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Group Sustainability Manager, Value Chain & Strategy

Boortmalt • Belgium • Added on Jun 29, 2026
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As the Group Sustainability Manager, you will be the bridge between high-level ambition and operational reality by defining the frameworks that govern sustainability claims. You will lead the transition of the company’s climate strategy into audit-defensible value propositions for global food and beverage partners. Your core focus involves designing methodologies for complex areas like Scope 3 emissions, regenerative agriculture, and low-carbon malt production.

This role is pivotal because it addresses the most significant environmental impact of the malting industry: the agricultural supply chain. By establishing robust governance for Scope 3 and FLAG emissions, you ensure that sustainability initiatives translate into genuine carbon reductions and verified claims. Your work directly influences how the world’s largest brewers and distillers meet their own decarbonization targets through low-impact raw materials.

This suits someone who possesses a deep technical understanding of greenhouse gas accounting and supply chain traceability, yet thrives in a commercially-facing environment. You should be an expert at distilling complex regulatory and environmental data into clear, strategic frameworks that drive executive decision-making.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to translate corporate sustainability strategy into credible and audit-defensible value chain propositions. You will own the frameworks for sustainability claims, ensuring that every environmental assertion made to customers is backed by rigorous evidence and aligned with global standards like the GHG Protocol and FLAG guidance. Additionally, you are responsible for bridging the gap between technical sustainability data and commercial execution. This includes developing roadmaps for regenerative agriculture and low-carbon products, while managing a claims library to mitigate risks such as double-counting or greenwashing across the group's global operations.

Key learning opportunities for this job

In this role, you will gain unparalleled exposure to the intersection of agribusiness and climate finance. You will likely deepen your expertise in evolving reporting frameworks such as SBTI FLAG and CSRD, specifically within the context of large-scale agricultural supply chains and mass-balance traceability systems. Through close collaboration with the Chief Sustainability Officer and global commercial teams, you will also develop high-level strategic advisory skills. This includes learning how to navigate the complex regulatory landscapes of five different continents while implementing unified sustainability governance across 27 malting plants.

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

The ideal candidate brings significant experience in Scope 3 carbon accounting and value chain sustainability, typically with 7 to 10 years in a corporate or consulting environment. A strong technical foundation in engineering or sustainability science is essential to handle the data-heavy aspects of GHG reporting and traceability. Beyond technical prowess, you must be a persuasive communicator. The role requires the ability to explain complex topics like mass-balance or isotopic tracing to stakeholders ranging from procurement officers to executive board members. Fluency in English is mandatory, and a background in the food and beverage or agricultural sectors is highly preferred.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, emphasize your experience with traceability and methodology design. Provide specific examples of where you have built a sustainability framework from the ground up or managed a complex Scope 3 inventory. Highlight any work involving third-party audits or the creation of customer-facing sustainability materials. Alignment with the parent company's (Axereal) cooperative model is also a plus. Showing an understanding of how cooperative structures influence sustainable agricultural transitions will demonstrate that you have researched the unique context of Boortmalt's supply chain and sourcing advantages.

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

The core focus is on Scope 3/FLAG emissions and the agricultural upstream of the malting process. Since the majority of a malter's footprint lies in the cultivation of barley, you will spend significant time on regenerative agriculture projects and carbon sequestration methodologies. You will also focus heavily on Claims Governance. As customers increasingly demand low-carbon malt, your role ensures that these products are marketed transparency. This involves managing data for Product Environmental Footprints (PEF) and ensuring that the 'low-carbon' or 'sustainable' labels meet increasingly stringent EU and global regulations.

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

One of the steepest challenges will be data integrity and traceability across a global network of disparate malting plants and diverse farming regions. Consolidating evidence into a single, cohesive governance model requires overcoming logistical and cultural barriers to data sharing. Furthermore, you must balance commercial pressure with rigorous compliance. There is a constant need to provide sales teams with compelling narratives while maintaining a strict 'audit-defensible' stance. Navigating this tension requires a person who is comfortable saying 'no' when the evidence does not yet support a specific marketing claim.

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

A typical day might begin with a cross-functional governance meeting involving technical and commercial leads to review a new customer request for carbon-neutral malt. You would analyze the traceability data and determine if the current evidence meets your defined frameworks. Afternoons are often dedicated to methodology development, such as refining the calculation for FLAG emissions or updating the internal claims library. You might also spend time monitoring new regulations (like the EUDR or Green Claims Directive) to assess how they impact the company's long-term strategy and advising the CSO on necessary policy adjustments.

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

This position offers significant leadership exposure, as you are a key advisor to the Chief Sustainability Officer. Success in this role positions you for high-level leadership tracks within ESG strategy, supply chain management, or even commercial sustainability roles within the broader Axereal group. Given the global nature of the role, you will build a worldwide professional network within the food and beverage industry. Being at the forefront of the malting industry's decarbonization efforts makes you a visible thought leader in a niche but essential sector of the global food system.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Your most frequent interaction will be with the Chief Sustainability Officer and the broader Sustainability team to align on global roadmaps. You will also work very closely with the Commercial and Sales teams to provide them with the tools and data they need to win sustainable contracts. Externally, you will interact with major global customers (brewers and distillers) to understand their ESG requirements. You will also likely engage with suppliers, agricultural partners within the Axereal cooperative, and third-party auditors who verify the group’s sustainability data and claims.

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