How do folks enter Corporate Social Responsibility / Environmental, Social, and Governance spaces?

Posted in:Advice Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Career Growth

For folks who work in the Corporate Social Responsibility / Environmental, Social, and Governance spaces, what is your background and how did you get your start?

I'm currently a policy director working in affordable housing and homelessness policy for a local government.

I'm transitioning out of this role soon and would love to learn about companies with active CSR / ESG teams. I looked into Amazon's Housing Equity Fund, but can't figure out whether folks are staffed specifically to that effort. I know loads of companies have public policy & government affairs teams -- and I'm open to working there -- but also hoping to learn more about teams that aim to broaden a company's community reach.

Basically, I'm hoping to take my experience with legislative / regulatory analysis and advocacy and help companies get the most bang for their well-intentioned buck.

Thanks for the help!

joanmichelson·Jul 13

Hi Jenny, I am a career coach who works in corporate responsibility and ESG. There are tons of opportunities in this space, especially with your background. I'm happy to have a 20-minutes complimentary chat about it with you, f you like.

JennyvdH·Jul 18

Hi, @joanmichelson -- Thank you for the kind offer! Yes, would love to connect via a brief phone call. What's the best way to get in touch? I'm new to elpha. Thanks again!

joanmichelson·Jul 18

Hi Jenny! That’s great. Email me at [email protected]. Looking forward to it, Joan 👍

CTay·Jul 13

@JennyvdH thanks for posting this. I have been working on transitioning into this space for 3 years now. Why so long? I decided to go to grad school for my Master of Science in Sustainability and Social Impact and I’ve been working while doing it and graduate in December with my thesis being all about circular policies and regulation and collaboration for successful outcomes between government and brands.Okay, so Voiz has reputable programs that may help you fill your gaps. ESG is a specific skill and you will need a deep understanding of thats along with a thorough understanding of all the different certifications, etc - in order to properly guide a business. Since your family with policy work you’ll surely handle the intricacies well! Main thing is digging past the surface of these policies and gaining insights into why something sounds good on paper but is worthless in the ultimate goal to reduce GHG. Example: carbon offsets. Additionally you need to gain clarity around the business case for ESG and voluntary reporting of scopes 1,2,3. Look up CDP (they’re the best and first in the industry and lead the way). There’s also lots of info and sometimes free or paid courses for people there and also via SBTi’s. The later sets the standards for the financial case (which is ultimate what a business will want).I have friends who’ve taken coursework via Voiz Academy and been quite happy so if you don’t want to get a masters in it (understandable) they could be a good path. Otherwise, finding free course via the EXPERTS is key because there’s a lot of noise out there in this space right now. Know who to listen to and who not to is VERY important for obvious reasons. Lastly, I suggest being hyper clear on your reasons for going this path. It’s bumpy. Meaning are you an advocate for sustainability and business for good - then prepare yourself for learning some serious truths about how our system works and how very few businesses are seriously ready to tackle climate issues and change they way they operate. You’ll need to be strong and stay the course. ANY role in sustainability is more than a job. It’s a mindset for a better future.Good luck!

JennyvdH·Jul 18

@ChristineTaylor -- Thanks for sharing all of that info! Yes, I don't think I'll be looking to get a second master's anytime soon. Appreciate you mentioning a few certificate paths. Are there specific resources you found helped you figure out who NOT to follow in this space?

glenelys·Jul 15

Hi Jenny, There are two communities that I think you should look into if you haven't already. https://girlsclubcollective.co/ and https://www.changehub.co/. They both have a plethora of resources for CSR/ESG and amazing network of people in those industries that you can connect with. Hope this helps!

JennyvdH·Jul 18

@glenelys, thank you for sharing those two resources! Will definitely take a look.

asiak·Jul 16

Hi @JennyvdH, I would recommend that you look into making a distinction between when companies use ESG/CSR to mean using their profits to support philanthropy efforts (building houses, bridges, schools, etc.) versus when they use those term to mean changing the way their own business operates (circular economy, traceable supply chain, etc.). These different meanings of ESG/CSR are managed by different parts of the business, and it would mean very different work depending on what you want to do.

JennyvdH·Jul 18

@AlexPN -- Thank you so much for making that distinction! That's feels like something that is clear for folks within the industry, but less so for those on the outside. Very much appreciate it.Are there large companies who are known for engaging in the second version of ESG/CSR? I'd imagine larger firms would have a team of folks working in this space and I'll likely need to step down in my role as I learn.Thanks again!

asiak·Jul 19

Hi @JennyvdH - You're right that most of the large multinationals now has a team working on the second aspect, largely due to legislations coming up n Europe, US and around the world that require them to manage their supply chain in order to operate in many markets. Adam Elman at Google puts up posts with multiple job listings in the sector pretty regularly, you can follow him to check them out.