Rachel Perry, '21
What is your role, and how does sustainability intersect with your work responsibilities?
As a sustainability analyst, most of my work revolves around research on investment firms and funds that offer sustainability-focused strategies for investors to allocate capital to. I learn about their investment process and how sustainability factors are integrated within their approach, as well as understanding how the manager plans to make an environmental or social impact through their investments.
What are a job incumbent's "must-haves" in a sustainability-focused role or task?
Intellectual curiosity and a genuine willingness to learn - the space is changing every week, and you have to be willing to continue learning and adjust your views based on incoming information.
Providing clarity - a lot of times in the sustainability space, you're dealing with lots of data, numbers, regulatory information, and more. Being able to digest that information and explain it in a way that makes sense to your end audience and provides value-add (whether that's an investor, financial advisor, or C-suite member) is key to their understanding and decision-making.
What are your thoughts on the future of sustainability work?
The future of sustainability work is bright! Given it's such a cross-cutting topic, there really is a place in every company for sustainability efforts to sprout. These issues are business issues, and approaching them through the lens of materiality is key. Lean on your skillset, whether that's accounting, financial analysis, marketing, or something else - employers are looking to see how your skills transfer in a sustainability setting (e.g., GHG accounting, financial analysis of sustainability funds, marketing/launching a sustainability campaign).
Even amidst challenges, the industry continues to grow rapidly, underpinned by our needs as a society to keep up with energy and resource demands.
What advice would you give to current Robins School students interested in pursuing careers in sustainability?
Be open-minded about the various options and doors that this career path can open. When I started researching the space, I was quite focused on one sort of role without realizing how interconnected all sustainability topics are. Today, I work across many teams and wear so many hats that I wish I knew how important it is not to understand only one issue or topic, but to zoom out and see things more holistically. While it's important to zoom out, I'd also say it's equally key to get clear on what sustainability issues are interesting to you - is it decarbonization? Biodiversity? Water scarcity? The more signals you put out there, the more targeted advice and jobs there will be.
I know I'm not the first (or last) to say this, but utilize LinkedIn - that's how I landed my job out of college. I reached out to someone whose career was inspiring, we connected for several months, and I had an internship with the firm. Then I joined full-time as their first sustainability analyst after graduating.
Lastly, don't shy away from fellowships or internships! I did a fellowship with Climatebase this past spring, and it was a great experience. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a deep dive across all major sustainability topics in a community-based setting.
Are there any books, courses, podcasts, or other resources you recommend to understand the various themes and career options in sustainability?
- Organizations: Climatebase, World Resources Institute, World Economic Forum, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), International Sustainability Standards Board, UNEP Finance Initiative, International Energy Agency (IEA)
- Newsletters: Bloomberg Green, Impact Alpha, Climate Tech Venture Capital (CTVC)
- Podcasts: I love listening to Bloomberg Zero!
- Books: Sapiens, Carbon Almanac, Project Drawdown, The World is Blue
- Documentaries: Chasing Coral, Planet Earth, Blue Planet