Member Story: Beth Knight, Head of Social Sustainability, Lloyds Banking Group

Beth Knight,Head of Social Sustainability, Lloyds Banking Group

Non-Executive Director, British Tourism Authority & Save the Children

1. How did you get into CR&S, and why did you choose this profession?

From a young age, I wanted a career that ‘made a difference’ – but the CR&S profession wasn’t established at that time (and is still growing even now!). So, my first formal role in this space was with Accenture in management consulting. In the early years of my career, you would find me either working with development clients or delivering side-hustle pro bono projects ‘off the side of my desk’. This helped me to build a business case for driving value via CR&S, it strengthened my skills & expertise in the process AND ensured I could maximise my professional impact.

2. What are the most essential skills for working in CRS?

I actually wrote a research paper on this topic with the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL), which you can dive into here. The top-line findings were that the MOST effective CR&S leaders are: visionary thinking, inclusive operators who are ethically-orientated and results-driven change agents. In 2023, I developed an assessment tool with NXTBoardroom that ICRS members may enjoy using to understand more about their personal impact. You can find it here (and it’s free!).

3. What advice would you give to others on getting into CR&S?

Understanding your motivations is key to a successful and fulfilling career in CR&S. Professionals in this field tackle complex challenges requiring a high degree of resilience. My ‘top tips’ would be:

- Identifying what energizes you – for example, is it environmental issues, social justice, or a desire to contribute to positive systemic change (in any form that leverages your skills!)?

- Surround yourself with the people who lift you up, build your resilience and share wisdom – this could be via online communities, professional networks and/or friends and family.

- Actively seek out energizing work – the CR&S field is diverse and you should prioritise projects that enable you to ‘force-multiply’ your strengths

and align with your interests. When the day job isn’t doing that, consider a change or finding ‘side-hustle’ that keeps you motivated.

4. Anything else you’d like to share?

Check-out this podcast where I share more on my career path in Sustainable Leadership!