IBM appoints Christina Shim as new chief sustainability officer

IBM has appointed Christina Shim as its new Chief Sustainability Officer, according to an internal memo seen by ESG Today, taking over the role from current CSO and Vice President, Corporate Environmental Affairs & Product Safety Wayne Balta, who will be retiring in June.

Shim joined IBM in 2021, and has most recently been serving as Global Head of Sustainability Software, leading IBM’s business focused on providing enterprise applications and industry solutions leveraging technologies such as AI, IoT, hybrid cloud, and blockchain to enable clients to translate sustainability ambition into action, in addition to serving on the company’s AI Ethics Board and ESG Executive Steering Committee. Prior to joining IBM, she served as Managing Director at global impact firm Palladium, and as Director of Corporate and Growth / Innovation Strategy at consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.

Shim said, “I’m thrilled to take on this new challenge and keep driving forward IBM’s important environmental work leveraging the power of technology. IBM serves as client zero for many of the technologies it brings to market, leveraging our own solutions and innovations to make a lasting, positive impact through sustainability and in our business. From minimizing climate-related risks to creating and implementing industry solutions that harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud, we will create more pathways to better conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact.”

Balta joined IBM in 1984, and has stewarded the company’s commitment to environmental leadership and led initiatives driving IBM’s global environmental results, in addition to serving as the architect of its global environmental management system, ensuring regulatory compliance and enabling voluntary leadership initiatives. Balta received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association for Environmental Management in 2018, and was named a White House “Champion of Change” by President Obama in 2012 for his efforts to advance corporate environmental sustainability.

Joanne Wright, Senior Vice President, Transformation and Operations at IBM, said “At IBM, we are always looking for new ways to unlock the power of technology and transform our operations to become more efficient, increase productivity, and create a better employee and customer experience. We are excited about this announcement, and we are confident that Christina’s expertise will build on top of Wayne’s legacy to advance our sustainability efforts even further.”