What is GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance)?
In this article, we’ll break down what GRC really means and why it’s essential for any modern business. We’ll also look at how GRC plays a key role in environmental responsibility.
ESG / CSR
Industries
Ecology
Greenly solutions
Whenever we hear someone refer to their job title as a consultant, it’s easy to get confused – as it could mean many different things, such as being an engineer to providing services in environmental consulting.
Consulting refers to experts who can offer individual research and solutions to help a business optimize their performance.
💡 Think of consultants as that one person who can solve a Rubik’s cube or the last few missing pieces of a puzzle: consultants are trained to offer specialized assistance to any organization seeking their services.
Consultants may work in a wide variety of fields, such as in management, IT, marketing, HR, or even in the field of environmental consulting such as by engaging in supply chain management.
In this article, we’ll explain what environmental consulting is, the pros and cons, and our top 5 environmental consulting companies.
Environmental consulting refers to those who can provide expertise in managing various environmental issues, such as by helping to reduce the negative impact of industrialization and helping to promote the importance of climate legislation.
💡 As a whole, environmental consultants often play a big part in helping companies to better manage their current environmental impact – in the same fashion that a tutor for school or a personal trainer at the gym can help individuals to achieve their full potential.
Here are some of the daily tasks of being an environmental consultant:
Here are some of the required skills required in order to working in environmental consulting:
The differences between environmental consulting and traditional consulting include:
Aspect | Environmental Consulting | Traditional Consulting |
---|---|---|
Focus | Specializes in sustainability, environmental compliance, and risk management related to natural resources, pollution control, and ecosystem protection. | Generally focuses on business strategy, management, operational efficiency, and financial performance. |
Industries Served | Primarily works with industries such as energy, construction, agriculture, and government sectors that impact the environment. | Broad range of industries, including finance, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, and retail. |
Regulation Expertise | Requires in-depth knowledge of environmental laws and regulations, including permits, compliance with EPA guidelines, and international environmental standards. | May include knowledge of industry-specific regulations but typically focuses on legal, operational, or financial regulations not necessarily related to environmental concerns. |
Service Types | Includes environmental impact assessments, sustainability strategy, remediation, waste management, carbon footprint analysis, and climate change advisory. | Includes management consulting, strategy development, process optimization, IT consulting, financial restructuring, and marketing strategies. |
Client Goals | Helps organizations minimize environmental risks, achieve sustainability goals, and comply with environmental regulations. | Helps companies improve profitability, enhance operational efficiency, and drive business growth. |
Typical Certifications | Environmental certifications such as ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), LEED, BREEAM, and carbon management qualifications. | Certifications like PMP (Project Management Professional), Six Sigma, or financial certifications such as CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst). |
Methodology | Relies on environmental science, engineering principles, fieldwork, data analysis, and regulatory compliance to offer solutions. | Relies on business analysis, market research, financial modeling, and corporate strategy frameworks to drive decisions. |
Impact | Aims to protect the environment, reduce ecological footprints, and ensure sustainable use of resources. | Aims to improve business performance, market competitiveness, and shareholder value. |
👉Overall, the unique skills exercised in environmental consulting can allow those working in this field to help multiple companies across various industries to reduce their environmental impact and make a difference in the midst of global warming.
Working in environmental consulting includes conducting environmental assessments, facilitating greater communication with stakeholders and suppliers, and guiding organizations in risk management.
💡 No two projects assigned in environmental consulting are bound to be alike, often making the job a challenge and a fitting role for those who do not like to be bored by the ins-and-outs of day-to-day corporate life.
Here is a typical job consultant for those applying for a role in environmental consulting:
👉 The demand for environmental consulting is set to increase, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) noted that careers in environmental science and consulting are bound to grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032 – giving environmental consulting an average growth rate 3% higher on average in comparison to other careers.
There are several pros and cons to working in environmental consulting, such as fostering a strong network of connections and helping to improve environmental circumstances – but working as an environmental consultant can also mean long hours and demanding deadlines.
The pros of working in environmental consulting include:
The cons of working in environmental consulting include:
👉 Environmental consulting can be a rewarding career, but it can also come with some challenges such as time constraints and tight deadlines – both of which can take a toll on an environmental consultants’ personal life.
Choosing both a reputable and eco-friendly consulting firm can be a challenge, but we’ve put the work to rest by choosing our top 5 environmental consulting companies below.
AECOM has proved themselves to be a global leader for environmental consulting, as they offer a wide variety of environmental consulting services such as:
Operating as a Canadian-based environmental consulting firm in 22 offices around the world with location in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and even India – AECOM is well-known for their for its projects in infrastructure and their efforts to implement sustainable protocols with their clientele.
This engineering and environmental consulting firm operates worldwide to provide clients with expertise in sustainable infrastructure and climate resilience.
Jacobs Engineering Group can help your company with a wide variety of environmental consulting services, such as in:
In addition to this, Jacobs Engineering Group has launched their Climate Response Center – which offers tailored solutions to sustainability issues and allows for improved environmental risk management.
Operating with over 550 offices worldwide, Tetra Tech is well positioned to help companies with the following:
💡 More specifically, Tetra Tech is most known for their environmental consulting services in renewable energy and environmental remediation.
This worldwide consulting firm established back in 1962 has an overwhelming global presence – operating in over 130 cities across 65 countries.
While McKinsey & Company cannot be classified as a solely environmental consulting firm, they have made a substantial effort to expand their services in sustainability – such as by launching their own Sustainability Academy in 2022 to help clients work towards net-zero emission.
Established back in 1971, ERM leads by example when it comes to providing environmental consulting services for EHS and other various sustainability consulting services.
With over 8,000 people working across 40 different countries, ERM has solidified themselves as a successful environmental consulting firm.
ERM can also help companies with:
In addition to this, ERM has spent up to $360,000 USD on ESG data and ratings – further demonstrating their commitment to being classified as an environmental consulting firm.
👉 Since environmental consulting is still a relatively new field, it can be challenging to decipher which companies are worth recruiting for their environmental services.
It can be confusing to decipher the difference between an environmental consulting company and a traditional one, but there are a few tell-tale signs – such as their reputation with handling regulatory requirements and client relationships.
💡 Becoming a successful consulting company is already a challenging, but becoming a reputable environmental consulting company can be even more challenging – seeing as these organizations will need to demonstrate a greater commitment to expertise and innovation in terms of the environment.
Here are a few ways to tell if an organization is a successful environmental consulting company:
Overall, environmental consulting companies can make a stark difference in the environmental impact created by companies around the world – and we hope that our top 5 environmental consulting companies can help your business make a better decision for its future.
If reading this article about environmental consulting and our top 5 environmental consulting companies has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
Making an effort to switch your company over to the values of a green business can be overwhelming, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you find ways to improve energy efficiency and decrease the dependency on fossil fuels in your own company.
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.
Click here to learn more about Greenly and how we can help you reduce your carbon footprint.