Exploring careers and courses in Sustainability: The future of green jobs

Discover the growing field of sustainability careers and courses in a webinar by The Hindu, featuring industry and academic experts.

Sustainability is no longer a niche concern but a critical aspect of modern business, governance, and policy-making. Addressing the growing interest in sustainability careers, The Hindu hosted a webinar titled “Careers and Courses in Sustainability”, featuring experts from academia and industry.

The panel included Dr. Santonu Goswami, Associate Professor at the School of Climate Change and Sustainability, Azim Premji University; Avinash Kumar, Program Head, Education, Wipro Foundation; and Prof. Dipti Gupta, Assistant Professor, Business Sustainability, IIM Lucknow. The discussion provided insights into emerging opportunities in sustainability, the interdisciplinary nature of the field, and the various educational pathways leading to careers in sustainability.

Once confined to conservationists and environmental scientists, sustainability today encompasses roles in data analytics, finance, policy-making, urban planning, and even storytelling. Businesses now integrate sustainability into their core decision-making processes.

An example discussed during the webinar was IKEA, where the Chief Sustainability Officer serves as the CEO, underscoring the direct link between sustainability and business strategy. “Sustainability has evolved beyond environmental concerns,” said Mr. Kumar, explaining how businesses must now evaluate the long-term viability of their resources. “It’s not just about conservation but also ensuring economic and social sustainability”, he said.

With sustainability now a key driver in business and policy decisions, academic institutions are developing specialised courses. Dr. Goswami highlighted the launch of a one-year M.Sc programme in Climate Change and Sustainability at Azim Premji University. The programme integrates scientific analysis with policy-making, preparing students for diverse roles, from climate risk assessment to sustainable urban planning.

Similarly, Prof. Gupta discussed the growing prominence of MBA programmes in Sustainability Management, such as the one at IIM Lucknow, which focuses on business strategies for sustainable growth. “The demand for professionals with expertise in Sustainability is rising across industries,” she said, pointing out that consulting firms, financial institutions, and multinational corporations are actively hiring sustainability experts.

The webinar emphasized that sustainability careers are not limited to environmental science but extend to corporate sustainability, sustainable finance, climate risk assessment, Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting (ESG), and even creative fields such as sustainability journalism and storytelling.