How to Become a Sustainability Consultant

July 11, 2014 12:08 PM

Sustainability, as an ongoing concern, has earned a place in the public consciousness. With Supreme Court rulings supporting the EPA and some smaller countries, like Bhutan, vying to be the first 100% organic nation on Earth, it’s safe to say that the pursuit of more harmonious engagement with our natural resources will be part of public policy for some time.

But sustainability isn’t just an issue for governments and political leaders. Businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations are making the creation of green practices an essential part of their strategy. According to the GreenBiz 2014 State of Green Business Report, 33% of sampled corporate leadership worldwide consider sustainability to be a keystone of their new initiatives for the coming years.

To do this, organizations are looking to passionate sustainability professionals with well-developed, practical skills in conceptualizing, coordinating, and overseeing green business practices to help them keep their impact on the environment as low as possible. These sustainability consultants often operate as dedicated managers of a company or nonprofit’s carbon footprint, promoting new ideas, encouraging employee buy-in, and reporting on the organization’s progress. Whether as a independent contractor or a part of the company’s staff, sustainability consultants can be involved in every operational process that can be made less wasteful.

With 32% of sampled companies reporting that they were actively seeking a full-time sustainability professional to help oversee their organization’s commitment to environmental stewardship, there’s never been a better time to enter the field.

What Does a Sustainability Consultant Do?

Sustainability consultants can account for a wide array of functions within their organization, including, but not limited to:

Strategy Development
The beginning of every innovative sustainability initiative. Strategy development requires a complete understanding of company-wide operations and the latest techniques in reducing waste across an organization.

Reporting Environmental Data
Reporting carbon footprint, emissions, and resource usage data once an organization becomes sustainable can have a definite, positive impact on both customers and stakeholders.

Energy Efficiency and Facilities Management
Professionals in sustainability often provide insight into the latest technological innovations and process changes that can mitigate electricity usage and keep facilities running clean.

Working with Peers in Other Departments
Coordinating a new initiative often falls to a sustainability consultant, who ensures that all departments are well-educated on the details of new initiatives and what they mean for day-to-day operations.

Employee Education
This involves distributing materials, communicating with team leaders, or leading employee training sessions to make sure employee’s understand their role in the initiative.

Leading a Cross-functional Committee
Sustainability consultants often find themselves leading an assembled committee of department heads with varied accountabilities, facilitating teamwork across the organization as they work towards the goal of greater sustainability.

Waste Management and Recycling
Overseeing recycling and waste management initiatives is a simple, but nonetheless important part of any organization’s push towards lowering environmental impact.

Supporting External Marketing and Sales
Sustainability consultants will often be called upon to help support customer outreach and public relations as they aim to promote successful initiatives and boost consumer confidence.

How to Get a Job in Sustainability

One of the most exciting elements of the field is that, as it’s still a relatively young industry, there is no one defined, established path towards a career in sustainability. Individuals with backgrounds in everything from business and management to engineering have found a niche within organizations as sustainability consultants and managers.

As a result, aspiring sustainability professionals have a certain degree of flexibility available in how their job is defined, and a great deal of room for creativity. Some build a position within their current organization, while others develop their skills and experience and work as independent contractors. The practical skills and understanding required, in this case, are more important than a specific educational credential or professional experience. So long as the individual can demonstrate a working knowledge of the ways in which companies and nonprofits can balance sustainability and profitability, then there’s some room to explore different paths and forge new ground.

Online Sustainability Certificate

The University of Colorado-Boulder’s online Non-credit Certificates in Sustainability Management can help you develop these essential practical skills through in-depth seminars lead by leaders in the field.

For more information on the sustainability industry and the incredible, dynamic job prospects available in the field, check out our guide to Careers in Sustainability.

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