Consistency is Key

A quick scan on LinkedIn and you’ll see hundreds of job opportunities linked to sustainability. Sustainability is a broad subject covering almost every aspect of life so it is to be expected that the job opportunities in this area are wide ranging. There is a challenge however, especially with companies who are posting job opportunities in sustainability for the first time. If the expertise does not already exist in the business then it can be difficult to know what you should be looking for in the first recruit into the business that will focus on sustainability.

One of the most popular job titles is ‘sustainability manager’ but exactly what this means is difficult to pin down. For some companies the value in this role is placed on risk mitigation, on others it is project management qualifications. Energy procurement is another popular focus, and unfortunately human rights is only occasionally listed within the job descriptions.

Of course each company is different and will have slightly different requirements but there has to be a level of consistency in what is expected from a ‘sustainability manager.’ Not only will it only the individual to develop expertise but it will also start to align companies in how they address the topic. There are some examples of companies who have put roles out for ‘sustainability manager’ pitching it as a unique opportunity to drive sustainability within the business with a job description that is more suited to a ‘head of sustainability’ role and a salary that is anything but competitive in this space. This will have a negative impact on the successful candidate who will not have the necessary expertise to fulfil the requirements of a ‘head of’ role and will also limit the company’s ability to make real progress in this space.

When these roles are posted they have an air of greenwashing about them. It feels like the company knows that it needs someone to be responsible for sustainability so by recruiting someone into the role they can tick that box.

Ultimately the answer is similar to the one to address the challenges of inconsistent reporting; standardisation. There needs to be a standardised process where companies are tasked with providing a standardised set of information with a measured focus across all key areas of sustainability not just energy supply or project management. By embedding sustainability right across a business we can ensure all colleagues have a good foundational knowledge of sustainability so that they understand what they can do as individuals and what goals the company is seeking to achieve. By aligning this process to the Sustainable Development Goals, we can ensure a level of consistency that pushes all companies towards the same end goal.

Educating all colleagues in a business will give everyone an understanding of the scale of the challenge and the problems that that individual business may have to overcome. It may uncover existing talent in the business that has transferrable skills to play a part in a newly formed sustainability department allowing a more focussed recruitment focus on the sustainability skills gaps that exist.

Everything starts with education.

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