What Does A Sustainability Consultant Do?

Sustainability normally refers to the practice of fulfilling present requirements, without putting future resources in jeopardy. As such, a sustainability consultant is a professional who helps businesses, government agencies and nonprofits to achieve & maintain their social, economic and environmental sustainability targets in such a way that the perks outweigh the implementation costs.

In general, sustainability consulting professionals come from many different backgrounds and industries. Many of them are even self-employed and have their own private businesses in Australia. Even though there are not any formal educational requisites, an aspiring sustainability consultant must have a bachelor’s degree in applied science (environmental management), science, outdoor & environmental education or civil & environmental engineering. Certification can lend credibility as well, and many institutions offer short courses for sustainability certification. Besides that, there are also research programs such as master of applied science (environmental management) and doctor of philosophy (environmental management).

A good sustainability consultant has to have a great volume of interest in the field of environmental stewardship, along with abilities of problem-solving, communicating, analytical thinking and using computers proficiently. Much like operations, business or financial analysts, sustainability consultants gather as well as analyse data, recognise necessities, and then improvise strategies for fulfilling the necessities. In the process of doing so, they perform a wide variety of tasks, which include leading meetings, making presentations, writing reports and launching effective sustainability initiatives. Therefore, these professionals need to be highly confident and knowledgeable.

Depending on the association or organisation for which a sustainability consulting professional is working, his or her particular job duties can vary. Their field of work requires them to study, research and implement strategies for increasing profits as well as decreasing the environmental footprint of an organisation. They also are responsible for conducting energy audits & finding ways so as to bring down energy consumption, integrating the usage of alternative energy sources, aiding in simplification of the supply chains and suggesting methods to lower waste generation. The other duties of a sustainability consultant include analysing corporate responsibility and recommending methods to ensure more efficient transportation of goods without a huge impact on the environment.

Since the reputation of an organisation dictates how its profits are going to be, a sustainability consultant generally observes the way that its activities and practices affect its workers, neighbourhood and customers. They implement measures for ensuring that the premises of the organisation as well as its surrounding environment remain healthy.