The role of a sustainability professional in the current market is changing rapidly. New legislation increases in workload, new tools and technology all add additional learning on top of doing the day job. Keeping moreover is a challenge. Many people reading this will relate to these challenges and know that they are often a small department (sometimes a department of one) that is expected to punch above its weight in terms of productivity.
When we also add into this mix the increasing level of rigour being applied to ESG Reporting and the financial and time cost of being audited, it is easy to understand why Sustainability teams are reaching for the phone to their manager and asking for extra help.
The ESG labour market is starting to mature and with that maturity often comes the emergency of skills in the form of freelance and contract staff. A lot of companies have relied on consultancies in recent years, and they have filled an important gap in the market. But with the emergence of contract staff, ESG teams now have another string to their bow to be able to tackle some of those tricky one of projects or deal with peaks in workload (did somebody say CSRD?).
So, if this sounds like you. Here are just some of the reasons you might like to think about hiring on a contract or flexible basis before going through a lengthy recruitment process for your next hire that you may not need to do:
· Access to Specialist Skills: Sustainability and ESG are evolving fields with niche areas of expertise, such as carbon accounting, sustainable finance, or regulatory compliance. Hiring contract specialists allows you to tap into specific expertise that you might not have in house or need after a particular project or period is complete.
· Adding Resources Without Extra Headcount: Engaging contract or flexible staff enables you to bring in additional resources without increasing your permanent headcount. This helps you meet your project demands while maintaining leaner operational structures, which can be important for budgeting or managing long-term commitments.
· Handling Peaks of Work During Busy Periods: Technology can and does help but sustainability reporting, audits, or compliance checks often require extra workforce during specific periods or for a fixed amount of time. Contract staff can help absorb these peaks in workload, ensuring that these and other critical deadlines are met without overburdening you or the rest of your core team.
· Cost Efficiency and Flexibility: Contract staff can often be more cost-effective than hiring full-time employees, especially when the need for specific skills is temporary, or project based. You can scale resources up or down according to your current needs, avoiding long-term payroll costs.
· Speed to hire: A contractor will often join you with the experience you need and require minimal or no training to get up to speed. This means that you can sometimes “over-hire” for skill but not have to worry about long term retention. This means that you can accelerate your time to hire and start to tackle your project (or problem) quickly.
· Fresh Perspectives and Innovation: Bringing in external specialists can introduce innovative ideas, technologies, and best practices from other companies or sectors. This can help spark innovation and improvement in a company’s sustainability strategies. This will support you in staying competitive and forward-thinking.
If you are considering how, you might tackle an upcoming deadline or project and would like to explore the option of augmenting your current ESG or Sustainability team but do not want to fully outsource the activity, why not explore using a contract member of staff? Contact the ESG REC team on +44 (0)208 1242716 or at info@esgrec.com
Kickstart & Elevate Your ESG Career: Top Tips for Thriving in Sustainability Are you looking to excel in the field of ESG career development? Look no further! Our comprehensive guide provides valuable insights and expert tips to help you thrive in the world of sustainability. Whether you’re just starting out or aiming to take your ESG career to the next level, this resource is a must-read. Discover proven strategies that will enhance your professional growth and make a lasting impact in the industry. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to accelerate your ESG career and become a true leader in sustainability.
We are often asked at ESG REC what can you do as a candidate starting out or developing your career further to enhance and support your job search in the ESG and Sustainability sector. Our job as recruiters in the ESG and Sustainability sector mean we have the opportunity to meet some amazing employers and candidates searching for a new opportunity. Its not easy searching for a new job, its time consuming and can be stressful. However, we aim to make it as smooth a process as possible. There are things you can do though to help position yourself in the best possible place to build your career in the ESG Sector.
Just starting out?
If you are looking for entry level opportunities in the ESG sector, it’s a competitive market so you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd and get noticed. Here’s a few tips to help you get started:
1. Build up to date Knowledge of what is happening in the ESG and Sustainability sector:
– Staying updated on sustainability trends, regulations, and best practices through online courses, webinars, and industry publications might sound obvious, but employers in this sector are passionate about their subject. Try signing up to newsletters and journals that feature what is happening in the sector. (e.g: ESG Today, Harvard Business Review, or our ESG REC Newsletter on LinkedIn). There are also lots of specialist focussed sustainability journals for different industry segments.
