ESG Today has learned that leading professional services firm Cognizant has hired Sophia Mendelsohn as its new Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of ESG. In her new role, Mendelsohn will work with Cognizant leadership to define and execute the company’s strategy around corporate citizenship related to environmental, social, and governance matters.

Welcoming Mendelsohn, Cognizant Chief Executive Office Brian Humphries, said:

“Fulfilling our responsibilities to all our stakeholders is important to us. We strive to contribute to the quality of life locally and globally, for current and future generations, by embracing the principles of environmental social governance. We are therefore delighted to welcome Sophia Mendelsohn to our senior leadership team and draw on her extensive experience to drive our ESG efforts globally.”

Prior to joining Cognizant, Mendelsohn was at airline JetBlue for over seven years, holding various sustainability-related positions, including Head of Sustainability and ESG, and, most recently as JetBlue’s Chief Sustainability Officer. While at JetBlue, Mendelsohn spearheaded industry-leading ESG initiatives, making the airline the first to issue Sustainable Accounting Standards and to announce domestic carbon neutrality. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Harvard University Extension School, where she taught classes focused on training the next generation of leaders to view their specialty through the long-term strategy lens of ESG.

Mendelsohn won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leadership Award in 2016, and in 2020, Bloomberg named her one of the top 30 people leading the climate charge.

Mendelsohn said:

“I’m thrilled to join Cognizant and look forward to further integrating ESG into all aspects of the business. Cognizant’s technology leadership will enable us to focus on smart energy, carbon, and climate-focused business practices for the company and our clients. We’ll also continue to lead and launch programs around the world that strengthen and expand the digital workforce.”