DuPont announced that Krysta Harden has joined the company as Vice President of Public Policy & Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), succeeding Linda Fisher who elected to retire last month.

Harden, 57, most recently served as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  She will have responsibility for leading the company’s public policy and government affairs strategies, as well as its sustainability, philanthropy, product stewardship and global regulatory activities. She will be based in Washington, D.C.

“DuPont has long been a pioneer in corporate sustainability.  In 2004 we appointed Linda Fisher as our chief sustainability officer to lead our efforts, becoming the first publicly traded company to name a CSO,” said James C. Collins, DuPont executive vice president. “Under Linda’s leadership, DuPont announced its first set of market-facing sustainability goals in 2006, tying how we invest in R&D and grow revenue with sustainability in mind. Her dedication in these areas contributed significantly to both DuPont and society.

“Krysta comes to DuPont as a widely respected leader with exceptional experience in natural resource conservation, agriculture policy and sustainability,” said Collins.  “She brings an unmatched understanding of the emerging challenges and opportunities that DuPont is addressing to improve everyday lives for people and communities around the world as we create value for our customers and the marketplace.  We are very pleased to welcome her to the company.”