2. Gain Practical Experience:
– It probably goes without saying that getting some experience of any kind that is related to your career aspirations will really help you land your first job in your career pathway. So, try volunteering for environmental organizations or internships in sustainability roles to gain hands-on experience and demonstrate your commitment. It might sometimes feel like this is treading water, but we assure you, getting experience, embracing it, learning everything you can and then making sure that is on your CV and LinkedIn profile will really help you.
3. Network, network, network:
There are so many different events that you can attend to network in this sector online and face to face. A quick Google search will show you the next events closest to you. Attending industry conferences, workshops, and networking events will help you keep up to date with what is happening, and will also allow you to connect face to face with industry professionals that can help point you in the right direction. They might even have opportunities to work in their organisations. Do not forget to connect with professionals on LinkedIn too.
If you are thinking about getting out to a face-to-face networking event in the next few months though. Here are just a small handful of things scheduled for October and November:
Don’t forget to join our Webinar in November entitled, Sustainability and Carbon Accounting: Essential Insights for the ESG Workforce. Secure your spot today by registering here: [https://lnkd.in/gp7Btty2]
4. Showcase your Transferable Skills:
– One of the biggest challenges the CSOs that ESG REC interviewed this year (2024) were facing was finding talented ESG professionals that had both the strong technical skills and regulatory / policy understanding AS WELL AS having the soft skills like communication, writing in plain English and being able to influence and persuade. Try to emphasize these skills from your experience, even if you have gained them in a different field.
5. Tailor Your Application:
– You are unique, and every job is slightly different. So, a one size fits all CV is not going to make you stand out from the crowd. It does take time and effort and sometimes it might feel thankless but customising your CV and cover letter for each job application to showcase how your skills and experience align with the job and organization’s sustainability goals will make all the difference. Speaking from experience, ff you are working with a recruiter, they can help you here too.
What about if you aren’t starting out and you are looking for that next step?
6. Leverage Your Experience:
– If you are writing an application, networking, interviewing etc. Whatever activity you are doing to help further your career plans, make sure you don’t miss any opportunity to highlight specific projects or initiatives you’ve led that align with sustainability or ESG goals. Talk about what you achieved and more specifically what you personally did to help deliver the project. Even better, if you can quantify your impact, that can be very hard hitting (e.g. Reduced emissions by X, or saved the team Y amount of time to hit their reporting deadlines etc.)
7. Never stop learning:
– One of the things the team here at ESG REC love about the ESG and Sustainability sector is that it’s always evolving. Policy, innovation and technology never stop. So, approaching your own personal development with a growth mindset and embracing the opportunities to learn new things will keep you at the forefront of sustainability. It will also show those around you that you are the person to reach out for to find out what’s new and how to process new information. If the opportunity presents it (and of course if it works with personal and work commitments) consider certifications in sustainability or ESG to enhance your credibility and demonstrate ongoing commitment to your career. It is still a relatively new profession in the grand scheme of things, so the more you can do to develop your knowledge will make you a true thought leader. Which leads neatly on to:
8. Engaging in Thought Leadership:
– If you are looking to develop your career, whether that’s looking for a promotion or even starting out on your own, being recognised as a thought leader and an expert in your area will propel you into peoples minds (and their social media or search engine feed) when they are thinking about getting help, advice or new team members or leaders. So write articles or speak at industry events to share your insights and establish yourself as a knowledgeable voice in the sustainability space.
9. Be selfless with your time and skills:
– Collaborate with and helping team members and professionals from other parts of your organisation (e.g. finance, supply chain, or policy) will help your get noticed as an expert in your area and you will be surprised what opportunities start to find you rather than the other way around. This will also help you to understand the priorities of your colleagues and broaden your perspective and enhance your strategic thinking in ESG contexts.
10. Stay Informed About Legislation and Trends:
– This is sort of full circle and back to point 1. But it doesn’t matter what stage of your career you are at. This field is changing and evolving so rapidly. Keeping up to speed with what is going on and importantly as you move through your career and are seen as an expert in your field, understanding local and global sustainability regulations and market trends will be vital in helping you contribute and continue to be recognised as the “go to” person.
For more practical tips and advice, regardless of what stage you are at in your career pathway in the ESG and Sustainability sector, follow ESG REC on LinkedIn or Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
You can also join us for our quarterly webinar where we have guest speakers that are experts in different areas of the ESG market. It’s a great way to keep up to date with new and evolving issues from the comfort of your own desk. Click here to register for our next webinar: Sustainability and Carbon Accounting: Essential Insights for the ESG Workforce
If you are looking for a new position or are interested in how we can help you with your hiring, please contact us through our website at www.esgrec.com.
