Commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE Group, the world’s largest manager of commercial buildings, announced the appointment of Robert Bernard as Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Client Sustainability Solutions.

In his new role, Bernard will be responsible for driving enterprise-wide strategies strengthening CBRE’s suite of sustainability services for clients, and for strategies enabling the firm to achieve its carbon reduction and sustainability goals.

CBRE’s climate goals include a pledge to reach net zero carbon by 2040 across its own operations and the properties it manages for investors and occupiers, as well as indirect supply chain emissions. The company also offers solutions including sustainability strategy and planning, sustainability reporting, decarbonization solutions, green building design and certification services, supply chain consulting and renewable energy services.

Bob Sulentic, CBRE President and CEO, said:

“As the world’s largest commercial property manager, we have an outsized opportunity to influence sustainability across the built environment. Rob’s background, technical expertise and leadership skills uniquely position him to lead our efforts and we are excited that he has chosen to join CBRE to advance our internal and client-focused sustainability initiatives.”

Bernard worked for over 15 years at Microsoft, including serving as the tech giant’s first Chief Environmental Strategist and as Chief Sustainability Officer, where he founded and directed Microsoft’s Environmental and Sustainability programs and created the first international carbon-neutral program. After Microsoft, Bernard founded Commonwealth Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on investments in companies that participate in the circular economy.

Bernard said:

“The built environment generates about 40% of the world’s carbon emissions. CBRE is deeply committed to doing our part to combat climate change and I look forward to working closely with my colleagues, our customers and business partners to decarbonize buildings around the world.”

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