Everybody’s Job is a Sustainability Job

You don’t have to be a sustainability manager to drive sustainability.

When people think about “sustainability at work”, many picture a sustainability team tucked away in a corporate office, drafting reports or measuring carbon footprints. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to have “sustainability” in your job title to make a real difference.

In fact, every job can, and should, be a sustainability job.

Roles of an Individual

Throughout our lives, we play different roles: consumers, citizens, investors and employees[i]. Each of these roles offer an opportunity to influence the world for the better. We vote to shape policy. We invest our savings into companies that reflect our values. We choose what we buy and how much. These actions matter. But the fourth role - how we show up as professionals - is where the potential for real, large-scale impact lies.

Workplaces, through the power of systems and scale, have the ability to change industries. And when we bring a sustainability mindset into our jobs - whether we're designers, marketers, engineers, teachers or administrators - we unlock that potential.

From Individual Action to Collective Impact

Take a product designer, for example. By rethinking materials or packaging, they can significantly reduce environmental impact. A logistics coordinator can optimize routes to cut emissions. A marketer can steer consumer choices toward better alternatives. Sustainability isn't a separate “department” - it's a lens through which we all can do our jobs.

This is where real change happens, not just through individual lifestyle tweaks, but through the ripple effect of sustainable thinking embedded in everyday business decisions.

At the heart of this is a simple but powerful truth: most people want to do good. They want purpose in their work. Research even shows that purpose improves our well-being, supporting mental health, resilience and even longevity[ii]. But sometimes people don’t know how to contribute. They need a clear path, a bit of knowledge and the belief that their role and actions matter.

Complex Challenges Require Partnerships

We’re not only facing a climate emergency. We’re also confronting biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, social inequality and a trust deficit between business and society. The sustainability challenges of our time are interconnected and systemic. They require a shift in how we think, act and lead, not just at the top but across all roles and functions.

Organizations like Project Drawdown remind us that solving these complex issues means every job must evolve to support environmental and social wellbeing[iii]. Sustainability professionals can’t and shouldn’t do it alone. We need to shift from a model where sustainability is siloed to one where it’s everyone’s shared responsibility. This doesn’t mean everyone becomes an expert. It means using your existing skills, in your current role, to enable the most sustainable and just outcome possible.

· If you’re a teacher, bring sustainability and social justice themes into the curriculum.

· If you’re an engineer, design with long-term planetary boundaries in mind.

· If you’re in HR, rethink inclusion, wellbeing and future-fit leadership.

· If you’re in finance, look at how capital can support regenerative and equitable solutions.

Embedding Sustainability = Culture Change

Some companies aim for full integration - embedding sustainability into every department and function[iv]. This is the gold standard, but it’s not easy. It takes time, resources and a deep cultural shift. Success depends on leadership support, employee engagement and a willingness to evolve.

The process isn’t one-size-fits-all. Each organization needs to assess its readiness and tailor the approach. But no matter the starting point, embedding sustainability requires commitment across every level, not just from those with “CSO” in their titles

Leadership becomes a shared endeavor. Change agents emerge in every corner. And sustainability stops being a “project” and becomes a part of how business is done.

In our book, Embedding Sustainability, we explore how this cultural shift can happen in real life, offering practical frameworks, company case studies and hands-on tools to help teams integrate sustainability into their day-to-day decisions and long-term strategy.

Case Study: Using Your Professional Skill Set to Drive Change

Kali Andersson is a licensed psychologist, environmental activist and permaculture designer. Inspired by a TV program, she took the reins in her personal life to advocate for sustainability. Every day, she cycled a commendable 36km to work, embraced a vegan diet and exclusively consumed local, homemade produce. "I dedicated myself wholly, cycling and crafting my own essentials. However, it often felt like a solitary battle," Kali recounted.

Yet her professional journey took her first to the field of psychology, aiming to aid individuals traumatized by destructive workplaces. However, after recovery, many would return to the very environments that had once broken them. The cyclical nature reminded her of the endless battles against environmental deterioration. She recognized the untapped potential of psychology in fostering behavior change, vital for environmental conservation. "What if my expertise in psychology could be a powerful tool for the climate?" she wondered and thus co-founded "The Climate Psychologists"[v]. This innovative initiative aimed to reshape societal views on sustainability by harnessing psychological strategies.

At its core, Kali's story is a clarion call, emphasizing that everyone, irrespective of their professional lineage or designation, can bring a unique perspective to the sustainability discourse. It beckons CSOs to envision sustainability not just as a strategy, but a transformative movement pivoted on behavior change, where each stakeholder's role is vital.

Your Role For Sustainability Matters—Start Today

So, what can you do?

Ask yourself:

• How can I influence decisions in my role?
• Where can I reduce harm, drive regeneration or promote equity?
• Who can I collaborate with to amplify positive change?

Sustainability isn't just a corporate goal. It's a human one. And the most powerful force for change isn’t a policy or a budget, it’s a mindset.

Start where you are. Use what you know. And remember: your job is already a sustainability job, you just have to claim it.

Resources:

[i] Stoknes Per- Espen, Tomorrows Economy, A Guide to Creating a Healthy Green Growth, (2022) MIT Press LTD, Model inspired but adapted

[ii] Harvard: https://hbr.org/2014/05/from-purpose-to-impact

[iii] Drawdown https://www.drawdown.org/sites/default/files/210920_Drawdown_AtWork_06.pdf

[iv] UN Global Compact: https://unglobalcompact.org/take-action/20th-anniversary-campaign/how-to-make-sustainability-a-part-of-your-company-dna

[v] Andersson Kali, Klimatpsykologerna: https://www.klimatpsykologerna.se