Key takeaways
- Replacement for Pamela Gill-Alabaster, the storied departing head of global sustainability, signals key strategy shift.
- Kenvue plans to prioritize the embedding of sustainability metrics during R&D.
- Gill-Alabaster’s advice for sustainability leaders: “Stay grounded in data and leverage it as a strategic advantage.”
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Kenvue’s global head of ESG and sustainability, Pamela Gill-Alabaster — who established the Tylenol maker’s sustainability strategy after it split with Johnson & Johnson — is stepping down in June to “enjoy a bit of life” and consider her next role.
Upon her departure, Kenvue will fold responsibility for sustainability strategy into the R&D and operations division.
Jennifer Duran, previously vice president of product resilience and sustainability for Kenvue, will become group head of sustainability. She spent 16 years at British consumer products company Reckitt, where she designed its product sustainability strategy and chaired the ingredients steering committee.
“Kenvue is taking the next step to more deeply integrate sustainability at the heart of where we design and produce our products,” the company said through a spokeswoman.
Gill-Alabaster joined Kenvue in December 2022 after two years as senior vice president and global head of sustainability and social impact for toymaker Mattel.
Busy tenure
Kenvue, which reported revenue of $15.5 billion in 2024, was previously the consumer healthcare division of Johnson & Johnson, selling brands including Tylenol, Listerine, Band-Aid and Neutrogena. It was spun off as an independent company in August 2023.
Gill-Alabaster oversaw the validation of Kenvue’s science-based targets for emissions reductions and the publication of its first sustainability report. The company doesn’t have a net-zero target, but its short-term commitments include reducing absolute emissions for Scope 1 and 2 by 42 percent by 2030 and convincing suppliers representing about two-thirds of this Scope 3 emission to set reduction goals.
Gill-Alabaster also set policies for sustainable sourcing and introduced the company’s first refillable packaging formats.
Over 40 years in the corporate sector, Gill-Alabaster worked in corporate social responsibility programs at Revlon, the Estée Lauder Companies and L’Oréal. She teaches an ESG strategy course in Columbia University’s Master of Sustainability Management program. Gill-Alabaster was recognized with a Women in Sustainability Leadership award in 2022 but intends to take on another position after some time off.
“Having begun my career as a marketer, I want to continue working at the intersection of brand, purpose and impact, creating values-based campaigns, programs and platforms that move people and markets toward positive change,” Gill-Alabaster said.
Gill-Alabaster believes there is much reason to be hopeful about the future of the profession. “My advice is to stay relentlessly focused on materiality and the issues that matter most to your business and stakeholders with emphasis on managing risk, building resilience and unlocking growth,” she said. “Make sure you stay grounded in data and leverage it as a strategic advantage. This is a moment for clarity, focus and perseverance.”
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