Home Find a Job Advertise Knock 'em Dead

Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant is a professional who is knowledgeable about the impact of business practices on the environment, and works with businesses to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.

The career outlook for a sustainability consultant is good. They make on average $50-$62 thousand a year.

The job involves working with business of all sizes to evaluate a variety of sustainable development parameters and develop and implement appropriate strategies. Some examples of the types of issues addressed by a sustainability consultant include evaluation of energy usage, supply chain efficiency, carbon footprint measurement, and sustainability planning. For large businesses, consulting services may include site development and planning for manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and office buildings that may house equipment, merchandise, and large numbers of workers. The sustainability consultant helps to create a sustainable development plan that works to save the company money, as well as reduce the potential negative environmental impact of the company's activities.

A sustainability consultant helps protect the environment by providing businesses with tools and information to minimize environmental impact. For example, the consultant may help a business choose alternate forms of energy like wind turbines, solar panels, or other types of green energy. For smaller businesses, the consultant may suggest strategies for maximizing the efficiency of IT operations, or simplifying a supply chain so that less fossil fuels are used in the process of transporting goods and supplies both to and from the business.

If you enjoy working to come up with creative solutions to problems in a business environment, then a job as a sustainability consultant may be a good green career for you. You must be able to understand certain business and statistics principles, work well individually and in team settings, and have a keen ability to understand and interpret the sustainable development needs of your clients.

While there is no specific educational requirement to become a sustainability consultant, a background in business, planning, development, or environmental work is typically required. Undergraduate studies in fields like business, engineering, urban planning, and environmental studies can help support the development of skills and knowledge used by a sustainability consultant. A sustainability consultant may work within a firm, freelance as part of a group, or establish his or her own business providing consulting services for sustainable business development.