This document provides an overview of careers in the environmental sector. It discusses the evolution of environmental education and jobs over the past four decades. Current trending jobs include environmental impact assessment, environmental management systems, and environment, health and safety roles. The document outlines many specific environmental career options and predicts high growth areas for the next decade, including jobs in renewable energy, green building, conservation, and sustainability. It also profiles some corporate sustainability initiatives and local green companies in China.

1. Careers in the
Environmental Sector
Make a difference with what you do. Everyday!
Nitin Dani | April 2015

2. OUTLINE
GREEN POWER
WHY TAKE UP A ‘GREEN’ JOB?
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW
ENVIRONMENTAL CAREER OPTIONS
GLOBAL TRENDS & CORPORATE INITIATIVES
LOCAL EXAMPLES
2

3. GREEN POWER
3

4. 4
Green Power
“Green” is perhaps one of the biggest trends to hit
the modern marketplace.
Everywhere we turn, we’re inundated with some
message or story relating to Green and the
environment.

5. 5
Green Power
“Green” is perhaps one of the biggest trends to hit the modern
marketplace.
• Wal-Mart is going Green.
• Hollywood celebrities are eco-evangelists.
• The 2008 Olympics set the new gold standard for sustainable events.
• Religious leaders are making the environment a moral issue.
Everywhere we turn, we’re inundated with some message or story
relating to Green and the environment.
But what does it all mean?

6. 6
But what does it all mean?
Green today means so many different things to
different people.
Marketing and PR departments have responded to
the changing marketplace by giving everything from
consumer products to automobiles a green
makeover.

7. 7
It’s not so easy being Green
Organizations, businesses, governments, and individual
consumers are all struggling to adapt to a world in which
the planet’s health and dwindling natural resources are at
the center of a global conversation.
The good news is that everyone seems to be trying to be
some shade of Green, and experimentation usually leads
to innovation.

8. 8
But at the end of the day, sustainability hasn’t become a
true business strategy for many organizations.

9. 9
But at the end of the day, sustainability hasn’t become a
true business strategy for many organizations.

10. WHY TAKE A GREEN JOB
10

11. 11
1. The best way to start doing something about the environmental
problems that we see around us.

12. 12
1. The best way to start doing something about the environmental
problems that we see around us.

13. 13
2. Make a positive impact in people’s lives, but also
become part of the 67% of environmental professionals who are highly engaged and
satisfied with what they do because they see that what they do makes a positive
difference.

14. 14
Level of Employee Engagement
2/3 of environmental employees areengaged workers.
Engaged
Employees
• Fully
understand
roles/responsi
bilities
• Give full effort
• Highly
motivated
• Bring passion
& energy to
their work
Enrolled
Employees
• Fully
understand
roles
/responsibilitie
s
• Give some
effort
• Lower levels of
motivation,
passion &
energy in work
Disenchanted
Employees
• Lower level
understanding
of
roles/responsi
bilities
• Low level of
emotional
connection
with work
Disengaged
Employees
• Rationally &
emotionally
disconnected
from work
• Not motivated
& poorer
performing

15. 15
3. Make money while doing good.

16. 16
4. Work in a sector where your job is NOT just to develop/produce
goods, BUT to do so efficiently i.e. with minimum resources.
Innovation and Creativity.

17. 17
5. Lastly, as we move into an era of constrained resources,
organizations that help their customers minimize waste and
resource consumptionwill emerge as market leaders.

18. 18
Environmental Employment
Employed individuals who spend 50% or more of their work
time on activities associated with environmental
protection, resource management, or environmental
sustainability.
Employment in new emerging areas, among a few:
• Alternative and Renewable Energy
• Eco-Efficiency and Carbon Management
• Climate Change Mitigation
• Research Organizations

19. How You Can Change
19
If you are in Product Development, you can shape the future of Green
by creating the offerings that push the definition of Green to new
heights.
If you are in Operations, you can analyze and redesign the processes
by which your organization does business and eliminate waste and
inefficiencies.
If you are in Human Resources, you can push for new policies that
allow employees to work virtually or new reward systems that
incentivize Green behaviors.

20. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OVERVIEW
20

21. 21
Environment Careers: Evolution
Environment as a formal educationprogrammehas evolvedover the past four
decades.
Civil Engineering
• Sanitary and public health engineering
• Water supply and sewage
• Municipal solid waste management &
treatment
• Managing public health
Life Sciences
/Chemistry
• Ecologyor environmental assessment
• Environmental sciences
Architecture
• Environmental planning
• Environmental policy
• Material management, certification & sourcing

22. 22
Environment Careers: Evolution
Environment as a formal educationprogrammehas evolvedover the past four
decades.
Chemical
Engineering
• Pollution control & pollution prevention
• Clean technologies
Product Design
• Eco-design or designing for environment
• Material innovation
Economics
• Environmental economics
• Environmental law & policy
Environmental
Management
• Preventive environmental management
• Business and sustainability
• Environmental trade and logistics

