The Challenge
A major Canadian consumer packaged goods company with significant market share in household products faced mounting pressure to professionalize their sustainability function ahead of sweeping regulatory changes taking effect in 2026, including Canada’s Federal Plastics Registry reporting requirements and mandatory front-of-package nutrition labeling. The organization sought a Head of Sustainability who could transform what had been a communications-focused function into a strategic business capability with direct impact on product development, packaging design, supply chain operations, and regulatory compliance. The challenge was identifying a leader who combined scientific credibility in environmental sustainability with practical CPG operational experience and the executive presence to influence C-suite decisions. The role required someone who could simultaneously manage immediate compliance deadlines while developing a long-term sustainability strategy that would create competitive advantage. Adding complexity, the function had historically been under-resourced, meaning the new leader would need to build a team from scratch while delivering on near-term regulatory obligations. The candidate also needed to navigate relationships with multiple internal stakeholders who had varying levels of commitment to sustainability initiatives.
The Solution
Lock Search Group developed a search strategy that recognized this role sat at the intersection of technical sustainability expertise, CPG operational knowledge, and change leadership capability. We targeted three primary candidate pools: sustainability leaders from CPG companies who had built functions from early stage; environmental consultants with CPG client experience who were seeking to move to operating roles; and regulatory affairs professionals who had expanded into sustainability adjacent to their compliance responsibilities. Our Toronto and Montreal teams collaborated to ensure comprehensive coverage of the Canadian market while also extending the search to US-based candidates with relevant experience given the global nature of sustainability best practices. We developed a customized assessment framework that evaluated candidates across four dimensions: technical sustainability knowledge including carbon accounting, circular economy principles, and lifecycle assessment; CPG operational experience including packaging development and supply chain sustainability; regulatory expertise particularly relating to Canadian environmental regulations; and leadership capabilities including executive influence, team building, and change management. Each finalist participated in a stakeholder mapping exercise and presented a 90-day plan for addressing the immediate regulatory compliance requirements.
The Outcome
The cross-functional search identified 42 candidates whose backgrounds suggested relevant sustainability leadership experience. Through our assessment process, we developed a shortlist of six candidates representing diverse pathways to the role. The successful placement was a former Director of Sustainable Packaging from a global CPG company who had led their compliance preparation for EU plastics regulations and was now seeking to return to Canada. She brought direct experience with regulatory frameworks analogous to those being implemented in Canada, a track record of building sustainability teams in complex organizational environments, and established relationships with packaging suppliers who were developing compliant solutions. Her EU experience proved particularly valuable as Canadian regulations drew heavily from European models. During her first eight months, she successfully implemented the systems required for Federal Plastics Registry Phase 1 reporting, developed a three-year packaging sustainability roadmap, hired three team members, and established a sustainability steering committee with representation from all major business units. The placement positioned the company not merely for compliance but for potential competitive advantage as sustainability increasingly influences consumer purchasing decisions.