Careers in Chemistry: Sustainability Specialist
Article: http://www.academicinvest.com/science-careers/environmental-science-careers/how-to-become-an-environmental-chemist
According to https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers/careers-by-major-chemistry, chemist graduates can become a sustainability specialist (though further study is probably implied, in addition to the Bachelors of chemistry).
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Imagine yourself standing in the middle of a 5,000 sq. metre manufacturing facility for office furniture. As the main sustainability specialist here, you’re monitoring the production processes at the facility to ensure that workers are able to use the available machinery safely and effectively.
Later in the day, you’ll finish up this past week’s research on a new series of environmental regulations that could impact the company’s operations. After delivering a summary report of your findings to upper management, you’ll follow-up with your company’s main supplier to see how the plan is coming along to convert their delivery trucks to biodiesel.
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Across Canada, sutainability specialists fulfill a vast variety of roles. They generally work for a company, or several - as they are in a consultant role. These specialists address both the environmental factors impacting the company's processes as well as their staff. They are involved with their "environmental health and safety, energy management and conservation, sustainable building practices, and corporate sustainable development programs". In summary, sustainability specialists make the decisions and follow through on projects that optimize the process of lowering environmental impact in relation to the available funds.
According to the article, in order to be a successful sustainability specialist, there are a few key skills and characteristics one should cultivate:
1) Seeing connections between environmental, social and economic issues, and then developing comprehensive solutions to address all three.
2) Creating a positive rapport with many different types of people. (You would have to connect with a wide variety of clients/coworkers/management/government officials/legaladvisors/etc.)
3) Having a multidisciplinary background, across environmental studies/science/ethics, engineering, business admin, and/or political science)
4) Summarizing often complex information into a more understandable format.
5) Coordinating simultaneous projects through organizational and people management skills.
Does this sound like an occupation you could see yourself in? (Why or why not?) Give some benefits of the growing corporate interest in setting up sustainability practices, and if they're working or not.