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Sustainability Manager

Torq Commodities • India • Added on Jul 9, 2026
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As the Sustainability Manager at Torq Commodities, you are tasked with building the entire ESG framework from the ground up for a global physical commodities business. You will own the transition from basic oversight to a robust, integrated strategy that covers everything from carbon accounting to supply chain geolocation. Your daily focus will involve designing governance processes and managing the complex traceability requirements for global trade.

This role is critical because it bridges the gap between high-level international regulations like the EUDR and the reality of smallholder farming in West Africa and India. By securing certifications and establishing an Environmental and Social Management System, you directly influence the integrity and transparency of global food and coffee supply chains, ensuring ethical labor practices and environmental resilience in vulnerable agricultural regions.

This suits someone who possesses a builder mindset and can navigate the technical rigors of development finance requirements while effectively communicating with diverse stakeholders across multiple continents.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The Sustainability Manager will be the primary architect of the group's ESG infrastructure, moving beyond operational tasks to design a vision and roadmap from scratch. You will be responsible for defining KPIs, establishing governance frameworks, and ensuring that everything from corporate carbon footprinting to social impact assessment is measured and tracked systematically. A significant portion of your time will be dedicated to regulatory and lender compliance. This includes managing due diligence for the EU Deforestation Regulation and building systems aligned with IFC Performance Standards to satisfy development finance institutions. You will also oversee the group's CSR activities and the Torq Impact Foundation’s grant-making initiatives.

Key learning opportunities for this job

You will gain deep expertise in frontier market supply chain management, specifically regarding the complex logistics and ethical considerations of agri-commodities in Africa and India. This role offers a masterclass in implementing the EUDR and human rights due diligence in high-risk environments, providing a rare chance to see how policy translates into field-level action. Additionally, you will develop strong technical skills in ESMS implementation aligned with IFC standards. Working closely with external ESG consultants and international lenders will build your proficiency in high-stakes financial disclosures and the specific sustainability requirements of the global trade finance sector.

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

The successful candidate needs 5 to 7 years of professional experience, specifically with at least two years spent in agri-commodity or food supply chains. This isn't a role for someone who wants to manage an existing system; the company is looking for a builder who has a proven track record of creating ESG programs from the ground up. Strong technical knowledge of the GHG Protocol, GRI, and BRSR is essential, alongside a working understanding of the EUDR and CSDDD. Because the role involves travel to West Africa and India, cultural adaptability and a proactive, independent problem-solving style are vital. Proficiency in French would be a distinct advantage for regional coordination.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Focus your application on your 'architect' experience. Highlight specific instances where you built a reporting framework, selected a certification pathway, or designed a due diligence process where none existed before. Vague summaries of 'monitoring' won't be as effective as demonstrating how you established a baseline and saw it through to a completed disclosure. Given the company’s focus on West African and Indian origins, any exposure you have to smallholder farmer livelihoods or remote supply chain auditing should be front and center. Demonstrate that you understand the practical barriers to geolocation and traceability, and explain how your technical knowledge helps overcome these operational hurdles.

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

The role focuses heavily on supply chain traceability and ethical sourcing. Since Torq is a trading house, the vast majority of its impact is in Scope 3 and the primary production level. You will focus on tackling deforestation in coffee and soy, and managing labor risks like child labor through HREDD processes in origin countries. Environmental focus will also center on GHG accounting and resource efficiency across the processing assets. You will be the point person for aligning the company with international climate standards and ensuring that the commodities traded are not just compliant with law, but certified by bodies like Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade to enhance marketability and impact.

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

One of the primary hurdles will be the data fragmentation inherent in global commodity trading. Collecting granular geolocation data from thousands of small farms in unregulated markets is a massive technical and logistical task. You will need to balance the strict requirements of EU regulators with the messy reality of on-the-ground sourcing. Internally, you might face the challenge of embedding sustainability into a trading-first culture. Convincing procurement and logistics teams to prioritize ESG metrics alongside margins requires resilience and exceptional communication skills to show how sustainability mitigates risk and unlocks trade finance.

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

Your morning might involve reviewing dashboards for Scope 3 emissions or checking the status of EUDR due diligence statements for an upcoming cargo shipment. Mid-day could be spent in meetings with West African origin teams to discuss the implementation of labor risk mitigation strategies at the gate. Afternoons often turn toward stakeholder management, perhaps liaising with a trade finance lender’s E&S team to report on ESAP progress or coordinating with a certification body. You will likely end the day working on a high-level briefing for the leadership team regarding emerging ESG regulations or the strategic direction of the Torq Impact Foundation.

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

This role offers significant visibility as the founding leader of the sustainability function. Success here could lead to a Head of Sustainability or Chief Sustainability Officer position as the department grows. You will be building the function you eventually lead. Furthermore, the exposure to international development finance standards and complex EU regulations makes you an extremely valuable asset in the global trade and FMCG sectors. The project management and leadership experience gained from building a cross-continental ESG program from scratch is a massive career accelerator.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal stakeholders include the origination and logistics teams, who are the 'feet on the ground' for your supply chain initiatives, and the executive leadership team to whom you provide strategic reporting. You will also collaborate with MarComm to translate impact into a brand narrative. External interaction is high, involving international lenders and DFIs, sustainability consultants, and certification bodies like Rainforest Alliance. You will also represent the group to NGOs and government bodies, particularly regarding compliance with local CSR laws and global deforestation mandates.

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