Sustainability Paves Way for More Women in C-Suite Roles

The increasing emphasis on ESG and DEI underscores the need for more empathetic leadership, according to Cykoski. She says women often exhibit greater interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence, placing them in an advantageous position to excel in leadership roles that require understanding and addressing diverse stakeholder needs. 

“Companies seeking to enhance their stakeholder relationships will find that women leaders bring a unique perspective and skill set to foster a more inclusive and compassionate corporate culture,” says Cykoski.

“In essence, the evolving landscape that prioritises empathy in leadership aligns with many qualities associated with effective female leaders. This creates an opportunity for women to not only contribute meaningfully to the current discourse on ESG and DEI but also to ascend to leadership positions, including board roles, where their empathetic leadership style can drive positive change and impact.”

Positive change is welcomed, and having more women in leadership roles could transform the very nature of business – from doing well to doing good.

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Amelia DeLuca CV

As Chief Sustainability Officer for Delta Airlines, Amelia is leading Delta on its journey to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. 

“I came into this role because I had a strong track record as a team leader with an ability to galvanise teams to solve hard problems,” Amelia says. “I have a background in Math, so I love data. Across Delta and within my role, we follow the data. We are committed to science-based targets and are always testing, iterating, and re-testing based on the feedback and data we receive.”

She previously served as VP, International Customer Experience and Partner Sustainability where she led cross-divisional efforts to deliver a consistent premium customer experience across Delta’s partners. 

She also supported the development of Delta’s partner sustainability strategy across its global partner network to accelerate the alliance’s leading sustainability position.

During her 17-year career with Delta, Amelia has held leadership positions within the Sustainability, Global Sales, Revenue Management and Network Planning teams and been based in Mexico, the US, and the Netherlands.

Heather Cykoski CV

Heather Cykoski is Senior Vice President, Industrial Automation US and Process Automation Canada at Schneider Electric.

She became an engineer because she knew she “could bring something different to the profession as a woman”. She’s now spent 25 years in energy and industrial engineering, securing numerous honours, including being named to the 10 Most Influential Women in Technology in 2020.

As SVP, Heather works closely with partners and stakeholders to address the industry’s green energy trilemma of balancing modernisation plans, managing security concerns, and working within limited resources. “We empower individuals and organisations of all kinds to make the most of the energy and resources they have available, bridging progress and sustainability for all.”

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