Frequently Asked Questions

  • Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) is an activation engine led by women Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) that aims to promote and advance women's leadership in sustainability. It is chaired by Ann Tracy, CSO at Colgate-Palmolive, who also chairs the United Nations Global Compact USA. SW2 is a non-profit entity founded by  Ann Lee-Jeffs, who has pioneered platforms such as the Healthcare Plastic Recycling Council (HPRC) and the Green Chemistry Institute (GCI) Pharmaceutical Roundtable to promote sustainability from within. Motivated by her passion to help others achieve their ambitions, Ann Lee-Jeffs launched SW2 to utilize her network, including her Women CSO friends, to create a platform that uplifts all women in sustainability. With the SW2 Board's incredible networks and connections, the potential impact on the world is limitless.

  • The future of SW2 is promising. Our ambition is realistic and achievable within our lifetime and the 21st century. Women now constitute over 60% of the sustainability community and hold more than 60% of the top sustainability positions including CSO roles globally—a contrast to other fields dominated by men. With sustainability at a crossroads facing backlash and politicization, SW2 aims to activate women worldwide to promote and advance sustainability as an innovative platform for global good. Join the SW2 movement to help us accelerate progress together, ensuring that women, who are the majority in the sustainability community, guide and direct global efforts to innovate and drive the necessary changes to restore planetary and human health.

  • SW2 was inspired by the Women in the World Foundation, founded by Tina Brown in 2011. While that foundation is no longer active, it inspired many leaders, including Ann Lee-Jeffs, Founder and President of SW2, to support women globally. Since 2011, Ann Lee-Jeffs has spearheaded various consortiums, including the Healthcare Recycling Council (HPRC) and Green Chemistry Institute (GCI), while working with multinationals like J&J and Pfizer. At Modern Meadow, she conceived the idea of Sustainability Women in the World (SW2) in Fall 2023, with the support of Bank of America sustainability executives, to continue driving sustainability as a platform for innovation

  • The mission of SW2 is to utilize our activation engine, powered by women CSOs and our partners-to-be-established in business, media, education, NGOs, government, and civil society, to advance women in sustainability. Our goal is to foster thought leadership, talent development, and impactful initiatives, ensuring women's leadership is at the forefront of sustainability innovation. "We are ready for transformative change in sustainability, and women CSOs are ideally positioned to lead this change," says Ann Lee-Jeffs.

  • SW2 is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive community of women to amplify our collective voice and impact. We partner with top-tier organizations globally to provide resources, platforms, and tools necessary for sustainability leaders to develop and utilize their unique strengths to achieve significant impacts. Our efforts aim to shape the future of sustainability, with measurable impacts influencing organizational commitments across all sectors.

  • The SW2 Board is comprised of distinguished women executives and CSOs, including

    • Ann Lee-Jeffs, Founder and President

    • Ann Tracy, CSO, Colgate Palmolive (Chair)

    • Catherine Atkin, Director and Co-founder, Carbon Accountable

    • Danielle Corcione, Executive Committee Member, CSG Law

    • Emily Rose Laochua, MD, Head of Sustainable Advisory and Equity Solutions, BofA

    • Janett Haas, Sr. VP, Forbes Research & Insights

    • Julia Klim, VP Strategy and Business Development, Equinox

    • Niki King, CSO, Clorox

    • Renee Henze, CSO, International Fragrance and Flavors

    • Shannon Schuyler, US Chief Purpose and Inclusion Officer, PwC

    • Sophie Beckham, CSO, International Papers

  • SW2 formally launched during Climate Week with a unique celebratory dinner event which took place on September 24th. The Board plans quarterly hybrid meetings to initiate charters for thought leadership, talent development, and impact pillars. The first official Board meeting will take place in NYC on December 5th 2024. We are also evaluating participating in international events, such as Davos in January 2025, to let the global community know about the SW2 movement.

  • As a startup non-profit, we are finalizing our collective ambition that reflects our vision, mission, and strategic priorities. To express interest or join our efforts, please contact us to provide your information or join our LinkedIn SW2 group.