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How did you go about starting your career as a Chief Sustainability Officer?

What steps did you take to start? What led you to this particular job?

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Karin’s Answer

Hi Breona,

A Chief Sustainability Officer is a management position that looks to reduce the environmental impact of a company. That can come in many different flavors depending on the company you work for, but generally it's very interdisciplinary.

You should get a bachelors in something science or engineering, e.g. environmental engineering, biology, chemistry, geology, soil science, atmospheric science, health, agriculture, food science, toxicology etc. It also requires knowledge of the environmental laws and regulations.

It is advisable to get a graduate degree, at least a masters in a specialized area. Some CSOs have law degrees as well. Some schools also offer MBAs with a focus on environment.

Some professional certifications might also be useful.

You'll most likely work a few years in more entry level jobs before you can possibly move up to "Chief".

You find some more information here:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/what-is-chief-sustainability-officer

https://www.techtarget.com/sustainability/definition/chief-sustainability-officer-CSO

Good luck!

KP
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Kushal’s Answer

Hi Breona,

As a Mechanical Engineer, I am passionate about crafting a sustainable world. I guess it runs in my family. My sister is Senior Sustainability and Climate Change Officer in a reputed government organization in Australia committed to sustainability.

I will just provide how my sister went through this as an example and this should give you some idea. ( apologies for the reverse chronological order)

5)Senior Sustainability and Climate Change Officer - Present
4)Project Manager
3)Project Officer
2)Account Manager
1)Analyst
0)Master of Engineering in Sustainable energy (Realized she was always passionate for environment and loved the course)
-1) Bachelors in Electronics and Communication engineering (she really didn't know what she was doing but did pretty well. Electronics is quite hard actually)

I hope my poorly structured answer provides some valuable insight.

Good luck with your academic and career endeavors.

PS: Our ailing planet needs do need more CSOs. Consider enrolling for some online courses such as 'Age of Sustainable development' on EdX which gives an overview of sustainable development and the urgent need for SD. Hope my answer, other more structures answers here and more insights into sustainabilty ignites the passion in you to contribute your best in crafting a sustainable planet.

Kushal recommends the following next steps:

Purse undergraduate studies: Find good university that offers undergraduate programs in Energy engineering, Environmental engineering etc., so that it orients you towards CSO. There are plenty of programs like sustainability management which would be more preferred for CSO.
Apply to grad school: Go through sustainability graduate programs at various universities. See what course subjects are offered and the research areas or area of interests of faculty members; check if they all align with your goals.
PhD: To become a CSO one needs gains lot of exposure and understanding of the transdisciplinary nature of sustainabilty and good management skills. PhD will allow you to dive deep into applying theoretical knowledge into practical projects.
Job: The above step can be skipped and one can climb the ladder to CSO fairly slower after masters degree by gaining experience of management and sustainabilty by working under different firms as a Energy Analyst/ Consultant, Sustainable Project Officer ( Handling small porjects or part of projects)
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Sophia’s Answer

Hello Breona,

Appreciate your inquiry!

There are numerous routes that can lead you to the position of a Chief Sustainability Officer. Let me share a few things that have guided me to my present role in ESG & sustainability.

1. Knowledge & Continuous Learning - The field of Climate Change and Sustainability is constantly evolving. Keeping up-to-date with climate science, emerging climate technologies, and business practices can assist you on this path.
Some useful resources include: Trellis.net and esg.com. These are key news platforms that concentrate on corporate sustainability.

2. Acquiring Finance/Technical Skills - Finance plays a pivotal role in the sustainability journey. Gaining proficiency in technical tools like Excel, along with understanding the basics of forecasting, budgeting, and financial modeling can boost your financial expertise as a Chief Sustainability Officer.
A helpful resource could be: Mr.Excel on YouTube.

3. Utilize LinkedIn for Networking - Professionals in the sustainability sector are generally open to networking and offering career guidance directly, or discussing potential roles in their teams. I would suggest you connect with specific leaders in this field on LinkedIn and request a 20-30 minute conversation to gain more insights about their roles.

Thank you for your questions and your enthusiasm towards creating a better planet! We need more individuals like you in the world!

Best,
Sophia
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