Dive Brief:
- Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson is set to retire next month, the tech company announced last week. The iPhone maker did not name a direct replacement for her role.
- Apple said Jackson’s responsibilities will be split between two senior executives following her departure in late January 2026. The iPhone maker also shared a slate of other leadership appointments and transitions in a Dec. 4 release.
- Jackson, who has been with Apple for over a decade, currently oversees its sustainability efforts, which include transitioning to renewable energy sources, utilizing materials with a lower carbon footprint and backing innovation in climate tech, per the tech company’s website. She also leads several of Apple’s diversity, equity and inclusion-focused initiatives, including its $100 million racial equity and justice program that supports educational reforms and minority-owned businesses.
Dive Insight:
Jackson joined Apple in 2013, after leading the Environmental Protection Agency for four years under President Barack Obama’s first administration. During her tenure as the agency’s administrator, Jackson focused on taking climate action, improving air quality and advocating for environmental justice, among other initiatives.
Once at Apple, she helped the company make strides in reducing its carbon footprint. Earlier this year, the tech giant said it had surpassed a 60% reduction in its global greenhouse gas emissions — across its scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions portfolio — against a 2015 baseline.
The consumer electronics and software company said in the same April update that its sustainability strategy had helped it avoid around 41 million metric tons of greenhouse emissions in 2024. Such efforts included product redesign, increased recycled content use and a program to shift its supply chain to renewable electricity.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in the Dec. 4 statement that Jackson was “instrumental” in helping the company reduce its carbon footprint.
“She has also been a critical strategic partner in engaging governments around the world, advocating for the best interests of our users on a myriad of topics, as well as advancing our values, from education and accessibility to privacy and security,” Cook added.
The company has a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, which it has previously said would require cutting emissions by 75% by the end of the decade, compared to 2015 levels.
Apple has tapped Meta’s former chief legal officer Jennifer Newstead to take on the role of general counsel starting March 1, 2026. Newstead will also take over Jackson’s policy work while Apple’s environmental and social initiatives will now be overseen by the company’s chief operating officer, Sabih Khan, according to the company’s update last week. Apple did not name a direct replacement for Jackson’s title.
