Dow’s sustainability chief adds responsibility for R&D

Dow has expanded the job description for its chief sustainability officer, Andre Argenton, to include the chemicals and materials science company’s growth and innovation strategy.

His title now includes chief technology officer, filling the position vacated by A.N. Sreeram, who retired effective Jan 1. In his new role, Argenton is responsible for Dow’s global research and development organization and for its environment, health, safety and sustainability strategy. His team also leads Dow’s ESG reporting and governance.

Scientist by training

The expanded role marks a homecoming for Argenton, who was vice president of Dow’s core research and development before being named as Dow’s chief sustainability officer in April 2022. 

He replaced Mary Draver, who joined Dow in 1989 and rose to leadership roles in manufacturing and EH&S before her retirement in 2022.

Dow has built environmental metrics into its innovation agenda over the past decade, and more than 90 percent of its portfolio is aligned with some sort of sustainability outcome, as of Dow’s latest ESG report in June 2025.

A key growth opportunity for Dow is advanced recycling technology for plastics. The company aims to recycle 3 million tons annually by 2030 and is using artificial intelligence in collaboration with Google parent Alphabet to speed things up. 

The company’s top-line climate goal is to cut emissions for operations and electricity consumption (Scope 1 and 2) by 15 percent by 2030, compared with a 2020 baseline, and to be carbon neutral by 2050. Dow hasn’t disclosed its progress against those targets, but plans to do so with its 2025 progress report, due in mid-2026.

Argenton was educated as a physical chemist. He joined Dow Brazil in 1999 and moved to the U.S. in 2007.

His new role was revealed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Dow did not respond to a request for comment.