23. 23
Environment Careers: Categories

24. ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS
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25. 25
Environment Careers: Currently Trending
These jobs arecurrentlyin high demand in both developing and developed
countries,attemptingto solveexisting environmental andhealthproblems.
• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• Environmental Management System (EMS)
• Building Information Systems (BMS or BAS)
• Building Energy Simulation / Energy Modeling

26. 26
Environment Careers: Currently Trending
These jobs arecurrentlyin high demand in both developing and developed
countries,attemptingto solveexisting environmental andhealthproblems.
• Environment, Health & Safety (EHS)
• Environmental Protection
• Occupational or Workplace Health & Safety (OHS/WHS)
• Product Safety
• Environmental Economics
• Environmental Policy and Planning

27. 27
Massive investments in clean energy promise to keep
farmers, urban planners, and green-tech entrepreneurs in
business for the next decade.

28. 28
World’s first solar flight. Aircraft fuelled completely by the
electricity generated by solar cells.
www.facebook.com/solarimpulse

29. 29
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Farming Since sustainableagriculturerequires small-scale,local,organic methods
rather thanpetroleum-based machines and fertilizers,thereis a huge need for
morefarmers —up to tens of millionsof them.

30. 30
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
ForestryOver 1.6 billionpeople depend on forests for their livelihoods.Foresters
teach people cultivationof higher-value,faster-growingspecies for fruit,medicine
or timber,for examplewhile carefullydocumenting the impact on the
environment.

31. 31
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Solar Power Installer Makingandinstallingsolar power systems alreadyaccounts
for some770,000 jobs globally. The Solar Energy Industries Associationpredicts a
further increaseif anticipatedtaxcredits are accelerated.

32. 32
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
EnergyEfficiency Building Design & Construction Buildings account for up to
48 percent of US energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.LEED, the major green
building certification,has over 43,000 accreditedprofessionals.A study suggests
an $89.9 billion investment infinancing to create827,260 jobs in US alone.

33. 33
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Wind Turbine Fabricator Windis the leading and fastest-growingsourceof
alternativeenergywithover 300,000 jobs worldwide.Turbines are90% metal by
weight, creatingan opportunityfor autoworkers and other manufacturers to
repurpose their skills.

34. 34
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Conservation BiologistTheurgent quest to preserve the integrityof ecosystems
around the world— and to quantifythe value of — ecosystems services — leads
to opportunities in teaching, researchand fieldworkfor government,nonprofits,
and privatecompanies.

35. 35
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Sustainability Systems DeveloperThegreen economy needs specialized
softwaredevelopers & engineers who design, build, and maintainthe networks of
sensors and modeling that underpin wind farms,smart energy grids, congestion
pricing and other systems substitutingintelligencefor natural resources.

36. 36
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Green MBA’s and EntrepreneursTheconcept of the triplebottom line has
migratedfrom the margins to the mainstream of thebusiness world. Job profiles
include marketingto the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Healthand Sustainability) segment,
to servingas a VP of sustainabilitywithina largecompany, to a green startups.

37. 37
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Recycling New laws and regulations arecreatinga need for specialized
companies that can close the loop by recycling and repurposing e-waste,clothing,
plastic bags, constructionwaste,and other materials.Inthe US alone there are
morethan 1 millionjobs in the recycling sector.

38. 38
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Green MBA’s,Entrepreneurs& Health Professionals Concept of triple bottom
line has migratedfrom the margins to the mainstream of the business world.Job
profiles include marketingto the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability)
segment, to servingas a VP of sustainabilitywithina largecompany, to a green
startups.

39. 39
Environment Careers: The Next Decade
Green MBA’s,Entrepreneurs& Health Professionals Theconcept of the triple
bottom linehas migratedfrom the margins to the mainstream of thebusiness
world. Job profiles include marketingto the LOHAS segment, to servingas a VP of
sustainabilitywithina largecompany, to a green startups.

40. GLOBAL TRENDS & CORPORATE
INITIATIVES
40

41. 41
Future Environmental Skills & Jobs
Environment as a formal educationprogrammehas evolvedover the past four
decades.
High demand skills:
1) Green construction
2) Efficient Manufacturing
3) Agricultural Efficiency
and Innovation
High demand jobs:
1) Environmental
engineer
2) Engineering
technologist
3) Operations manager &
project manager

42. 42
Employment Trends / High Growth Sectors
High levels of educationwill be needed in high growthareas.
% of employees with a Bachelor Degree or higher

43. 43
Typical Job Areas
Environmental employers consider internal recruitingto be the most effective
recruitment method.Other effectivemethods include referrals,Co-opprograms,
on-campus recruiting,& online job banks.
• Consulting companies
• Manufacturing Industries & Supply Chain
• Research organizations
• Training/Education organizations
• Environmental nonprofits & NGOs
• International development agencies
• Financing institutions

44. 44
Corporate Initiatives
Innovative companies are using Green as platform for creating value -
new product concepts, service strategies, and business models that
represent disruptive.
For some companies where innovation once seemed illusive and
ambiguous, environmental responsibility has become a goal around
which new ideas are brought to life.
“Green Hat” thinking—the type of idea generation and innovation that
comes out of a singular focus on reducing one’s environmental impact
as much as possible.

