This week’s reading time: 8 minutes

Welcome to another edition of The Green Executive Briefing. In under 10 minutes, you’ll be fully updated on the latest happenings in Sustainability and ESG every Tuesday at 8am EST. 🌎

We sift through a vast array of articles and data from trusted sources, distill the information, and present it to you in simple, bite-sized pieces every week. 🌍

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In this edition, we'll cover:

• How supply chain professionals can tackle Scope 3 emissions, which are on average 11× higher than direct emissions

• Why marketing expertise is crucial for ESG reporting, with 69% of consumers wanting more sustainability communication

• How engineers apply technical solutions to sustainability challenges through innovative design and optimization

• The growing role of finance in ESG, with sustainable assets projected to reach $50 trillion by 2025

• How IT professionals enable real-time sustainability analytics through data systems and IoT solutions

🌟 Spotlight: Dylan Brown

Dylan Brown is an expert in GHG Accounting, Sustainability Strategy, and Environmental Permitting. The coolest thing about him? He’s a big Philadelphia Eagles fan.

“I’m an Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) professional with a strong focus on ESG and sustainability. I ensure risk mitigation strategies align with operational safety and regulatory compliance.”

Follow Dylan on LinkedIn here.

Want to get featured in the spotlight? Reply to this email: [email protected]

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Intro

5 Fields to Launch Your Sustainability Career…

Welcome to The Green Executive Briefing, where we explore how today's professionals can drive tomorrow's sustainable business. In this issue, we spotlight how diverse corporate backgrounds – from supply chains to IT – can open doors to impactful ESG careers.

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Feature: Cross-Functional Paths to Sustainability Leadership

Professionals from various fields can become sustainability leaders in their organizations:

Supply Chain Management: Supply chain experts understand logistics, procurement, and supplier relations – all vital for tackling a company's Scope 3 emissions. On average, supply chain emissions are 11× higher than a firm's direct emissions, often exceeding 70% of the total carbon footprint. By leveraging vendor networks and responsible sourcing, supply chain professionals help corporations meet climate targets and reduce risks throughout the value chain.

Marketing & Communications: Storytelling and stakeholder engagement skills are invaluable for ESG reporting and branding – from crafting transparent sustainability reports to engaging customers on climate initiatives. With 69% of U.S. consumers wanting companies to communicate more about their sustainability efforts, marketers play a key role in building trust and guiding corporate social responsibility narratives.

Engineering: Engineers bring technical know-how to sustainability challenges through their expertise in energy systems, product design, and process optimization. Whether designing waste-reducing manufacturing processes or improving facility energy efficiency, an engineering mindset ensures that sustainability goals are met with practical, data-driven solutions.

Finance: Finance professionals fluent in risk assessment and investment analysis are increasingly pivoting to sustainable finance roles. They integrate ESG factors into financial decisions – evaluating climate risks in investments or structuring green bonds. It's no surprise ESG assets are forecast to hit $50 trillion by 2025. Financial acumen helps companies measure the ROI of sustainability projects and secure funding for ambitious ESG programs.

Information Technology: Tech teams drive the data and innovation behind sustainability. IT professionals help build systems for tracking carbon footprints, automate ESG data collection, and deploy IoT solutions to save energy. In an era of big data and AI, IT experts enable real-time sustainability analytics – ensuring companies have the tools to monitor progress on goals like carbon neutrality or zero waste.

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Career Insight: Pivoting Toward ESG Roles

Thinking about transitioning into a sustainability-focused role? You’re not alone – many mid-career professionals are repositioning themselves for the growing green job market. Here are a few practical tips to navigate the shift:

• Leverage Your Domain Expertise: Identify how your current skills apply to ESG challenges. For example, if you’re in operations or supply chain, start engaging in projects on reducing waste or emissions. If you’re in marketing, offer to help with the next sustainability report or stakeholder communication plan. Your insider knowledge of your field can be your unique value-add in a sustainability role.

