What is a Fractional CSO?
A Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer (Fractional CSO) is a senior sustainability executive who works with your company on a part-time or project basis, providing strategic ESG leadership without the cost and commitment of a full-time hire.
For mid-market Australian companies ($10M-$500M revenue), a Fractional CSO delivers the strategic expertise needed for ASRS compliance, customer ESG requirements, and board governance, at a fraction of the cost of building an internal sustainability function from scratch.
Why Choose a Fractional CSO?
Senior sustainability leadership that fits your budget and timeline
$8-15k/month
vs $250k+ full-time
Senior sustainability leadership at 30-50% of full-time hire costs. No recruitment fees, no benefits overhead, predictable monthly investment.
Days
vs 3-6 months hiring
Start within days, not months. No job ads, interviews, notice periods, or onboarding delays. Critical when facing ASRS deadlines or customer requirements.
Multiple sectors
Retail, Manufacturing, Finance
Benefit from patterns and solutions proven across multiple clients and industries. Fresh perspectives and best practices you won't get from a single-company hire.
Long-term value
Not just reports
Build your internal team's skills from day one. Exit with stronger internal capability, not consulting dependency. Many clients hire internal staff with Fractional CSO support.
What You Get in 90 Days
Our Fractional CSO engagement delivers tangible, board-ready outcomes within 90 days. No reports that sit on shelves, practical deliverables that drive real business value.
- Board-ready ESG Strategy and Plan on a Page
- Governance framework with clear roles and decision rights
- Materiality assessment aligned to business priorities
- Carbon baseline (Scope 1, 2, material Scope 3)
- ASRS compliance roadmap and timeline
- Supplier ESG assessment program
- Executive and board coaching on ESG governance
- Quick wins identification (energy, waste, risk)
How It Works
Strategy Session
Free 30-minute call to understand your challenges and goals
Tailored Engagement
Scope and structure designed for your specific needs (typically 1-3 days/week)
Embedded Leadership
Work alongside your team, attending meetings, coaching staff, driving progress
Capability Handover
Build internal skills so you're not dependent on external support long-term
Ideal For
A Fractional CSO is the right fit when you need senior leadership but not 40+ hours per week
ASRS Compliance
Companies facing mandatory climate disclosure deadlines who need senior leadership to establish governance, measure emissions, and prepare board-ready reports.
Customer ESG Requirements
Businesses responding to ESG questionnaires, Scope 3 data requests, or supply chain sustainability requirements from key customers.
ESG Strategy Development
Organisations ready to move beyond ad-hoc sustainability initiatives to a structured, board-endorsed ESG strategy.
Building Internal Capability
Companies that want to develop ESG capability internally but need senior guidance to establish foundations first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Fractional CSO actually do?
A Fractional CSO provides senior sustainability leadership on a part-time or project basis, typically 1-3 days per week. They develop ESG strategy, establish governance frameworks, oversee emissions measurement, manage climate risk, prepare board reports, and build internal capability. They work as an embedded member of your leadership team, not an external consultant delivering reports.
How is a Fractional CSO different from a sustainability consultant?
Consultants typically deliver specific projects (reports, audits, assessments) and leave. A Fractional CSO becomes part of your team, attending leadership meetings, coaching staff, building systems, and ensuring accountability. They're focused on building your internal capability rather than creating consulting dependency.
How much does a Fractional CSO cost?
Fractional CSO engagements typically range from $8,000-$15,000 per month for mid-market companies, which translates to $96,000-$180,000 annually. Compare this to hiring a full-time CSO at $250,000+ salary plus recruitment costs of $50,000-$100,000, the Fractional model delivers senior leadership at 30-50% of the cost.
How quickly can a Fractional CSO start?
A Fractional CSO can typically start within 1-2 weeks of engagement. Compare this to hiring full-time, which takes 3-6 months for job design, recruitment, interviews, offer negotiation, notice periods, and onboarding. For companies facing ASRS deadlines or urgent customer requirements, this speed difference is critical.
Will a Fractional CSO build our internal team's capability?
Yes, capability building is a core part of Fractional CSO support. Unlike consultants who deliver reports and leave, a Fractional CSO coaches your internal team, establishes processes, and ensures you're not dependent on external support long-term. Many clients eventually hire a Sustainability Manager with the Fractional CSO providing ongoing strategic oversight.
When should we transition from Fractional to Full-Time CSO?
Most companies use a Fractional CSO for 12-24 months to establish strategy, governance, and ASRS readiness, then hire a mid-level Sustainability Manager to execute programs. The Fractional CSO provides ongoing quarterly oversight. Full-time CSO hires typically only make sense when you need 40+ hours per week of dedicated sustainability leadership.
Ready to Explore Fractional CSO Support?
Book a free 30-minute strategy session to discuss your ESG challenges and explore whether Fractional CSO support is right for your business.