What Can I Do With an MBA in Sustainability?

The growing field of sustainability is an interdisciplinary one that has many paths of entrance, but attaining senior level positions often require advanced academic degrees like the MBA in Sustainability.

Sustainability incorporates tenets of both social and natural sciences, and some results of integrating sustainability into business practices are societal improvements and a more vital planet. Sound sustainability initiatives can be used to improve long term, corporate profitability goals, and there are many organizations like trade associations, the Department of Labor and labor unions that are resources for training and informational materials for green jobs.

Today’s sustainability practitioners can find numerous job prospects that match their skills, experience levels and academic backgrounds. Here are some popular jobs for which many graduates with Sustainability MBA degrees qualify.

Renewable Energy Construction Project Manager

Business and residential customers have recognized the potential cost savings and value to the environment of using cleaner energy products within their factories, offices and homes. As a result, many construction companies have modified their service offerings to include energy audits, green construction practices and expert installation of cleaner energy products.

Renewable energy construction project managers often oversee the assembly and installation of solar energy panels and innovative solar energy roofing systems for office buildings and homes. They also lead projects that seek to harness hydroelectric or geothermal energy to power manufacturing facilities without generating excessive toxic emissions.

Environmental Public Relations Manager

The negative effects of heavy industrialization has left many people around the world with tainted water supplies and impure air to breath. Subsequently, environmental regulations have gotten stricter over the years. Savvy company leaders make sure that their organizations comply with governmental legal requirements about environmental protection, and they publicize the responsible steps that they have taken to be a part of the solution for sustainability instead of the problem. These environmental public relations specialists look across their companies’ enterprises to track new sustainability initiatives and monitor the success of ongoing sustainability efforts.

Every corporate success in the areas of environmental protection, clean manufacturing and sustainable product development is widely published for the benefit of the organizations’ business and consumer customers. These public relations managers also oversee campaigns that educate communities about the latest sustainability issues that impact them, the laws that are associated with those environmental challenges and how individuals can get involved in protecting their environment.

Conservation Policy Managers

Sustainability practitioners who have extensive science and engineering backgrounds often seek to use their hands on job experience for more senior level positions. Those who have earned MBA in Sustainability degrees are sometimes tapped by government agencies to contribute their specialized knowledge and expertise for the development of new environmental policies within local, state and federal governments. These environmental scientists also provide consultative support to non profit organizations that promote public awareness of issues like resource conservation and climate change.

Conclusion

Green careers are undoubtedly the jobs of the future, and today’s employers are providing some unique opportunities for sustainability practitioners of all skill levels and academic backgrounds. Currently, people without degrees can often gain entry level employment in green jobs, apprentice themselves as assistants to more experienced workers and learn enough to gain appropriate certifications. However, competition for all green employment opportunities will likely increase, and those with MBA in Sustainability degrees may find themselves with distinct advantages over their peers when searching for the ideal green management positions.