand context and how the evolving regulatory and standards landscapes will impact the client. Strong candidates are also constantly thinking about a business’s operating model and how to improve it. They’ve learned how to use AI tools and can effectively incorporate them into existing tools and processes. 

KPMG

Headquarters: London, UK 

Approximate sustainability advisory team size: 5,000 consultants

Best known for: Sustainability strategy and implementation; sustainability reporting and assurance; climate risk and transition planning

Charlotte Fildes, global ESG head of talent, on what makes KPMG unique: We view ESG as a watermark running throughout the global organization that empowers our consultants to become agents of positive change and provides solutions and services that help our clients overcome the challenges facing our planet and society. 

Our consultants are passionate about making a difference and working towards the goals in the KPMG: Our Impact Plan, which includes a validated Science-Based Target (SBT) to decarbonize our business by 50 percent across all scopes by 2030 compared to our FY19 baseline.

What KPMG looks for in candidates: We have always looked for candidates with strong analytical minds and excellence in client service, but as we’ve moved forward with implementing KPMG’s Our Impact Plan, we’ve been increasingly looking for purpose-driven thinking as a core competency. Our consultants are interested in more than just solving problems; they’re also motivated by a meaningful career and want to drive meaningful change that creates and protects value for our clients. 

How candidates can stand out: The most competitive candidates combine ESG skills, such as reporting or climate analytics, with value-driven transformation abilities. We’re also looking for candidates who understand the risks and value creation potential across the full ESG project life cycle. They can connect the dots and articulate how a change in one functional area can impact risk mitigation, operational efficiency and competitive positioning across the entire organization.

WAP Sustainability

Headquarters: Chattanooga, TN 

Approximate sustainability advisory team size: 80 consultants

Best known for: Corporate sustainability; product sustainability; certifications and verification

William Paddock, CEO and managing director on what makes WAP Sustainability unique: We are known for our balance of strategy and execution, as well as our well-rounded cross-functional service offerings. We meet our clients where they are on their sustainability journey and stay grounded in the realities of this work. Our team combines a “get it done” mentality with a culture of camaraderie and respect for each other’s skills. 

What WAP Sustainability looks for in candidates: There are two skill sets that we’ve always gravitated towards: a growth mindset and the ability to thrive in ambiguity. Because the sustainability space is constantly changing, we look for self-motivated learners who want to build skills across our service lines while keeping pace with new developments. Every client has a unique set of needs, drivers and level of ambition so every engagement will be different and consultants have to be able to adjust for that. 

How candidates can stand out: We’re most interested in candidates who can clearly demonstrate experience with moving the needle and making the right structural differences within an organization. We look for people who have tangible accomplishments in things like strategy or supplier engagement and are looking to join a consulting firm in order to scale their impact. 

WSP

Headquarters: Montreal, Canada 

Approximate sustainability advisory team size: 130 US-based sustainability consultants, hundreds more globally

Best known for: Sustainability strategy and program design; decarbonization and carbon accounting; climate resilience and adaptation planning 

Julie Hughes, vice president, sustainability, energy and climate change, on what makes WSP unique: As an advisory team operating within the context of an engineering firm, we’re in a unique position to help our clients develop a vision, build a strategy and implement actionable plans. It’s incredibly rewarding to see an aspirational vision start to manifest in real actions.  

Our consultants are big thinkers with big ideas, and they’re also practical people who are technically sound and comfortable digging into the details that drive projects forward. They have a lot of personal agency to identify the skills that they want to develop and pursue projects they want to work on. Our team is a special blend of collaborative, supportive and respectful. We treat each other as fellow human beings first, and as co-workers second.  

What WSP looks for in candidates: Consulting is inherently about enabling others to succeed, so it’s important to have humility and a proclivity for helping other people — rather than a desire to have the spotlight or receive all the credit. We look for people with a natural inclination towards helping others who derive real joy and satisfaction from that act.  

We’re looking for natural learners who are intellectually curious, appreciate diverse perspectives, believe in what’s possible, and are excited by growth and change. 

How candidates can stand out: We’re particularly interested in candidates who are “pragmatic visionaries,” people who are adept at developing ambitious and aspirational ideas, but are also able to break those ideas down into actionable steps. We need team members who can paint a vivid picture for a client that helps them envision a better future, but can quickly pivot to the tactical, creating an action plan that builds towards that tomorrow. While we’ve always looked for candidates with intellectual agility and versatility, adaptability and comfort with change has recently become even more important. There’s a significant feeling of uncertainty in the market right now and we’re looking for people who are able to navigate that uncertainty productively, and with a level of empathy and grace that keeps our clients and our team moving forward.

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Send news about sustainability leadership roles, promotions and departures to [email protected].

Robert Metzke, who shepherded Dutch medical equipment company Philips’ push to integrate environmental considerations into new product design, is leaving to lead sustainability at German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom.

He will take over from Melanie Kubin-Hardewig, currently responsible for Group Corporate Responsibility at Deutsche Telekom, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities effective June 30, 2026. Metzke will report to Michael Hagspihl, who’s responsible for global strategic projects and marketing partnerships. In a statement, Deutsche Telekom said Metzke will focus on the further development of its global impact strategy and performance management for its sustainability initiatives.

