If you’re hoping to land a role in sustainability or change jobs, there are three things you can use to evaluate a company’s record on sustainability and ensure that you’ll be supported in doing the work you want to do.
The Trellis (formerly Greenbiz) State of the Sustainability Profession 2026 Report has identified what highly satisfied sustainability professionals have in common on the job:
- Communications. A company’s approach to sustainability communications is the largest predictor of personal job satisfaction, according to Trellis. Sustainability professionals at organizations committed to communicating more about sustainability than they had two years prior were 3.5 times more likely to be “highly satisfied” in their jobs (67 percent), compared with only 19 percent of employees in organizations communicating less about sustainability.
- Budgets. When a company invests more in sustainability, it’s also more likely to have happy workers (56 percent). Only 23 percent of sustainability professionals reported being satisfied with their roles under budget cuts.
- CEO Engagement. When a CEO is engaged with sustainability initiatives (scoring about 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 7 in the survey), more than half of employees report being highly satisfied. However, this figure drops to 22 percent when a CEO is dismissive of sustainability efforts.
The survey also noted that an employee’s seniority doesn’t always guarantee satisfaction in a sustainability role. Many entry-level employees reported high levels of satisfaction.
Are You Applying to a New Sustainability Role or Preparing for an Interview? Here’s What to Ask
If you’re on the hunt for a sustainability role and have found something you’re interested in – or you’re in the process of interviewing with a new company, Trellis CEO Hana Kajimura recommends:
- Looking for communications about sustainability efforts, whether it’s through press releases on the website, or mentions in financial filings.
- Asking how much sustainability headcounts and budgets have changed over the past few years. If you are unable to find this data, look at how much the company has grown and profited.
- Searching for public comments from the CEO about sustainability. You can also inquire about how frequently the CEO or senior leaders meet with the sustainability team.
While the current job market is competitive, the green skills gap continues to grow. It’s estimated that by 2030, one in five jobs in the green economy will not have enough qualified candidates. By 2050, this figure will rise to one in two jobs.
Interested in Earning a Degree or Certificate in Sustainability?
If you’re looking to develop green skills to make you more marketable in the sustainability field, consider earning a degree or graduate certificate to boost your chances of getting hired.
Graduates of the 100% online University of Wisconsin Sustainable Management bachelor’s, master’s and certificate programs have pursued sustainability careers across a wide range of industries. These programs offer working adults the flexibility to study when it’s convenient for them, regardless of full-time jobs, family obligations, or hobbies.
Degrees:
Certificates:
- Climate Leadership-Graduate Certificate
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-Graduate Certificate
- Environmental Sustainability-Undergraduate Certificate
- Sustainability and Well-being-Graduate Certificate
- Sustainable Enterprise-Undergraduate Certificate
To find out more about our sustainability programs, contact an enrollment adviser by calling 1-877-895-3276 or emailing learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu.