Sustainability Professionals
Sustainability professionals help companies build sustainable practices. They help to transform the way a company engages with the environment and communities. Sustainability professionals have a variety of skills related to sustainability. These include environmental science; operational know-how; public, community, and Indigenous relations; and corporate social responsibility practices. A sustainability professional works with teams and departments across their company. Key goals are to support company performance in the areas of environmental and social risks and to make sure these are in line with company financial goals.
Across Canada’s energy industry today, there is a focus on managing significant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks. The way each of the pillars of an ESG program affects organizations is described below.
- The environment pillar focuses on managing risks related to the environment. This includes emissions and environmental impacts on water and land, and plant and animal life.
- The social pillar focuses on social impacts on and relations with the public, communities, and Indigenous peoples.
- The governance pillar focuses on standards and practices followed by a company to manage significant risks.
The sustainability professional career path often starts with a focus on one of two areas of specialization: an environmental science or a social impact specialization. If you are interested in science, math, communications, social responsibility, and building engagement and relationships, this career is a good choice for you. Sustainability professionals need to be excellent communicators and open to understanding diverse points of view. They must be analytical, innovative, and solutions oriented.
Established Energy Sectors:
- Oil and Gas
- Offshore Oil and Gas
- Oil Sands
- Energy Services
- Pipelines
- Refining
Emerging Energy Sectors:
- Biofuels
- Hydrogen
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
- Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
What Sustainability Professionals Do
Key Skills and Abilities Sustainability Professionals Need
This chart shows the core knowledge, technical skills, certifications, and personal attributes. These are needed to enter the energy industry and advance as a sustainability professional. The ones needed will vary depending on the area of specialization. The two areas are environmental or social.
Personal Attributes
- Attention to detail
- Active learning
- Adaptability
- Analytical thinking
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Concern for others
- Independence
- Innovativeness
- Stress tolerance
Core Knowledge
- Environmental, energy, and sustainability regulations
- Sustainability processes and strategies
- Environmental, health, and safety standards
- Environmental, social, and economic impacts of energy industry operations
- ESG reporting standards and frameworks
- Company processes to establish and build ESG capacity and leadership
Technical Skills
- Building and deploying environmental sustainability programs
- Assessing and monitoring company activities and their impact on environmental and socio-economic performance
- Supporting the implementation of practices and technical solutions that improve efficiencies and environmental and social impacts
- Analysing sustainability risks to prioritize the costs of using sustainability measures
- Preparing and delivering studies, reports, and presentations
- Communicating complex information
- Negotiating conflict
- Facilitating stakeholder meetings (internal and external)
Beneficial Certifications
- Sustainability/ESG micro-credentials
- Applicable health and safety certifications, as determined by job requirements
- Class 5 Driver’s Licence plus a clean abstract
- Cultural competency training
Sustainability Careers in the Energy Industry
There are different types of education requirements for the sustainability professional career. It depends on the chosen specialization. Entry to this career in energy can start with relevant education, or education combined with related job experience. The chart shows how roles and educational requirements change for each career level. As you advance your career, your education and experience can equip you to take on sustainability roles that integrate all three pillars (ESG) in any sector of the energy industry.
Career Level
Education Levels & Areas of Study
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, finance [with a sustainability focus], or engineering
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, or engineering)
Professional designation in specific disciplines such as P.Bio; P.Eng; P.Ag; APR (Accredited in Public Relations)
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, or engineering)
A graduate degree is an asset
Types of Careers
There are many ways to make a start in a sustainability career as it requires technical knowledge from other disciplines.
Roles or experience in the following fields can lead to a career as a sustainability professional in environmental or social impact specializations:
- Biological and environmental science
- Community engagement
- Indigenous relations
- Communications/public relations
- Engineer—environmental or other disciplines
- Environment, health, and safety
- Finance
- Sustainability Advisor/Coordinator
- Sustainability Researcher
- Sustainability Specialist
- Senior Sustainability Advisor/Program Manager
- Sustainability Manager/Director
- Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
Career Level
Entry
Education Levels & Areas of Study
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, finance [with a sustainability focus], or engineering
Types of Careers
There are many ways to make a start in a sustainability career as it requires technical knowledge from other disciplines.
