A sustainability consultant is someone who advises businesses on methods to deliver their products or services in a sustainable manner (usually in an ecological sense). This field forms part of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and includes focal areas like "green building, renewable energy, waste management and sustainable development."[1]
Research on the role of sustainability consultants in the UK found that there is a tendency to focus on technical aspects of building energy efficiency, facilities management and renewable technologies, but that consultants were aware of the need to support businesses on the ‘softer’ aspects of sustainability such as organisational culture and values.[2]
Behavioural change initiatives can be effective in reducing emissions, and have multiple benefits including boosting staff morale,[3] while research has found that collaboration between businesses can improve environmental performance.[4]
Online tools are available to support sustainability consultants to broaden their skills.[5]
^Hampton, S., 2018. ‘It’s the soft stuff that’s hard’: Investigating the role played by low carbon small- and medium-sized enterprise advisors in sustainability transitions. Local Economy 33, 384–404. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094218778526
^Rotmann, S., 2017. “Once upon a time…” Eliciting energy and behaviour change stories using a fairy tale story spine. Energy Research & Social Science, Narratives and Storytelling in Energy and Climate Change Research 31, 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.06.033
^Lewis, K.V., Cassells, S., Roxas, H., 2015. SMEs and the Potential for A Collaborative Path to Environmental Responsibility. Business Strategy and the Environment 24, 750–764. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1843