Sustainability business specialist (L7)

The broad purpose of the occupation is to help organisations, businesses, charities, the public sector and social enterprises to find new and innovative approaches to working and build resilience based on economically sound, socially friendly and environmentally driven principles. They will be responsible for developing and collaborating in the development of organisational sustainability strategies. They will implement and monitor sustainability strategies, influencing behaviour of stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, colleagues and consumers. The role is highly challenging and multifaceted and will reach across all areas of the organisation.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with numerous colleagues including a specialist subject manager or a senior manager within the organisation at executive or non-executive director level or within smaller organisations they may be at director or board level.

An employee in this occupation may lead a team or work in a matrix management structure to drive change. They would be required to liaise with external stakeholders on a variety of sustainable issues, for example Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), industry and regulatory bodies. An employee in this occupation will have joint or shared responsibility for implementing a sustainability culture throughout the organisation. This will mean they will need to work across functions throughout the organisation and will have a high level of autonomy to do so. In some organisations, they may lead a small team of dedicated experts, however in other organisations, they will work within a management structure with no line management responsibilities. The level of supervision they receive will be down to the size of the company and the individual structures of those companies.

Head of Energy and Sustainability
The Head of Energy and Sustainability leads organisational strategies on energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and sustainable resource management to support long-term environmental and business objectives.

Head of Responsible Sourcing
The Head of Responsible Sourcing oversees ethical procurement practices, supply chain transparency, and compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

Head of Sustainability and Environment
The Head of Sustainability and Environment sets and implements sustainability policies, environmental management systems, and regulatory compliance frameworks across the organisation.

Sustainability Manager
A Sustainability Manager develops, coordinates, and monitors sustainability initiatives, performance metrics, and reporting to drive responsible business practices.

Sustainability Specialist
A Sustainability Specialist provides technical expertise in sustainability analysis, impact assessment, and implementation of environmental and social responsibility programmes.

Two Sisters Food Group, Bakkavor, Branston Ltd, Offundo Ltd, Produce World Group Ltd, Moy Park, Sainsburys Supermarkets Ltd, Croda International PLC, Premier Foods Group, Wrangle Growers, Atkins

K1: The global social, environmental, economic, and ethical pressures affecting business, government, and society.

K2: The social, economic, philosophical, political, technological, and regulatory environment, and the potential levers available to drive change.

K3: How different cultures, customs, and business practices influence organisational operations at a global level.

K4: Life cycle analysis and whole-life costing methodologies, including environmental and carbon footprinting.

K5: Principles and approaches to building sustainable communities for the future.

K6: The use of continuous improvement techniques, such as Kaizen and LEAN, to advance organisational sustainability objectives, including waste reduction and recycling initiatives.

K7: Methods for identifying potential sustainability issues across the end-to-end supply and value chain, and approaches to resolving or mitigating these issues.

K8: Principles of being a responsible and supportive “neighbour” within the local community, including considerations such as emissions, community engagement, and transport or road access.

K9: Approaches to identifying key sustainability stakeholders and understanding their roles and influence.

K10: The design and implementation of environmental management systems aligned with ISO 17021, and embedding these systems within the organisation to meet ISO 14001 and customer codes of practice.

K11: How external factors influence consumer behaviour and strategies to address or overcome these influences.

K12: Sustainable technologies relevant to the organisation’s sector and operational context.

K13: Principles and practices of internal and external auditing in line with ISO 19011.

K14: Macro-environmental factors influencing the sector, including climate change, water resources, and pollution, and their impact on organisational and business practices.

K15: Core principles that define an ethical business and practical approaches to embedding ethical behaviour in organisational operations.

K16: How organisational design and structure can enable or inhibit the adoption and effectiveness of sustainability practices.

K17: Methods for communicating sustainability messages effectively, both internally across all organisational levels and externally to key stakeholders.

K18: Transformational leadership and change management approaches, including developing a future-focused vision, motivating and inspiring others, coaching and mentoring, and building teams to achieve sustainability goals.

K19: Approaches to researching, critically evaluating, and presenting business information, including the use of statistical and analytical skills to interpret primary and complex data.

S1: Conceptualise and resolve ethical, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability issues within the business.

S2: Devise, implement, and evaluate achievable and viable sustainability strategies aligned with organisational objectives.

S3: Critically evaluate sustainability issues and emerging trends that may impact business performance and long-term value creation.

S4: Analyse sustainability performance data and develop appropriate business responses in line with ISO 14001, legislative requirements, and customer codes of practice.

S5: Assemble and drive resource efficiency initiatives, including auditing in accordance with ISO 19011 and ISO 17021, and provide advice on energy, water, waste, materials, and packaging management.

S6: Contribute, collaborate, and where appropriate, lead on global procurement standards and governance strategies, introducing innovation and sustainability best practice, and managing the sourcing cycle and supplier relationship management in liaison with procurement functions.

S7: Formulate and coordinate organisational responses to sustainability issues for internal and external stakeholders.

S8: Collaborate on, lead, and manage organisational sustainability projects, such as life cycle analysis or footprinting, to drive change across the business.

S9: Identify, influence, and manage key stakeholders across different business functions.

S10: Support the organisation throughout all stages of internal and external audit processes.

S11: Contribute to and collaborate in leadership, coaching, and management of multidisciplinary teams, influencing sustainability colleagues and the wider business to achieve sustainability objectives.

S12: Identify, assess, and prioritise sustainability risks, and deploy resources to mitigate, control, and monitor the likelihood and impact of such risks.

S13: Design, implement, and evaluate internal and external environmental audit programmes in line with ISO 19011 and ISO 17021 to drive continual improvement.

S14: Appraise the impact of global economic conditions on the viability of sustainability initiatives and their implications for organisational profitability.

S15: Directly influence and contribute to the organisation’s corporate social responsibility agenda.

B1: Problem solving – Take a holistic approach to solving complex problems, considering interdependencies, long-term impacts, and multiple stakeholder perspectives.

B2: Integrity and respect – Listen actively to others and seek to build shared understanding; embrace diversity among colleagues and communicate complex issues in ways that are clear and accessible to others.

B3: Networking – Establish and maintain internal and external networks to ensure current and informed knowledge of sustainability trends, regulations, and emerging issues.

B4: Personal effectiveness – Demonstrate high levels of self-awareness and emotional intelligence; adapt behaviour to suit different situations and desired outcomes.

B5: Influencing and negotiation – Act as a subject matter expert to inspire others to achieve business objectives; adapt language and communication channels to build agreement; communicate proactively, clearly, concisely, and in a timely manner; and identify inventive win–win solutions to achieve broad consensus.

B6: Ethical – Demonstrate and champion in others a strong commitment to moral principles, including honesty, fairness, equality, dignity, diversity, and individual rights.

B7: Responsiveness to change – Remain flexible in response to changing demands and demonstrate resilience under pressure.

B8: Innovation – Demonstrate curiosity to foster new ways of thinking and working, and actively seek opportunities to drive change and continuous improvement across the organisation.