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Elissa Foster, the head of sustainability at Australia-founded social enterprise Who Gives a Crap, has also been working in sustainability for more than 20 years. Her career path includes climbing the ladder over 17 years at Patagonia, a company regarded by many as a world leader in sustainable business.
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Like Brulliard, Foster has seen how those in today’s top sustainability jobs can now have a real seat at the table.
“Before sustainability became a recognised part of business strategy many roles were split between a marketing and sustainability function, or the title was given to someone with a background in operations,” Foster says.
“Now, these roles are filled by individuals with environmental science, engineering or biology backgrounds; and there are executive-level roles designed to help integrate environmental and social responsibility values into top level company-wide strategies and decision-making.”
In the US, where Foster is based, growing numbers of businesses are appointing chief sustainability officers to their executive team. She believes it’s a trend that will be mirrored in Australia.
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But for sustainability professionals looking for jobs where impact, not greenwashing, is the focus, she offers some practical advice.
“A filter I have used when evaluating sustainability jobs is to learn what department the role sits within. Understanding this helps to decipher the value a company affords sustainability and whether there is opportunity to implement key practices into the wider business strategy,” Foster says.
Sustainability roles sitting within a marketing department could potentially indicate that there will be pressure on those in the job to market sustainability claims, she says. Foster also advises checking if the company has a legal team or an on-call legal firm in place before accepting a role.
“The legal team is a great partner to ensure that a company is not participating in greenwashing, and they work closely with the sustainability team to review environmental claims and make sure they are substantiated by reputable sources to avoid misleading consumers,” Foster says.
Aiming for the top sustainability job
- Relevant industry experience and solid sustainability credentials will go a long way to helping climb the ladder to a head of sustainability role.
- Sustainability is complex and ever evolving – be prepared for a circuitous route to the top.
- Greenwashing by companies is increasingly being publicly called out – if you want to make an impact, find organisations willing to contribute to real change.
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