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AVP, ESG

Bath & Body Works • United States • Added on Jul 31, 2026
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As the Associate Vice President of ESG, you will own the high-level architecture of the company’s environmental and social strategy. You will serve as the primary architect for translating materiality assessments into actionable business goals, while ensuring that the organization remains ahead of a complex global regulatory landscape. This role is about moving beyond compliance to embed sustainable decision-making into the very fabric of retail operations and supply chain management.

This position is vital because it bridges the gap between iconic consumer branding and rigorous corporate accountability. At a global leader in personal care, your work on carbon reduction and ethical sourcing directly influences the footprint of thousands of products and nearly 2,000 stores. You will be the catalyst for integrating ESG metrics into financial reporting and executive dashboards, ensuring the brand’s reputation is backed by transparent, audited data.

This suits someone who possesses an executive presence and the technical depth to navigate SEC or CSRD requirements while effectively influencing C-suite stakeholders in a fast-paced retail environment.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The AVP of ESG is tasked with the strategic oversight of the company’s environmental, social, and governance pillars. This includes leading materiality assessments and translating those findings into multi-year actionable plans that align with corporate growth and risk management objectives. Day-to-day, you will oversee the preparation of all ESG disclosures and sustainability reports, ensuring they meet rigorous standards like CSRD and SEC climate rules. You will also manage data governance and internal controls for ESG metrics to ensure audit-readiness and accuracy across all public-facing impact summaries. Furthermore, you will be responsible for performance management by developing KPIs across the organization. This involves partnering with Finance, Legal, and Supply Chain to track year-over-year performance and benchmark the company against industry peers and ESG rating agencies.

Key learning opportunities for this job

This role offers an exceptional vantage point to master the operationalization of ESG within a high-volume retail and manufacturing environment. You will gain deep expertise in emerging global regulatory frameworks, including the transition to mandatory SEC and European CSRD reporting requirements. You will also have the opportunity to lead enterprise-wide integration, learning how to embed sustainability into diverse business functions like procurement, product development, and facilities management. This provides a rare chance to see how ESG strategy directly impacts brand reputation and investor relations on a global scale.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings between 7 and 12 years of experience in ESG, risk, or compliance, specifically within highly regulated industries or large-scale retail. You should have a master’s degree in a relevant field and a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams in a matrixed corporate structure. Technically, you must be an expert in frameworks such as GRI, SASB, and TCFD, with strong data literacy and the ability to manage complex analytics. Soft skills are equally important; you need the executive presence to influence senior leadership and the strategic thinking required to navigate the ambiguity of an evolving regulatory landscape.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate your ability to bridge the gap between technical ESG data and business value. Highlight specific instances where you successfully integrated sustainability metrics into corporate strategy or risk management frameworks, particularly in the retail or manufacturing sectors. Focus your application on your reporting expertise. Bath & Body Works is looking for a leader who can navigate the 'data governance' side of ESG. Showcasing experience with internal controls, audit processes, and the transition to mandatory climate disclosures will make your profile significantly more competitive.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role will likely focus heavily on supply chain transparency and product responsibility, given the company's manufacturing and retail footprint. This includes ethical sourcing of ingredients and materials, as well as managing the environmental impact of 3-wick candles and personal care products. Additionally, carbon footprint reduction across a vast network of 1,900+ stores and logistics hubs will be a primary focus. You will also play a key role in the 'Social' pillar, ensuring that DEI strategies and community impact initiatives are measurable and integrated into the broader ESG narrative.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the primary challenges will be data fragmentation across a global organization with over 30,000 employees and numerous international locations. Gathering high-quality, audit-ready data from supply chain partners and diverse business units requires significant persistence and influence. You may also face the challenge of balancing brand expectations with rigorous regulatory compliance. As disclosure requirements become more stringent, ensuring that marketing claims are perfectly aligned with technical ESG data will be a critical and sometimes difficult balancing act.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with a cross-functional meeting with Finance and Legal to review the latest drafts of an ESG scorecard or regulatory filing. You might then shift to a strategic session with the Procurement team to discuss sustainable sourcing goals and supplier risk assessments. In the afternoon, you could be briefing senior executives or board members on emerging climate risks, followed by an analytical deep-dive into the latest carbon reduction KPIs. The day often concludes with stakeholder engagement, perhaps responding to inquiries from ESG rating agencies or preparing materials for an internal ESG council.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This is an AVP-level role, placing you in a high-visibility leadership position within a global brand. Success in this role could lead to an appointment as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) or a transition into broader executive roles in Corporate Affairs, Risk Management, or Strategy. You will have the opportunity to lead high-stakes projects, such as the implementation of enterprise-wide carbon accounting software or the development of a flagship ethical sourcing program. These projects provide the kind of top-tier experience that defines an executive career in the sustainability sector.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact frequently with the C-suite and Board of Directors, providing the dashboards and briefings they need to oversee the company's ESG performance. Internally, your closest collaborators will be leaders in Finance, Legal, HR, and Supply Chain Operations. Externally, you will be the face of the company for investors and rating agencies such as MSCI and Sustainalytics. You will also engage with regulatory bodies to stay ahead of reporting mandates and may partner with NGOs or industry groups to advance the company's sustainability initiatives.

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