A sustainability consultancy is a company that has a background in business combined with knowledge of the environment and of course, sustainability. Their work covers a broad range of tasks and strategies used to help organisations reduce their environmental footprints.
Sustainability consultants use their expertise and knowledge to advise and guide businesses to become socially and environmentally responsible. In addition, their expertise touches on how the company operates in a more sustainable way.
You may hear sustainability consultants also referred to as green consultants, eco consultants, or environmental management consultants. Sustainability consultants may specialise in specific industries, areas, or the types of companies they assist. Consultants are hired for short- or long-term projects and work with organisations to move forward with their sustainability goals.
Sustainability consultants offer a broad range of services to assist companies with their green efforts, including:
- Conducting company assessments on energy, water, carbon, waste, hazardous materials, environmental impacts, and more.
- Creating an overall strategy for sustainability plans.
- Providing plans on waste reduction in business operations & manufacturing.
- Offering guidance on green building design, construction, and improvements to a facility.
- Providing guidance on sustainable purchasing practises.
- Overseeing training and education on sustainability topics.
- Offering guidance on the installation and implementation tools to monitor and create reports on crucial data.
- Providing plans on environmental management and compliance.
- Offering guidance on communication and marketing strategies with PR & media campaigns and sustainability reporting.
- Providing plans to improve involvement of the community and volunteer programs
- Helping a company’s culture change to make the business more self-sustaining
- Conducting energy audits
- Collecting and analysing data, identifying needs.
- Finding ways to use renewable energy sources.
- Simplifying of supply chains.
- Ensuring a company’s workplace is healthy, as well as the surrounding environment.
Sustainability consulting duties vary from project to project and from industry to industry. Each organisation requires its own strategy and plans to become greener. Eco consultants bring their knowledge and expertise to each project and company they assist. What’s more, the consultants also understand how to implement these strategies and maximise profits at the same time.