• Upskill and Learn: Bolster your sustainability credentials through courses or certifications. Programs in ESG reporting (e.g. GRI Standards), carbon accounting, or sustainable finance can sharpen your knowledge. Even short workshops or online courses on climate change, renewable energy, or CSR strategy will increase your fluency in sustainability concepts and show commitment on your résumé.

• Network and Volunteer: Connect with your company’s sustainability team or join industry groups (like local sustainability professional networks). Volunteering for green initiatives at work – perhaps organizing a recycling drive or helping implement an energy-saving idea – can give you hands-on ESG experience. This not only builds your skill set but also demonstrates your passion to decision-makers.

By reframing your existing experience and proactively gaining ESG know-how, you can position yourself as a strong candidate for sustainability roles. The transition may require stepping outside your comfort zone, but the reward is a purpose-driven career that aligns with the future of business.

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Hold On…News Roundup: Sustainability in Corporate News

Global – New Reporting Rules on Hold: EU lawmakers approved a "stop-the-clock" delay on upcoming sustainability regulations, postponing key reporting and due diligence requirements (CSRD and CSDDD) by about two years. This gives companies extra time to prepare for compliance with stringent EU ESG disclosure laws.

U.S. – Climate Disclosure Mandate: California's landmark Climate Accountability law (SB 253) will require companies with over $1 billion in revenue to publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions. The phase-in starts in 2026 for direct emissions and 2027 for supply-chain (Scope 3) emissions – pushing large corporations to quantify and address their full carbon footprint.

Workforce – Demand for Green Skills: LinkedIn's Global Green Skills Report 2024 reveals that demand for sustainability talent is surging. Job postings seeking "green" skills jumped 11.6% last year (against only 5.6% growth in green talent supply), and candidates with green skills are getting hired at much higher rates. The talent gap is prompting businesses to invest more in ESG training and recruitment.

Enforcement – Greenwashing Penalty: Deutsche Bank's asset management arm (DWS) was fined $27 million for exaggerating its ESG credentials. German regulators found that DWS misled investors by overstating how "green" its investments were – a high-profile reminder that regulators are cracking down on greenwashing.

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Resource Spotlight: Watershed (Carbon Management Platform)

Watershed – an enterprise climate platform – is gaining traction as a go-to tool for corporate sustainability teams. Used by companies like FedEx, Walmart and Airbnb, Watershed's software helps track and reduce emissions across operations and supply chains.

Sustainability leaders can measure their organization's carbon output in granular detail and model emission reduction strategies. The platform also streamlines ESG reporting by producing audit-grade data aligned with global standards.

Watershed's impact is already significant – its tools are used to monitor roughly 1 gigaton of CO₂ (about 2% of global emissions) across its client base. For ESG professionals, platforms like this offer an efficient way to transform data into action: identifying high-emission sources, setting science-based targets, and tracking progress toward climate goals in real time.

WRAPPING UP

Call to Action: Your Move Toward Sustainability

As a corporate leader or an aspiring one, how will you act on that insight? This week, take a moment to reflect on how your role can advance your organization's sustainability goals. Identify one initiative you can support or lead: it could be proposing a green idea in your department, mentoring a colleague on ESG topics, or setting a personal goal to deepen your sustainability knowledge.

We challenge you to choose one action (educate, engage, or innovate) that brings your career closer to ESG impact. Share your plan or progress with us – reply to this email or join the conversation on our LinkedIn group.

By learning from each other and holding ourselves accountable, we turn good intentions into tangible results. 🌱 Together, let's make sustainability core to every role.

Thank you for reading this edition of The Green Executive Briefing! Stay tuned for our next issue, where we'll explore innovative tech solutions driving corporate climate goals.

Until next time – keep leading with purpose and green ambition!

P.S. When you’re ready, here’s how I can help you:

1. Download our Dashboard GHG Accounting Scope 1, 2 & 3. Customize it with your organization's numbers to build a compelling business case.

2. Refer 2 other sustainability leader (see “Click to Share” button below)

3. Book a Consultation: Click HERE

   1. GHG Accounting Strategies (Scope 1, 2 & 3) 

   2. ISO 14001 Compliance (Environmental Management)