Fractional CSO Pricing
How much does a Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer cost?
If you're searching "how much does a fractional CSO cost?", you're likely facing growing sustainability, ESG, or ASRS compliance demands, and trying to work out the most cost-effective way to access senior sustainability leadership.
The short answer is: it depends. But there are clear market ranges, and understanding them helps you make a better decision.
Typical Fractional CSO Cost Ranges
For mid-market organisations, Fractional CSO pricing typically falls within the following ranges:
$8,000–$15,000
per month for ongoing Fractional CSO support
1–4 days per month
of senior leadership
Outcome-focused
not billable hours
Scalable
as needs evolve
This provides access to executive-level sustainability leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
How Fractional CSO Pricing Compares
| Option | Typical Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional CSO | $8k–$15k / month | Senior leadership, embedded support |
| Full-time CSO | $250k+ / year | High commitment, long-term hire |
| Big Four consulting | $5k–$8k / day | Project-based delivery |
| ESG manager (mid-level) | $120k–$160k / year | Execution, limited strategic scope |
Key point: Fractional CSO pricing sits between a consultant and a full-time executive, but delivers leadership, not just advice.
What's Included in Fractional CSO Pricing
A Fractional CSO engagement typically includes:
Importantly, you're not paying for hours, you're paying for outcomes and leadership.
What Drives the Cost of a Fractional CSO?
Several factors influence pricing:
Business complexity
Multi-site operations, global supply chains, or high-risk sectors require deeper engagement.
Regulatory exposure
Organisations directly impacted by ASRS, climate risk, or lender scrutiny need more hands-on leadership.
Starting point
Businesses with no existing sustainability strategy or governance need more upfront foundation work.
Role scope
Some Fractional CSOs focus narrowly on compliance; others (like us) work across strategy, risk, and performance.
Why Fractional CSO Pricing Is Often Better Value
Many businesses initially explore consulting or internal hires, then realise:
Project-based consulting
Can escalate quickly as scope changes
Full-time roles
Expensive and risky if foundations aren't ready
Junior hires
Struggle without senior guidance
A mid-sized organisation preparing for ASRS initially budgeted for a large consulting engagement.
By shifting to a Fractional CSO model, they:
- Reduced external ESG spend by ~60%
- Built internal governance and ownership
- Used compliance work to strengthen business resilience
The outcome wasn't just lower cost, it was better decision-making and clearer accountability.
Is Fractional CSO Pricing Right for Your Business?
- You need senior sustainability leadership but not full-time
- You're navigating ASRS, climate disclosure, or ESG risk
- You want sustainability embedded into strategy, not siloed
- You value outcomes over reports
- •You only need a one-off technical report
- •Sustainability is already fully resourced internally
A Note on Pricing Transparency
We believe in being clear about typical ranges, while recognising that effective Fractional CSO support must be tailored.
Our engagements are:
- Structured as monthly retainers
- Scoped around outcomes, not hours
- Designed to scale as your business evolves
How to Get a Clear Price for Your Organisation
The best way to determine whether Fractional CSO support, and what level, is right for you is a short, focused conversation.
We'll help you understand what level of leadership you actually need, whether a Fractional CSO is the right next step, and how to sequence sustainability investment effectively.