ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) jobs are jobs that prioritize social responsibility and sustainability in the workplace. You can find these jobs in various industries, and in most cases, they involve working on projects that positively impact society, the environment, or both.
This article discusses the most common ESG career options and highlights the responsibilities involved in each career.
The Most Common ESG Career Options
1: ESG Jobs in the Finance Industry
ESG jobs in the finance industry have one common goal, i.e., to integrate social responsibility, sustainability, and ethics into investment decisions. To achieve this goal, ESG professionals in the finance industry work with companies to develop financial products that give importance to social and environmental considerations. They also work with companies to develop strategies to improve their ESG performance.
2: ESG Jobs in the Technology Industry
ESG career options in the technology industry serve two purposes: to develop and implement sustainable practices within an organization’s supply chain or work on projects that use technology to deal with social and environmental challenges.
ESG professionals in the technology industry can help companies improve their ESG metrics by reducing their carbon footprint or helping them change business activities that produce greenhouse gasses (GHGs).
3: ESG Jobs in Consulting
Over the past few years, consulting firms have developed an interest in ESG, with professionals taking on projects that enhance companies’ social responsibility and sustainability practices. These professionals often conduct sustainability assessments, develop sustainability plans, or help companies prepare ESG or sustainability reports.
ESG professionals in consulting firms will only perform these tasks more frequently since more consulting firms are prioritizing sustainability in their day-to-day operations.
4: ESG Jobs in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
ESG professionals in CSR work to ensure that companies are acting responsibly and ethically in their interactions with employees, customers, and stakeholders.
They often work with companies to implement CSR activities, including:
- Improving labor policies;
- Volunteering for a charity;
- Paying employees fair wages;
- Purchasing fair trade products; and
- Committing to reducing carbon footprint.
5: ESG Jobs in the Field of Sustainability
The last area of focus for ESG jobs is in the field of sustainability. ESG professionals in this field work to slow or reverse the environmental effects of a company’s activities. Some strategies that these professionals implement to help companies become sustainable include:
- Eliminating paper use;
- Recycling office waste;
- Using renewable energy;
- Switching all lighting to LEDs; or
- Installing motion sensors for office lighting to limit energy use.
These professionals are responsible for developing sustainability programs and projects, such as recycling and renewable energy projects. They also develop ways to help employees reduce their carbon footprint, such as allowing work-from-home options since it reduces employees’ commute emissions.
Make a Positive Impact by Getting an ESG Job
ESG issues are important in nearly all industries, and there are many ESG career options if you want to make a positive change.
Whether you are interested in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, or ethics, there are many career options for you to choose from to impact the world positively while building a rewarding career.
