14/06/2024
Combining business insights with sustainability expertise is the key to building a career that will help you shape a better world.
The worldwide push for decarbonization and long-term sustainability in business and beyond is creating countless new job opportunities in every sector. In fact, according to Deloitte, 300 million so-called “green collar” jobs can be created by 2050 if the right conditions are in place.
So it’s no surprise that, in the search for sustainability, the lines between public, private and nonprofit sectors are increasingly blurring. Organizations in every sector are seeking to blend social and environmental considerations with their business imperatives.
But with the deadline nearing for the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development targets to be met, workers with the skills and knowledge required to lead that drive are in short supply. Indeed the World Economic Forum says that only one in eight people currently have the right skills to abate the climate crisis, for example.
What does all of this add up to? Outstanding career opportunities for anybody seeking to build a better world by embedding sustainability into business.
What is sustainability in business and why is it important?
Sustainability in business means carrying out business activity while positively impacting the wider world, whether that’s economically, socially or environmentally. Some companies devote themselves entirely to being sustainable, whereas others have a sustainability department to influence their decisions—both are important and need sustainability experts to make an impact.
Businesses can no longer solely focus on their bottom line to the exclusion of other considerations.
They now have to factor in their impact when making business decisions, as this is key to securing investment or even, nowadays, credit facilities from some banks.
It’s where businesses choose to make an impact that sets them apart from the crowd and nowadays ensures a crucial competitive advantage.
How can businesses be sustainable?
Generally, sustainable businesses will fit into one of two categories:
• Impact businesses—those aligned with a mission such as B Corporations.
• Organizations with a dedicated sustainability department.
But in any company, sustainability specialists play a key role in finding opportunities to be more sustainable. They identify potential risks and future opportunities that their organization could leverage for positive impact, from both financial and sustainability perspectives.
Examples include examining supply chains to ensure service or product providers are not using child labor, or ensuring communities worldwide—but particularly in the geographies in which their organization operates—have access to clean water.
So sustainability isn’t always about climate change—there are many dimensions to contributing to a more sustainable world.
Your career in sustainability in business
Career opportunities in sustainability are not limited to one sector—there are high-quality vacancies in every industry. Many professionals may overlook a career in sustainability, believing it won’t be particularly well paid, or that they’ll just be contributing to greenwashing. However, this is no longer the case and, as businesses prioritize sustainability in their strategy, sustainability professionals are in increasing demand.
The myths:
• Sustainability is just for people working in NGOs.
• A career in sustainability requires a degree in environmental sciences.
• Sustainability takes businesses’ attention away from their bottom line.
The reality:
• The sector has already seen huge growth, and that trend is going to continue and even accelerate.
• The sustainability sector lacks prepared professionals.
• New roles are being created continuously as businesses prioritize sustainability.
What are the different areas of sustainability in business?
A career in sustainability will fall into one of the following paths from the sustainability ecosystem: Sustainability, Strategy & ESG; Sustainability, Analytics & Financing; Sustainable Product Management & Customer Value; Sustainable Operations & the Value Chain; or Social & Environmental Entrepreneurship. Each of these paths allow professionals to contribute to the SDGs at the same time as pursuing organizational growth.
The right transversal skill set will open doors to rewarding roles within companies operating in a variety of sectors. Positions for which there is high demand for the right profiles among employers include:
• Responsible sourcing manager.
• Reporting manager in the sustainability office of a larger company.
• Data analyst in a sustainable investment firm.
• Marketing specialist at a purpose-driven business.
• Strategy consultant helping clients develop sustainable and resilient supply chains.
In terms of employers, leading companies at the forefront of the drive for sustainability include Deutsche Bank, IKEA, IDEO, Bain & Company, Schneider Electric and PwC. Meanwhile, leading publications such as Bain & Company Sustainability Insights and the Schwab Foundation for Social Enterprise help professionals with ambitions in sustainability stay right up-to-date with the latest sector developments.
IE University is a carbon-neutral institution with sustainability at the heart of its philosophy. Our community reflects that commitment, with different student-run clubs such as the IE SDG Club or IE Net Impact Club complementing their studies and providing additional opportunities for hands-on experience.
Advice for pursuing a career in sustainability
Javier Garcia Colino, Careers Senior Associate Director at IE University, has some advice for anybody considering building a career in sustainability.
With the professional profiles that companies are looking for in such short supply, Javier says our Master in Sustainability & Business Transformation is an essential program. It imparts the skills, knowledge and practical experience to embed economic, environmental and social sustainability into business strategy.
He counsels, though, that even students already enrolled in a sustainability focused program need to be proactive in pursuing career opportunities, as up to 80% of the most sought-after roles are not publicized. That’s why IE Talent & Careers are on hand to assist our students with personalized advice, resources, job listings and networking opportunities from day one.
So a growing field, with a serious skills shortage and enormous potential for a professional trajectory that’s rewarding in every sense. If you’re not yet sure of the future path your career will take, sustainability in business could be the ideal way to make your impact.
