Health care delivery and benefits giant UnitedHealth Group announced today the appointment of Patricia Lewis to the newly created position of Chief Sustainability Officer.

Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group said:

“As sustainability becomes an even greater priority for our company, it’s increasingly important to ensure that we are charting a long-term and lasting enterprise environmental, social and governance strategy. Patricia’s experiences combined with her relationships and keen understanding of the challenges, complexities and opportunities of our own enterprise give her a unique vantage point to pursue this work as she helps define the strategy and key areas of focus within our walls and connects our company with external partners across the health sector and beyond.”

Lewis joined UnitedHealth in 2019 as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, responsible for overseeing all aspects of human capital, including compensation and benefits, talent management, leadership and employee development, rewards and recognition and organization development. Prior to joining UnitedHealth, Lewis held several senior HR roles at aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin, including serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. She has also held HR positions at companies including IBM and Dupont.

Lewis said:

“I am honored to step into a new role as UnitedHealth Group’s first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer. Bringing our company’s climate, health equity and philanthropic efforts together with our diversity, equity and inclusion work, we will envision and execute an ambitious ESG strategy built on the belief that a sustainable future means health and wellness for people and planet.”