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The job market is changing alongside climate change, with a newfound wide array of green jobs available for graduating Gen Z students – with one of those many options being to become a sustainability coordinator.
It can be difficult to choose between becoming an ESG manager, DEI officer, or a sustainability coordinator when all of the roles remain eerily similar in their main mission.
How is a sustainability coordinator different and worthwhile in comparison to other climate jobs?
In this article, we’ll explore what it means to be a sustainability coordinator, the skills and education required to become a sustainability coordinator, and the benefits of this role for your company and the planet.
A sustainability coordinator is someone within an organization responsible for overseeing, implementing and encouraging the improvement of various sustainability policies in order to benefit energy, economic, environmental, and social sustainability both within and outside the company.
In order to ensure the most effective policies are being put into place, sustainability coordinators work closely with their colleagues, customers, suppliers, and even members in their community to curate the most suitable policies that will work for everyone involved.
As a result, many sustainability coordinators work a traditional desk jobs – often subject to analyzing data and creating new sustainability strategies to subsequently share with stakeholders and other leaders of the business. However, some sustainability coordinators may work on site – such as on an agricultural field or traveling to manage sustainability projects elsewhere.
In addition to this, a sustainability coordinator often interacts with various teams within their organization, such as marketing and finance, to ensure sufficient communication.
👉 Young graduates who are interested in overseeing sustainable practices, enjoy leadership roles, and demonstrate excellent communication skills may be well-suited to become a sustainability coordinator.
There are multiple reasons why a sustainability coordinator is becoming more essential than optional in the midst of climate change.
Here are a few reasons why a sustainability coordinator is turning into an indispensable role:
👉 A sustainability coordinator may have seemed like a luxury add-on for your company 20 years ago, but in today’s rapidly changing world – it may prove more of a compulsory than optional role seeing how many climate-change related factors could result in the demise of your business.
A day in the life of a sustainability coordinator is bound to look different depending on what kind of company they choose to work for and the goals the organization wishes to achieve.
However, most sustainability coordinators share similar tasks – such as:
👉 Did you know that the role of a sustainability coordinator is expected to grow a whopping 15% until 2030 – demonstrating how getting a head start on a viable career like this could prove beneficial in the long run.
Hiring a sustainability coordinator for your organization isn’t only becoming imperative, but it could allow for additional benefits – many of which help to promote sustainability as well.
Here are just a few of the reasons why a sustainability coordinator can prove useful beyond necessity for your company:
👉 Ultimately, a sustainability coordinator could be exponentially beneficial for companies looking to improve their environmental and social standards – and simultaneously help to reduce emissions and business costs.
If a career as a sustainability coordinator sounds like the right profession for you, we have all the tips you need to prepare for a successful career in sustainability.
A sustainability coordinator typically needs the following qualifications:
A sustainability coordinator will often need a bachelor’s degree in order to apply for a job – such as a degree in sustainability, environmental studies, or other related fields. Sometimes, aspiring sustainability coordinators seek a master's degree – but it isn’t required.
As a sustainability coordinator, training is usually given once a role is assigned – as training is often specific to the company’s mission and personally-tailored goals. Therefore, it is best to familiarise yourself with the company you wish to work for and seek internships in other sustainability roles prior to the start of your career.
Additional certifications are not usually compulsory for an aspiring sustainability coordinator, but they can often prove beneficial as it allows for the prospect sustainability coordinator to gain extensive knowledge that may not be received while seeking a degree. An example of a potentially beneficial certification includes a LEED accreditation or other professional sustainability certifications.
👉 In addition to receiving certifications, there are skills that will be necessary to ensure a viable career as a sustainability coordinator.
Some of the various skills that prove paramount for someone looking to become a successful sustainability coordinator include:
Overall, a sustainability coordinator is likely to grow in demand as we inch towards global reform towards environmental management – making this a great job for those interested in protecting people and the planet from the effects of climate change.
If reading this article about what a sustainability coordinator is has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
It can be difficult to understand if to help your company succeed in its climate goals, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help! Click here to book a demo and get personalised expertise on how you can start to reduce your own emissions and decrease your environmental impact.
Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.
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