CDP North America President Lance Pierce steps down

CDP – the investor-backed not-for-profit environmental data body – is launching a search for a new President to head up its North America operation, as Lance Pierce steps down from the helm after four years.

During his tenure as President, Pierce more than doubled the size of CDP North America.

He oversaw strategic initiatives for the NGO globally, including its work around and climate and SDG finance with the Executive Offices of the UN, and around carbon pricing with the World Bank – himself acting as working group co-chair of the World Bank’s Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.

Pierce was also CDP’s representative to the SDG negotiations in New York.

He was appointed as President in 2014, moving from his role as executive director and operating chief at US sustainability advocacy group Ceres.

His departure comes as the Corporate Reporting Dialogue, the group of sustainability bodies including the CDP and others, is set to unveil a major “alignment” project next month amid investor calls for greater coherence among them.

Pierce co-founded the Global Investor Coalition on Climate Change (GIC), the $24trn (€21trn) investor body which comprises regional investor climate change groups as well as Ceres’ own Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR).Before joining Ceres, Pierce was the director of the climate and energy program for the Union of Concerned Scientists, and a former consultant to global companies, UN agencies, and international development organisations.

“An opportunity to help reshape the direction of sustainability throughout the world.”

He said on social media that details of his new position would be confirmed shortly.

CDP is now on the look out for an “inspired leader” to fill Pierce’s shoes, tasked with expanding partnerships with investors, companies and NGOs, increasing revenue, raising visibility and working with the wider CDP organisation. The New York- based organisation has a staff of 50 and a budget of $10m.

CDP said: “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.”

The chosen applicant will report to the Board of CDP North America and CDP’s Global Leadership.