Environmental awareness and concern have increased significantly over the past several decades. Many private-sector companies now realize that implementing sustainability best practices benefit their operational bottom lines as well as the world around them. This has created the need for individuals in supervisory positions to direct and integrate the sustainability efforts of businesses and other organizations through an intricate understanding of its core tenets and practices.
Because sustainability, conservation and renewable energy are emerging concepts, the professional management roles in this sector have only recently been defined. Many of the first sustainability managers and leaders may have been self-taught in environmental science or have other sector backgrounds such as risk mitigation or public relations. They may not have had formal sustainability training, but they still brought a passion for sustainability to their work.
Today, colleges and universities throughout the U.S. now have programs for various degree levels and formats that center on learning the principles of sustainability, such as an online Master of Sustainability Leadership. This academic discipline and the associated coursework can serve as a strong foundation for individuals seeking a long-term career in the sustainability management field. Through a combination of hard work and expert instruction by faculty, students pursuing an MSL can develop the skills essential for strong roles in this field. The common outcome of higher education—career advancement—may be there upon graduation, too, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a growth rate of 11 percent between 2016 and 2026 for these types of positions.
Here are five notable career possibilities for an MSL graduate:
1. Sustainability Planner.
This role is undeniably broad, and its details and job specifications may vary between organizations. Sustainability planners may be tasked with managing the day-to-day operations behind resource efficiency and environmental preservation efforts. These tasks can include green building initiatives, eco-friendly procurement plans, the development of the paperless office, energy efficiency, implementing alternative or renewable energy and more. At times, planners may have to make the case for environmentally friendly initiatives to the company's executive managers who might not immediately understand the bottom-line benefits. As a result, any successful planner must be proficient in general business skills such as project management, decision-making and communication.
It will also be necessary for these professionals to have knowledge of both historical environmental issues and developing trends in sustainability. Data analysis is a major aspect of quantifying sustainability in an organizational setting, so an understanding of this concept can be extremely valuable. Salary estimates from Indeed, PayScale and Glassdoor place this role at an average salary ranging from $53,000 to $70,000 annually.
