Sustainability Practitioner | Green is the New Black 💚 | Begin Anywhere | One Step At A Time
Are You Sure You Want to Work in the ESG and Sustainability Fields? I’m shocked by the number of people flooding into the ESG and sustainability fields in recent years. They come from all sorts of backgrounds: manufacturing, engineering, human resources, finance, economics, accounting, conservation, environmental science, etc. Well, if you look into the puzzle pieces that make up the words ESG and SUSTAINABILITY, they actually cover all facets of a business. So, it makes sense, right? A lot of people who are like the younger me wanted to pursue a career in the ESG and sustainability fields because they have the same thinking: I want to save the world! But reality is not a fairy tale. Let me share my story with you and tell me again: Are you sure you want to work in the ESG and sustainability fields? Read: https://lnkd.in/gwEanABs #ESG #sustainability #career
Isn't this a good sign though Jia Xin NG 🌻 ? Eventually, ESG / Sustainability should form an integral part of any decision making process and be part of a company's DNA; regardless of the field of work.
Sushant Bharti
2mo
True disruption challenges comfort zones and redefines possibilities. What if the future of sustainability lies not in compliance but in courageous, systemic disruption?
Dr. John Vong
2mo
It's a valid perspective if you have joined the sustainability career in the last decade . There are others who came through the international development pathway, through the UN system the originator of Sustainable Development Goals and that's where sustainability first started.
Sharimar L.
2mo
Very insightful and prescriptive post Jia Xin NG 🌻 Additionally, Japan started its sustainability journey back in the 1960s. It took them more than 20 years to make sustainability a part of their culture and Japan is now the most sustainable country in Asia. Well, Malaysia is still ‘green’ to the sustainability game, but I can see that there's increasing awareness around ESG and SDGs.
My advice to the youth is to enter ESG with hard professional skills in a registered profession.... engineering, urban planning, architecture, field biology etc. Too many graduates of sustainability BA/BS programs here in Canada where the students have sustainability knowledge but few marketable job skills....essentially semi professional.
Strong opinion!
Chun Cheuh Tang
2mo
I'm seeing this for myself in my current workplace. I don't work in sustainability, but I work closely with the CSR team. All they really care about is meeting the bare minimum for regulatory compliance. It's even sadder because these people for all of their knowledge and expertise don't really have passion for the environment. It's just something for career advancement.
Jia Xin NG 🌻 agree that we can't save the world alone, collaboration is key and, yes, we can control our own habits. I still hope that whatever tiny voice or miniscule effort from me could result in a livable planet for my grandson and his.
Faye S.
2mo
These are very important points for me to consider as I begin my ESG and sustainability career journey in earnest. I am at the place where I am starting to see the areas where existing organizations won’t push the boundaries as business opportunities for myself or others to pursue. So I think figuring out those market gaps is what I most look forward to in this career space.
Early career sustainability advocate and educator
2moHei! I just read your full story and I could see my reflection in that story, almost in every paras. Another experience I'd like to share- that a lot of new job opportunities regarding this field is opening up. However, a couple of times I have seen them hiring someone from the inside who has less experience or knowledge in the regarding field, as it's only a mock up to show how they are maintaining their "sustainability". I still have hope, but at the same time I am struggling with the field when it comes to employment.