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What Does a Sustainability Manager Do?

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Gain insights into the career path, work duties, and job outlook of a sustainability manager.

[Featured Image] A sustainability manager sits at her desk and conducts research on her company's environmental goals.

Sustainable development, as defined by the United Nations, entails addressing current needs 鈥渨ithout compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs鈥 []. In the business sphere, sustainability denotes the commitment to conducting operations in a manner that avoids detrimental impacts on the environment, local communities, and society at large.

To reach these goals, numerous large corporations, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies turn to experts in sustainability. This article focuses on the expertise and job prospects of a sustainability manager.

What is a sustainability manager?聽

A sustainability manager guides businesses in creating and enacting eco-friendly strategies.

Besides overseeing the ethical sourcing of raw materials, sustainability managers constantly oversee an organization鈥檚 environmental impact. Above all, sustainability managers support firms in conforming to federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

What does a sustainability manager do?

Essentially, a sustainability manager aids organizations in elevating their environmental awareness and efforts rankings while also ensuring continued profitability and a competitive edge.

Did you know? In 2022, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) achieved a pioneering feat by becoming the first federal agency to revamp a battery electric vehicle (EV), the Ford Mustang Mach-E, for law enforcement use [闭.听

Sustainability manager tasks and responsibilities

Should you wish to become a sustainability manager, here are some of the tasks you will be responsible for:聽

  • Raising awareness of sustainable management practices among stakeholders

  • Generating annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reports

  • Formulating sustainability policies and procedures聽

  • Investigating critical incidents that negatively impact sustainability聽

What is sustainable forest management?

Sustainable forest management is the process of protecting both forests themselves but also the inhabitants of the ecosystem. Sustainable forest management benefits humans and the ecosystem by protecting the contents of the forest so it can continue to grow and survive, and also allow those who depend on the forest鈥檚 resources to continue to using them.

Essential skills of a sustainability manager

A career in sustainability management requires both technical and workplace skills. Below is an overview of both.

Technical skills

Among the essential technical skills for sustainability management are:聽

Adeptness in supply chain management and logistics

As a sustainability manager, you will need logistics skills to help minimize your firm鈥檚 environmental footprint; for instance, optimizing transportation routes to lower carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) emissions. By utilizing your expertise in supply chain management, you may also find yourself responsible for developing recycling strategies to reduce waste, integrating renewable energy sources like solar power, and more.

Understanding of data visualization tools聽

A vital skill in sustainability management is proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting. This empowers you to track and assess the long-term impact of sustainability initiatives across your organization while effectively conveying this data through visualization.听

Workplace skills

Among the essential workplace skills for sustainability management are:聽

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Your leadership skills play a pivotal role in cultivating an environment where your team members embrace sustainability as a core value and proactively contribute new, innovative ideas for environmentally friendly business operations. Essentially, you must build a culture of open communication and idea sharing where everyone feels encouraged to participate in the company鈥檚 sustainability journey.听

Effective communication聽

Audience-centered communication is key to reinforcing employees鈥 commitment to sustainability. What particular data, stories, or real-life instances will help them establish a connection with the concept of sustainability? Your ability to communicate the 鈥渨hy鈥 can motivate team members and stakeholders alike.

Sustainability manager salary and job outlook

According to several job listing sites, the average annual pay for a sustainability manager ranges from $67,890 to $95,768; the following table lists the salary ranges provided by Zippia [], Glassdoor [], and Payscale [闭.听

ZippiaGlassdoorPayscale
$67,890$93,799$95,768

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between 2023 and 2033, employment in management roles will generally expand at a rate exceeding the average for all professions. The projected growth is estimated to result in an annual average of approximately 1.2 million job openings [闭.听

How to become a sustainability manager

On average, the process of preparing for a career as a sustainability manager takes around eight years after graduating from high school. This duration includes four years of undergraduate education and an additional two to six years for graduate studies, with master鈥檚 programs typically spanning two years and doctoral programs extending up to six years. While a bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degree in sustainability management isn鈥檛 mandatory, it can be beneficial to complement your education with courses in sustainable energy management.

Let鈥檚 go over the career route in depth below.听

Education and training聽

A bachelor鈥檚 degree is a good starting point if you鈥檙e a beginner. It is the most popular educational qualification among sustainability managers, with 67 percent holding this degree []. You can also choose to obtain a master鈥檚 degree or an associate degree. Business is the most common major among sustainability managers, while other prevalent majors for sustainability managers include environmental science and biology.

However, if you鈥檙e an employee seeking to switch careers, embracing reskilling and upskilling opportunities is the way to go. By actively engaging with sustainability efforts at your workplace, you can build the experience and skills needed to transition into a career focused on sustainability while simultaneously contributing to a more sustainable and eco-conscious work environment.

Common sustainability certifications

Here鈥檚 a list of certifications offered by recognized organizations that can enhance your knowledge of sustainability practices and help you qualify for or advance within a sustainability manager role:

Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)

The AEE certifications will provide you with opportunities to learn how to make businesses more energy efficient as an experienced professional:

  • Certified Energy Manager庐 (CEM庐)

  • Certified Renewable Energy Professional鈩 (REP鈩)

National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP)

If you are considering a career in environmental management and are beginning your professional journey, the NREP certification is a fitting choice. You can attain this certification even without a college degree:

  • Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer庐 (CESCO)

Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO)

The ACCO certification is designed to help you drive climate change initiatives at your firm as a senior and mid-level professional:聽

  • Certified Climate Change Professional庐 (CC-P庐)

Get started as a sustainability manager with 糖心vlog官网观看

Strengthen your foundational sustainability knowledge with the University of Illinois鈥 Introduction to Sustainability course on 糖心vlog官网观看. From environmental economics to agriculture, this course will help you comprehend key sustainability concepts. You鈥檒l need approximately 24 hours to complete the course, after which you will earn a shareable certificate. To help you prepare further for a management role in sustainability, consider more advanced courses, such as Driving Business Towards the Sustainable Development Goals and Corporate Sustainability. Understanding and Seizing the Strategic Opportunity.

Article sources

1.听

United Nations. 鈥, http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm#I.鈥 Accessed April 27, 2025.

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.