Roles or experience in the following fields can lead to a career as a sustainability professional in environmental or social impact specializations:
- Biological and environmental science
- Community engagement
- Indigenous relations
- Communications/public relations
- Engineer—environmental or other disciplines
- Environment, health, and safety
- Finance
Mid
Education Levels & Areas of Study
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, or engineering)
Professional designation in specific disciplines such as P.Bio; P.Eng; P.Ag; APR (Accredited in Public Relations)
Types of Careers
- Sustainability Advisor/Coordinator
- Sustainability Researcher
- Sustainability Specialist
Senior
Education Levels & Areas of Study
Minimum education and/or experience typically required:
4-year university degree (in environmental science, biology, natural resource management, political science, public relations, or engineering)
A graduate degree is an asset
Types of Careers
- Senior Sustainability Advisor/Program Manager
- Sustainability Manager/Director
- Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
Transferring Sustainability Professional Skills from One Energy Sector to Another
There are core skills and knowledge that all sustainability professionals need for their careers. These building blocks are needed in all energy sectors and for all specializations. The building blocks are:
- Knowledge of company business models, technologies, products, and operational processes and related risks
- Understanding sustainability best practices and implications to company ESG program, operations, and financial performance
- Regulatory standards for environment, natural resources, and sustainability
- Ability to work with company teams to obtain support for sustainability solutions and put solutions to work
The following interactive tool presents the core skills and knowledge sustainability professionals need as building blocks. Each energy sector uses the building blocks in similar ways.
As new entrants to training for a sustainability career, use the tool to understand the building block skills needed to work in sectors across the energy industry. It will also identify evolving skills needed to address the needs in each energy sector. Each energy sector uses the building blocks in different ways.
New entrants to a sustainability professional, career can use the tool to understand the building block skills needed to work in sectors across the energy industry. Experienced sustainability professional can use the tool to explore how each building block is applied across the energy sectors.
How to Use the Tool
- Click on a building block
- Click on a sector
- Read about how that skill can be used in a specific sector
Choose a building block
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Knowledge of company business models, technologies, products, operational processes, and related risks
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Understanding sustainability best practices and implications to company ESG program, operations, and financial performance
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Regulatory standards for environment, natural resources, and sustainability
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Ability to work with company teams to obtain support for sustainability solutions and to put the solutions to work
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Familiarity with production, operations, maintenance, and end-of-life management of assets
Ability to identify solutions that minimize environmental impacts and financial risks
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Familiarity with production, operations, maintenance, and end-of-life management of assets
Ability to identify solutions that minimize environmental impacts and financial risks
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Ensuring company technical and non-technical processes and social responsibility practices are in place
Manage significant risks and opportunities for sustainable business and financial performance
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Ensuring company technical and non-technical processes and social responsibility practices are in place
Manage significant risks and opportunities for sustainable business and financial performance
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Select to learn how these skills can be applied across energy sectors
Knowledge of government regulations and plans (provincial, federal and First Nations) and how they impact company sustainability goals and reporting
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Knowledge of government regulations and plans (provincial, federal and First Nations) and how they impact company sustainability goals and reporting
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Select to learn how these skills can be applied across energy sectors
Influencing the design and implementation of low-carbon processes and technology solutions that increase efficiency, minimize risks, reduce emissions, and improve environmental performance.
Advanced communications skills.
Browse energy sectors
Select to learn how these skills can be applied across energy sectors
Influencing the design and implementation of low-carbon processes and technology solutions that increase efficiency, minimize risks, reduce emissions, and improve environmental performance.
Advanced communications skills.
