Linkedin Global Sustainability Director quits after 7 months over 'values'

Melanie Larkins, who was named Global Director of Environmental Sustainability at Linkedin in August 2024, has announced her departure from the social network – a move she found “necessary for the values that drive me”.

In a Linkedin post explaining her reasons for quitting, Larkins said it took “much reflection” – then presented a number of ways “too many companies” continue to approach sustainability in a superficial manner.

“Real sustainability isn’t a marketing campaign or a compliance checkbox. It’s about integrating purpose into the DNA of the business,” she added.

While never suggesting Linkedin itself is guilty of these behaviours, Larkins noted that transparency meant “sharing data—even when it’s uncomfortable—not just cherry-picked metrics or manipulated methodologies”, and that companies should use sustainability to drive innovation, not treat it as a cost centre.

“The ‘future of work’ isn’t just about hybrid or remote options. It’s about dismantling burnout, closing pay gaps, and creating environments where people thrive. The most sustainable companies I’ve seen? They’re also the ones with the happiest, most loyal teams and customers,” she added, noting that this resignation would give her the freedom to “work with clients that don’t just talk about equity and sustainability but walk the talk”.

Linkedin sustainability goals

Linkedin – which is owned by Microsoft – has a public goal to be “carbon-negative” by 2030 and to remove historical emissions by 2050. But the company doesn’t produce its own sustainability reports: instead, case studies about individual initiatives are included in Microsoft’s environmental impact report.

Linkedin aims to purchase 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of this year – and Microsoft’s Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nagakawa recently announced that the company would no longer “non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates”.

The professional network also aims to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 50% by 2030, from a 2020 baseline, has implemented a number of zero waste programmes across its campuses and plans to replenish more water than it consumes by 2030.

Microsoft itself is behind on its climate commitments, with rapidly increasing Scope 3 emissions linked to its data centre growth – itself fuelled by the company’s artificial intelligence deployment. The tech giant has been betting heavily on carbon credits from a range of nature-based and technological projects, but new legislation (particularly in the EU) could soon make climate claims based too largely on carbon offsetting illegal.

Sustainability leaders leaving their roles

Larkins is not the only sustainability leader to have left her role recently: amongst others, Celine Herweijer stepped down from her Chief Sustainability Officer position at HSBC after being demoted from the executive committee, and Laura Barlow left her job as Group Head of Sustainability at Barclays, without being replaced.

Larkins’ post seems to have resonated with the sustainability community, with many applauding her “brave” move, and some sharing similar experiences. One former Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer commented: “Welcome to the club. I have the exact same feeling as you,” adding that she was trying to “change things from inside”.

Read also: We need to talk about Chief Sustainability Officer burnout