Steve Roberts
About Steve Roberts
Steve Roberts is the Head of Sustainability at National Instruments in Austin, Texas, with a background in environmental campaigns and corporate sustainability strategies.
Current Role at National Instruments
Steve Roberts is the Head of Sustainability at National Instruments (NI) in Austin, Texas, United States. In this role, he has been instrumental in building the company's climate strategy and goals from the ground up. Steve is actively expanding NI's Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting and driving their ambitious 2030 sustainability goals. His efforts focus on guiding the circular design strategy to ensure sustainable practices are integrated throughout the company's operations.
Education and Academic Background
Steve Roberts earned his MA from The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied from 1996 to 2002, spanning six years. Prior to this, he completed a BA at Northwestern University from 1991 to 1995. His academic background provided a strong foundation in sustainability, which he has applied throughout his career.
Early Career and Major Campaign Involvements
Steve Roberts was the first employee at EnviroMedia, where he helped grow the firm into a 65-person, 3-office organization focused on environmental and public health campaigns. While at EnviroMedia, he led significant campaigns such as 'Don't Mess with Texas' and the State of Texas's tobacco prevention campaign. Steve also created and ran Green Canary, the sustainability consulting arm of EnviroMedia.
Sustainability Initiatives at Dell
During his tenure at Dell, Steve Roberts guided the company's national electronics recycling tour and created Dell's circular economy strategy. He also championed Dell’s biodiversity efforts and led its 25,000-person Planet ERG (Employee Resource Group) for over five years, demonstrating his ability to drive large-scale sustainability programs.
Key Contributions to Sustainability
Steve Roberts has made significant contributions to sustainability efforts throughout his career. He helped create America Recycles Day on November 15, sparking a lifelong passion for environmental causes. Known for pairing bold, creative thinking with data-driven insights, Steve excels in creating and implementing successful sustainability programs. He is adept at speaking both technical language with engineers and creative language with designers, allowing him to bridge diverse professional fields effectively.