MINNEAPOLIS — Jerry Lynch has been named chief sustainability officer at General Mills, Inc. In his new role, Mr. Lynch will lead the company’s global environmental sustainability initiative.

“General Mills is committed to protecting natural resources by examining every aspect of our operations, from agriculture to global transportation, for opportunities to reduce our environmental impact,” said Chris Shea, executive vice-president of external relations for General Mills. “Jerry’s unique combination of business acumen, sustainability experience and leadership skills will drive the continuous advancement of sustainable business initiatives at General Mills.”

Mr. Lynch began his career at General Mills in 1995, and has held various marketing and commercial roles for the company around the world. Prior to this role, Mr. Lynch was vice-president of applied sustainability, where he led sustainability business integration and program development worldwide.

He succeeds Gene Kahn, who announced his retirement from General Mills this month. Mr. Kahn was the company’s first chief sustainability officer in 2003, and worked cross-functionally to raise awareness and inspire others to focus on a series of changes that have made a significant impact in reducing the company’s environmental footprint. Mr. Kahn also worked with retail customers and other external partners to help shape industry transformation in sustainability.