Why You Should Hire A Sustainability Professional

More than 1.47 billion jobs globally depend on a stable climate. The room – and need – for green skills development cannot be underestimated. (from Karin Reiter, World Economic Forum)

We all have an essential part to play in reducing carbon emissions, no matter which industry we're in or how large our organisation is. Having a sustainability professional on your team could make all the difference to achieving your sustainability agenda and reaching net zero by 2050.

By investing in a sustainability professional (or 'SP') you can steer your organisations carbon emissions towards net zero more efficiently.

Here are some benefits to hiring a sustainability professional:

Sustainability Goals: First, and arguably most importantly, you will be actively engaging in the efforts to combat the climate crisis by committing to carbon reduction and aiming for net zero. An internal sustainability professional will understand your business and the way it works, they will be able to use this knowledge to help you set goals which will benefit the environment and your business. A sustainability professional will help you to achieve net zero whilst moving your business forward and achieving your other goals too. You will be part of the united efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by having a sustainability agenda for people and the planet!

Cost savings: a good sustainability professional will be able to identify areas within your organisation that can save you money through resource efficiency, waste reduction, and energy conservation. So whilst hiring an SP may be an upfront investment, it can lead to substantial cost savings over time.

Reputation and brand value: Consumers are increasingly environmentally and sustainability conscious. Hiring an SP helps to demonstrate your commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices, and their work will lead to increased environmental awareness and action within your organisation, which will enhance your brands value and reputation.

WARNING: avoiding greenwashing!: Although hiring an SP can help to improve your brands reputation, please be careful not to use this as a greenwashing tactic and make their job impossible by not implementing any of their suggestions. It is imperative that your SP is heard and respected and that you use them to help guide you, and assist in delivering your carbon reduction and/or net zero plans. A sustainability professional will know how to avoid greenwashing communications or misleading customers and stakeholders with sustainability claims - make sure you engage with them on all levels!

Regulatory compliance: Environmental regulations and standards are becoming more and more stringent, with carbon legislation continually increasing. Hiring an SP can ensure that your organisation is fully compliant to all relevant environmental regulations and standards, saving you from fines or legal action.

Stakeholder engagement: A sustainability professional will likely be a passionate and empathetic individual with great communication skills. They can help build trust and positive relationships with all relevant stakeholders based on shared values and goals. Your SP can engage and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders through sustainability initiatives and advocate for your organisations objectives.

Where do you start with finding a Sustainability Professional?

Have a look at your team, your agenda, and your daily activities - what would you like to change? Where are you falling short? What can you do better?

Start building a picture of what you would like your sustainability professional to do. What do you want to achieve? What key areas need focus? Use this to build the role that you want to hire to create a job description.

Then think about...

• Defining the role.

• Identifying the key responsibilities based on the needs and goals of your organisation.

• Determine the essential and desirable skills, qualifications and experience needed for the role.

And if you need more help... come to us!

We understand that a limited budget, lack of resources, time constraints and expertise are the biggest challenges when it comes to achieving long-term sustainability for Small and Medium Enterprises.

Change Agents UK Trading Ltd is our wholly-owned Not-for-Profit business subsidiary of Change Agents UK charity, and we are experts at recruiting sustainability professionals. Our talent pool includes over 6000 passionate, motivated and blossoming sustainability professionals ready to be hired by you!

Recruitment Services:

We offer a range of sustainability recruitment services from writing job descriptions to our full recruitment package including advertising, shortlisting and interviews.

Employment Services:

You can't always recruit yourselves. That's why we offer employment services; we find and recruit candidates on your behalf, and take care of payroll and contracts.

By hiring a Change Agent through us, they also get the benefits of being enrolled onto our Sustainability Leadership Skills Programme. It is a diverse series of workshops and 1:1 coaching support, covering all aspects of sustainability from values to greenwashing, and is supported by the Chartered Institute for Wastes Management (CIWM). On completion, individuals will be eligible for accredited membership should they choose, starting their journey toward a Chartered Environmentalist qualification.

We also offer this course as a standalone offering so if you're a forward thinking organisation with a commitment to a better future, then get in touch!

Click here for more information about our recruitment and employment services we provide here at Change Agents UK and to find out how we can help you fill that sustainability role.