DuPont announced on March 2 that Krysta Harden has joined the company as vice president of Public Policy and Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), succeeding Linda Fisher, who elected to retire last month. Harden most recently served as deputy secretary of the USDA. She will have responsibility for leading the company’s public policy and government affairs strategies, as well as its sustainability, philanthropy, product stewardship, and global regulatory activities. She will be based in Washington, D.C.
DuPont appointed Fisher as its chief sustainability officer in 2005, becoming the first publicly traded company to name a CSO. “Under Linda’s leadership, DuPont announced its first set of market-facing sustainability goals in 2006, tying how we invest in R&D and grow revenue with sustainability in mind,” said James C. Collins, DuPont executive vice president. “Her dedication in these areas contributed significantly to both DuPont and society.”
Prior to her role as deputy secretary at USDA, Harden served as chief of staff to the secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and assistant secretary for Congressional Relations. Preceding her service at USDA, Harden spent five years as CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), and also worked with the American Soybean Association.