Why you should consider an ESG career in construction (Building Futures, Amy Brogan and others)

The topic of ESG, and therefore job opportunities in this field, has grown exponentially in recent years. People are becoming more concerned about how their actions are impacting the Earth, and companies are realising they need to have an effective ESG strategy in place to make sure their businesses are operating sustainably.

As part of our Building Futures: Career Conversations series, we spoke to a variety of leaders across the built environment, who gave thought-provoking insight into what actions can be taken in the construction industry to achieve a more sustainable future, and how this career path can be incredibly rewarding and valuable to society.
 

ESG job opportunities are skyrocketing

The volume of ESG jobs has boomed in recent years and is only set to increase further, with an ever-growing demand for these positions. ESG is one of the leading drivers of job growth, as sustainability specialists are expected to see more than a 30% growth rate in the next 5 years. The World Economic Forum forecast that the transition towards net-carbon zero could account for 30 million jobs globally by 2030.

Our 2023 Salary Guide found that 90% of sustainability employers plan on recruiting new staff over the next 12 months. The fast-growing number of job opportunities in this area means it’s an excellent time to break into this industry. The high demand for ESG talent - fuelled by ongoing skills shortages - means that professionals with the requisite skills often have a great deal of negotiating power.
 

Salaries are attractive as employers struggle for talent

Over four in five (82%) of sustainability employers increased employee salaries last year. The need to attract and retain ESG staff is heightened by the fact there’s a skills shortage in this area, so employers should be offering attractive salaries and packages to stay ahead of the competition. If money is a motivator for you, then ESG could be an excellent career choice; salary increases in this specialism don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, with 89% of sustainability employers expecting salaries to rise again over the next 12 months. To compare market rate salaries for a variety of roles, take a look at our salary checker.
 

Construction is the industry to be in to achieve Net Zero

The built environment is responsible for over a third (39%) of global carbon emissions, so construction is evidently a key industry to be in an ESG role if you want to really make a difference in helping to achieve the government’s target of reaching Net Zero by 2050.

As part of our Building Futures: Career Conversations series, we spoke to Malcolm Clarke, Managing Director of Baxall Construction, who finds his career in the built environment to be rewarding largely due to the positive environmental impact he has, explaining: “you're really providing that good service and delivering a better product, something that's more energy efficient going in the right direction so everything is better for the occupants the health and well-being of those people in that building and actually that has in itself positive economic benefits by people who are working and happier, and not off sick as much.”
 

There are countless routes into ESG

As ESG is a relatively modern area of expertise, people are moving into this field without having any ESG-specific qualifications or work experience, such as supply chain and data analytics professionals.

Amy Brogan, ESG director at CBRE, who we spoke to as part of our Building Futures: Career Conversations series, is a great example of someone who is a successful ESG leader within the construction industry, but has only actually been in this specialism for one year. Amy explains that ESG “wasn't a thing 20 years ago, so when I was going through University, it wasn't really an option, so I actually did my degree in Psychology which I think gave me a great understanding about the human mind and the behaviours of what we do and then I went into Procurement for 20 odd years, and again I think that gave me a great understanding of business Basics.”

So, if you’re passionate about leaving the Earth in a better place, as well as having a well-paid job with excellent prospects, then an ESG career in construction could be the right option for you, no matter your experience or educational background.  

Take a look at our Building Futures: Career Conversations series, where you will find valuable insights from leaders in the construction and property industries, including Malcolm and Amy. They discuss how the industry can reach Net Zero targets, the social purpose of the industry, and how to improve DE&I.