Metzke, a 17-year veteran at Philips, led sustainability for the past nine years. He most recently was senior vice president and global head of sustainability. 

During Metzke’s tenure, Philips became the first health technology company to have the emissions reduction targets across its entire greenhouse gas footprint approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

The company also met its promise to include “EcoDesign” metrics — including reduced energy consumption, the elimination of hazardous substances and the use of lightweight or recycled materials — in all of its new product design roadmaps.

Philips is one of the few companies that calculates an environmental profit and loss statement that puts a monetary value on its environmental impact. The company uses that to prioritize emissions reduction investments. For example, it inspired a feature that uses artificial intelligence to reduce energy consumption in MRI machines.

Metzke cites more milestones in the Sept. 30 LinkedIn post about his job switch, with a shoutout to Philips employees: “Real change happens where human hearts meet, beyond roles and ratio. The late-night brainstorms, the courageous conversations, the shared belief that business can — and must — be a force for good.”

Simon Braaksma, head of non-financial reporting at Philips, will replace Metzke on an interim basis. “Our strong teams and foundations will ensure our ESG commitments continue without interruption,” the company said. 

Deutsche Telekom, a much larger company than Philips with close to $134 billion in revenue in 2024, was not immediately available for comment. Its emissions reduction plan calls for a 55 percent cut across its entire carbon footprint by 2030, compared with 2020. 

Like Philips, Deutsche Telekom cites circular business models that reimagine how products are sold and repaired as integral to its sustainability plan. The telecom’s goal is to make all of its technologies and devices “compatible” with a circular economy — prioritizing longer use cycles supported by repair services and materials reuse. Philips generates close to 25 percent of its revenue from circular models for upgrading or replacing its products.

Editor’s note: This article was updated Oct. 2 to add more details from Deutsche Telekom.

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Jaycee Pribulsky, a longtime Nike leader who only 19 months ago became its chief sustainability officer, has joined Apollo Global Management as partner and chief sustainability officer effective Oct. 1.

She succeeds Dave Stangis, who four years ago became the firm’s first CSO. He will remain a partner, then serve as senior advisor starting in 2026 before he retires.

“Jaycee brings deep experience in sustainability, and her leadership will be critical in continuing to advance and scale our platforms,” stated Stangis, who also served as the first top sustainability executive at both The Campbell’s Company and Intel.

Pribulsky had teased an “incredible opportunity” in a LinkedIn post Sept. 9. She will return to New York City after eight years in Beaverton, Oregon.

As Pribulsky rose from senior director to vice president supply chain roles to the CSO seat, her focus included thinning emissions from 500 factories employing a million people across 41 countries. She replaced CSO Noel Kinder in February 2024 when he left for Lululemon.

Nike, which had cut its sustainability team by 30 percent at the end of 2023, has not named a new CSO.

About Apollo

Heading up strategy, reporting, climate and employee engagement at Apollo Global Management is a marked shift from working at Nike, with its more than 77,000 employees. Apollo, which is public, employs 5,100 people in 37 global offices and manages $840 billion of assets, including a $70 billion private equity portfolio. She leads a team of roughly 30 people dedicated to sustainability across the company.

“Apollo is known for its scale, capabilities and focus on delivering performance and resilience for clients and portfolio companies,” Pribulsky said in a press statement. “I am excited to build on that foundation working closely with colleagues and partners, using Apollo’s sustainability strategy as a practical tool for long-term value creation.”

Now that Stangis has cemented a foundation for sustainability reporting and risk management at Apollo, Pribulsky’s task includes continuing to use sustainability to create business value.

“Private capital is essential to bridging the gap where traditional funding falls short, and we see opportunities to deploy long-term capital in ways that drive both strong returns and meaningful value creation,” Stangis noted in Apollo’s 112-page sustainability report for 2024. “One of the biggest areas is in advancing the energy transition where we are investing in scalable, resilient solutions that will power industries for decades.”

Apollo helped to move some $59 billion within its funds toward climate-transition related investments. The goal is $100 billion by 2030. A sample investment: SunPower received $300 million in support for its home solar and storage offerings through Apollo’s funds and affiliates last year.

Nonetheless, Pribulsky joins the firm at a turbulent time for asset managers. Facing an ESG backlash from the White House, they are also under regulatory pressure to make sustainability reporting more transparent and defend their impact claims. “Alternative” managers such as Apollo also face the tensions of delivering returns from distressed or high-risk investments, including those related to fossil fuels, that don’t align tidily with sustainability goals.

Pribulsky’s career

For more than two decades, Pribulsky focused on sustainability and operations, particularly in sourcing. She also has a deep and varied set of experiences in public relations and governance, including at Bloomberg, Waggener Edstrom, Citigroup and United Technologies.

Before completing an MBA at Columbia University, Pribulsky worked in President Bill Clinton’s White House, including stints as his special assistant and a scheduler for first lady Hillary Clinton.

“Jaycee’s cross-sector experience and track record of building durable, business-aligned sustainability programs will continue to advance Apollo’s differentiated approach and competitive leadership,” Apollo Asset Management Co-President Scott Kleinman stated.

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