FedEx appoints new chief sustainability officer

Karen Blanks Ellis has been named the new chief sustainability officer (CSO) at FedEx Corp, effective July 1, 2024. She has previously held the role of managing director, strategic environmental management and sustainability at the company.

Ellis will bring her environmental management to the role to enable FedEx to successfully navigate the challenges and opportunities of building a more sustainable logistics network. The current CSO Mitch Jackson will retire on June 30 after a 39-year career at FedEx.

“In every role I have held at FedEx, I’ve been proud to work for such a forward-thinking and respected corporate actor in sustainability,” said Ellis. “Now as chief sustainability officer, I will have the honor of taking this work forward in the company’s next chapter.

“I am excited to build upon Mitch’s decades of leadership and advance the sustainability strategy across our global network – particularly as we continue to work toward our goal of carbon neutral global operations by 2040.”

Ellis joined FedEx in 1997 and has served in a variety of roles at the company related to environmental compliance, planning and engineering. Prior to FedEx, she held engineering positions at Cummins Engine Company and Proctor & Gamble. She serves on the Board of the International Aviation Women’s Association and is former chair of the Airlines for America Environmental Sustainability Council.