45. 45
Corporate Initiatives
Dell: 2020 Legacy of Good Plan
Outlines goals for future of sustainability
and corporate responsibility at Dell.
Aim to engage 75% of team members in
community service by 2020.
Use expertise and technology to help 3
million youth directly.
Ensure 90% of waste generated in Dell-
operated buildings is diverted from landfills.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
facilities and logistic operations by 50%, and
reduce the “energy intensity” of its product
portfolio by 80%.

46. 46
Corporate Initiatives
InterfaceFlooring:Pioneers
Outlines goals for future of sustainability
and corporate responsibility at Dell.
Aim to engage 75% of team members in
community service by 2020.
Use expertise and technology to help 3
million youth directly.
Ensure 90% of waste generated in Dell-
operated buildings is diverted from landfills.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
facilities and logistic operations by 50%, and
reduce the “energy intensity” of its product
portfolio by 80%.

47. 47
Corporate Initiatives
GE: Ecomagination
Designed to meet demand for more
energy efficient products and drive
sustainable growth.
Focuses on the development of
renewable energy sources, water
purification initiatives, carbon capture
and sequestration systems, and
alternative transportation systems.
In 2007, GE invested more than $1
billion on cleaner technology R&D,
moving the company closer to its goal
of investing $1.5 billion annually in
EcomaginationR&D initiatives by 2010.

48. 48
Corporate Initiatives
Google Green
Greening Google by using resources
efficiently and supporting renewable power.
Recycle 100% of the electronic equipment
that leaves our data centers.
Data centers use only 50% of the energy of
most other data centers.

49. 49
Corporate Initiatives
Alibaba Group
Earmarked 0.3% of our annual revenue since
2010 to fund efforts designed to spur
environmental awareness and conservation.
In 2011, Alibaba Group partnered with the
Zhejiang and local environmental groups to
build a citizen network to combat water
pollution. Zhejiang “Clean Water Source
Action” was launched to drive public
participation in environmental protection
and assist the govt. in dealing with pollution.
Through the “carbon credit trading
platform” the company is helping offset
their carbon footprint.

50. LOCAL EXAMPLES
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51. 51
Local Examples
BEE Inc / Pure LivingChina
Engineering consultants and materials
specialists focusing on sustainability for the
built environment. Key Services:
• LEED Consulting
• Building Simulations
• Corporate services i.e. sustainability
planning & marketing strategies
Indoor environmental health and safety
consulting firm focused on advising clients
on air & water quality, mold, and lead
exposure issues. Key Products/Services:
• Air & Water Testing
• Air Cleaning Products & Masks
• Water Treatment Products
• HVAC Design & Implementation

52. 52
Local Examples
Eco and More / Soapnut Republic
Healthy cleaning products with no toxic or
unnecessary chemicals, but at the same
time products that are affordable. Products
include:
• Home Care
• Personal Care
• Baby Care
Committed to making home cleaning
products that are as safe, natural and
effective as possible using the highest
quality ingredients. Products include:
• Cleaning soaps for glass, vessels & floors
• Fruit & Vegetable Wash
• Laundry Liquid, etc

53. 53
Local Examples
Pureand Whole / Hunter Gatherer
Western-style vegetarian restaurant chain
dedicated to people’s health and wellness,
serving highly nutritious and delicious food
and drinks.
Passionate about real food; love to share it
with others and are not afraid to demand it.
Aim is to think broadly and widely about the
present and future implications of food
production, consumption, food safety, and
waste.

54. 54
Local Examples

55. SUMMARY
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56. Future of the Environmental Workforce
56
• Strong global growth across the sector
• Increased career opportunities in high-growth sectors of the industry
• Worker transferability between multiple disciplines, industries &
environmental sectors
• Continuous learning through an evolving & changing sector
• Rising employment opportunities as baby boomers retire
• High level of job satisfaction and job engagement

57. Future of Green
57
• Green is essentially synonymous with change— in terms of how we
consume, how we do business, how we work, and how we
approach innovation.
• The beauty of Green, is that it is also synonymous with growth.
• As we move into an era of constrained resources, organizations
that help their customers minimize waste and resource
consumption will emerge as market leaders.
• As an individual there are countless ways to get there, no matter
what role you play in your organization.

58. 58
Wherever you sit, you have an opportunity to be a leader in the race
toward sustainability.
The only question is—how fast are you willing to get there?

59. Thank You
www.greeninitiatives.cn
info@greeninitiatives.cn