In this blog, Rebecca Booth ( Director – Property, Facilities Management, Sustainability and Design at Hays) provides six tips for how to structure your sustainability team for success.
As sustainability becomes a strategic imperative for organisations across all sectors, the way businesses structure their sustainability teams is evolving.
With increasing regulatory pressure, heightened stakeholder expectations, and the mounting urgency of climate action, companies must build agile, future-ready teams that can drive meaningful change.
Whether you’re just starting your journey or scaling up an established function, here’s how to structure your sustainability team for success, and attract the talent you need to power it.
1. Define your sustainability vision
Before hiring or allocating roles, clarify your organisation’s sustainability goals. Are you aiming for net zero? Circular economy integration? ESG reporting excellence? Your strategic priorities will shape the structure and skillsets required.
Remember, sustainability decisions shouldn’t be made in isolation. Develop a green roadmap with input from leadership, operations, HR, and finance. This will help ensure alignment and identify where sustainability roles should sit within your organisation.
2. Build a core team with cross-functional reach
A well-rounded sustainability team typically includes a mix of strategic leaders, subject matter experts, and project managers. Environmental Officers and Energy Managers are in particularly high demand, both featuring in LinkedIn’s UK Jobs on the Rise research.
Alongside specialists like these, you’ll likely require a figurehead who can set the vision and advocate on a board-level, such as Chief Sustainability Officer, which our C-suite research revealed to be one of the most influential up-and-coming executive titles.
However, sustainability does not sit in a silo; the most effective teams work cross-functionally, partnering with HR, procurement, operations, and marketing to embed sustainability into every corner of the business. In this vein, consider electing sustainability champions in wider departments, from marketing to product development, to foster a culture of shared responsibility.
3. Prioritise skills over experience
The need for green skills is showing no sign of slowing down, with emerging technology and growing regulatory pressures serving as a catalyst for sustainability expertise. However, with global demand outpacing supply, a green skills gap could undermine your goals.
The solution? Instead of focusing solely on titles or tenure, prioritise the competencies needed to deliver your goals – from technical abilities to more transferable core skills. Use skills-based hiring frameworks to assess candidates’ capabilities and potential, especially when recruiting from adjacent industries.
Some important skills and competencies to look out for include:
- Effective communication: strong verbal and written skills are crucial when persuading stakeholders and translating technical knowledge.
- Data analytics: a proficiency in collecting and interpretating data is needed for effective reporting and optimisation.
- Regulatory knowledge: an understanding of the latest frameworks and policies is now a staple in sustainability, and critical when keeping organisations compliant.
- Project management and leadership: every sustainability team will require those who can plan and coordinate sustainability initiatives, especially across different functions.
4. Invest in upskilling and internal mobility
The skills needed to support a high-performing sustainability team are diverse, ever-changing, and often elusive – but you may already have them. Our 2025 Employment Trends – Spring Update survey reaffirmed that sustainability matters to professionals, with almost three quarters (74%) believing an organisation’s commitment in this space is important when seeking a new role.
There’s a good chance you already employ passionate employees who want to transition into green roles. Investing in green training and internal mobility can be a cost-effective way to build your team and create a culture where sustainability lies at the heart of your strategic goals and talent strategies.
5. Foster diversity to drive innovation
Sustainability is a global imperative that affects us all, and the complexity of its challenges requires diverse perspectives. A team that reflects a range of backgrounds, experiences, and disciplines is more likely to generate innovative solutions, and better reflect the needs of your communities and customers.
Review your recruitment processes to mitigate the chance of bias and actively seek candidates from underrepresented groups in sustainability and wider fields. An external view can be invaluable when driving inclusive hiring processes, and you may wish to partner with an expert who can offer impartial advice, broader talent pools, and actionable data. Or consider joining the Diverse Sustainability Initiative to help drive inclusivity in the profession.
6. Measure impact and evolve
Finally, your sustainability team should be agile and data-driven. Set clear KPIs, track progress, and be ready to adapt as regulations, technologies, and stakeholder expectations evolve. New skills requirements and responsibilities will constantly surface, while the growth and direction of your organisation may necessitate new team structures.
Conducting a regular review of your team’s roles and capabilities will ensure your sustainability function remains fit for purpose and continues to drive meaningful environmental change.
Ready to assemble your green team?
There’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint for building a sustainability team; each organisation must shape its own model, which will evolve as priorities shift. But at the heart of every successful sustainability strategy is people. It is the passion, adaptability, and diverse perspectives of individuals that drive real progress.
By prioritising strategic alignment, nurturing green skills, and embracing inclusive hiring, organisations can build sustainability teams that don’t just meet today’s challenges, but are equipped to lead the transformation of tomorrow.
At Hays, we’re here to help you navigate the evolving sustainability talent landscape. Whether you’re building a team from scratch or scaling up, find out how our experts can support you every step of the way.
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