Strive to Thrive in 2025

CEO's for a Greener Future

Strive to Thrive in 2025:
Regional CEO’s Are Embracing a Sustainability Business Strategy

by Meagan E. Reed

January 27, 2025

What do a family-owned business, sports organization, B2B corporation, and large global company have in common?

They all make sustainability a huge priority.

One Pittsburgh organization is bringing companies, sustainability leaders, and everyone in between together through a group called CEOs for Sustainability (CfS). Sustainable Pittsburgh (SP) established this CEO working group in 2017 to encourage peer-to-peer learning and knowledge-sharing among decision-makers. “We create frameworks, tools, and resources for organizations to track, measure, and earn recognition for their sustainability progress, and as a CEO group, we take targeted action to address urgent and emerging sustainability issues," Martin Harvey, program manager at Sustainable Pittsburgh.

Harvey said, “The great thing about CEOs for Sustainability is that it is pioneered by forward-thinking CEOs who truly believe in the work they are doing. They provide regional and outcome-based thought leadership through sharing best practices to drive environmental, social, and governance initiatives.

Leading by Example

A Pittsburgh-based business with a vested interest in Sustainable Pittsburgh and specifically CEOs for Sustainability is Kurt J. Lesker Company (KJLC), a global supplier of vacuum equipment and components for various markets, such as LEDs, Optics, Electronics, and R&D, located in the South Hills.

We spoke with Kurt Lesker IV, president and CEO at KJLC and co-chair for CEO's for Sustainability, about the importance of prioritizing sustainability and why he feels it is a best business practice.

Lesker said, “I have the unique and enjoyable opportunity to play a key role in advancing local sustainability efforts.”

He says he joined "not as an expert in sustainability, but as someone who is passionate about learning and pulling in others who feel the same." Many of the other leaders involved are experts in the field, creating a well-rounded team "focused on building a community of sustainability-minded leaders that are truly passionate about driving the mission forward."

As co-chair, Kurt focuses on participating in panels promoting sustainable development and education, educating local business leaders on the importance of sustainability in the workplace, sharing best practices and overall challenges, and collaborating with other leaders to drive sustainability forward in the Pittsburgh region.

Including Sustainability in your Core Values and Culture

"Sustainability is deeply rooted in our core values and culture and continues to be present daily," Kurt said. It is listed first in their core value acronym, SPIRIT, which stands for Sustainability, Passion, Integrity, Respectful, Innovation, and Team.

"These values drive our corporate sustainability strategy and guide our sustainable decision-making. We are committed to sustainable excellence through a holistic approach that fosters sustainable practices supporting the environment, society, and the economy."

Lesker says the executive team's commitment is the driving cause of these initiatives. They lead by example and encourage employees to implement the team effort at work and in their personal lives.

“It also enhances our company culture, business reputation, operational cost performance, brand recognition, and our ability to attract and retain talent,” said Lesker.

KJLC's commitment to sustainability is further reflected in their approach to safety and quality – being certified in both ISO 9001 and 14001, which focus on minimizing environmental impact and achieving sustainability objectives. They are also determined to achieve OSHA's SHARP recognition status, which highlights their strong focus on good health and well-being for both our employees as well as the longevity of the organization.

Lesker added, "While the certifications are critical, implementing those certified processes is ultimately most important to a culture of sustainability and safety."

Implementing Initiatives

This is not as daunting as it seems. Many companies already have sustainability efforts in place that they may not realize could be categorized as a sustainability initiative. Sometimes, it's just a matter of performing a gap assessment, identifying what efforts you are already making to be good to the environment and your people, and following the rules of good governance, then figuring out where you need to improve.

Here are some initiatives KJLC has implemented as part of their sustainability efforts:

Recycling Program - Using 11 vendors to recycle correctly, recycling stations in buildings, and resources for hard-to-recycle materials.
Solar Panels - Installed on our buildings globally, converted energy needs to renewable sources, 40% of primary manufacturing plant energy usage is covered by clean, renewable solar energy.
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Monitoring and Offsetting - Prioritizing GHG emissions reduction, and offsetting gases that cannot be eliminated through initiatives like tree planting.
Promoting Circular Economy - By offering repair and service business as an alternative to buying new systems, customers can extend the life of products. Also, reducing waste streams by participating in drives like Play it Forward Pittsburgh, Dress for Success, and partnerships with the State Police that allow employees to donate items rather than commit to a landfill.
Employee Wellness Program - Focuses on mental, financial, and physical wellness with options for yoga, 5K races, KJLC sports teams, retirement planning workshops, and meditation.
Corporate Sustainability Program (CSP) - Incentivizing participation in employee wellness and community engagement activities with an extra paid day off.
Volunteer Sustainability Committee - Encourages ownership from employees and helps us implement new ideas.
Continuous Improvement (CI) program: Employees are encouraged to enter any implemented improvement to share throughout the organization. More than 600 CIs were implemented last year.
Safety Champion - Monthly title awarded to the best safety CI.
Partnerships - Collaborations with Syensqo and our Ecodash 5K have promoted deeper collaboration in sustainable efforts and strengthened business relationships.

Sustainable Pittsburgh offers various ways to get involved on any level, including recognition programs, networks, and opportunities to attend events throughout the year.

Recognition Programs - A Pathway to Progress - Working with local restaurants, shops, workplaces, and communities “to provide a step-by-step process to track and measure sustainability progress.”
Networks - Distinct groups dedicated to more specific and targeted issues, such as:
- CEOs for Sustainability (CFS)
- DISCOVER (Defining Intersectional Sustainability to Collaboratively Optimize for a Vibrant and Equitable Region)
- Sustainable Community Development Network (SCDN)
- Sustainability Practitioner Network
- Clean Energy Workforce Roundtable
Events - There are a variety of virtual webinars and in-person events throughout the year hosted by the organization, as well as the individual networks, such as:
- SCDN Policy Connection webinar series,
- Dine with a Purpose (supporting restaurants in the recognition program),
- This past year, the Annual CFS C-Suite Summit was held at PNC Park and sponsored by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Lesker said that because sustainability is so engrained into the company culture, employees and business associates easily contribute to the cause. Many employees think of the additional effort they make as part of their sustainability strategy as part of their everyday work function.

Become a Sustainability Change Champion

Kurt advises other business leaders who want to prioritize sustainability within their company to take the lead and get started.

“When leaders are truly passionate about sustainability, they can’t help but lead by example.”

Even small changes, such as installing recycling bins in the office, using dishes rather than paper products in the breakroom, and encouraging employees to improve their personal efforts, will positively influence the workplace and reduce overall waste.

"Additionally, we've found great success with implementing sustainability champions throughout different areas of the business – buildings, departments, and work areas. Those team members who are especially passionate about sustainability practices take the lead in driving forward initiatives like our recycling program or community clean-ups, and they've had great success garnering support among their peers," said Lesker.

If you want more information on Sustainable Pittsburgh or CEOs for Sustainability, contact program manager Martin Harvey (mharvey@sustainablepittsburgh.org). You can also connect with Kurt on LinkedIn to learn more about his journey or how to integrate sustainability into your company.

Meagan E. Reed

Meagan E. Reed owns Meagan Reed Consulting, specializing in social media marketing, women's leadership, and wellness workshops. In addition, she currently serves as Director of Marketing and Communication at Engage Energy and Industrial Consulting, located in Mt. Lebanon. She also has been an adjunct professor in communications departments at Slippery Rock University, Clarion University, and the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Find out more about Meagan by visiting her LinkedIn Profile.