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Environmental and Social Governance (ESG)

Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) refers to how organisations manage their impact on, and identify risks and opportunities related to, the environment, wider society and governance issues. ESG was originally a term used by financial investors relating to using non-financial criteria to assess an organisation's performance and direct decision-making. However, the term ESG is now used more broadly across a range of sectors. As defined by British Business Bank, ESG is now a collective term relating to how businesses integrate environmental, social and governance practices into their business model, operations, impact and wider sustainability. ESG roles are not limited to banks and financial sectors, but can be found across many industries including energy, technology, retail, property and charities.  

Despite global political rhetoric, over 80% of organisations remain committed to sustainability and ESG. PwC’s Green Jobs Barometer highlights the growth in demand for green jobs and skills. In 2024, the  enhanced demand for green skills equated to a 9.2% increase in green job adverts nationwide (more than doubling from 124,600 roles in 2021 to over 272,000 roles in 2024). In the ESG job sector alone, positions have drastically increased from 25,000 in 2018 to a projected 75,000 in 2025. Additionally, developments in AI means governance is ‘more important than ever’ as it offers companies a trustworthy foundation for navigating decision-making in a period of change.   

The UK Government has outlined one of their five national missions is to make ‘Britain a clean energy superpower’, announcing the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% by 2035. In the Southwest, the Green Careers Hub reports that 32,000 green job adverts were promoted in 2022, with 140,000 low-carbon jobs predicted by 2050. Movements like BCorp have sprung up to generate momentum within the world of businesses, to act as a force for good, for example, supporting and engaging real developments towards more sustainable and responsible business.  This movement is generating jobs as organisations employ individuals to deliver their goals.  

ESG is a rapidly evolving field, with businesses across various industries identifying ESG as essential. As the name suggests, there are three components within ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance.    

  • ‘Environmental’ includes both how the organisation impacts the environment and how the environment impacts the organisation. This aspect considers how organisations may minimise their environmental impact in their products, supply chain and operations. Examples of environmental business practices include reducing energy use or carbon emissions, developing plans to meet environmental targets and Net Zero transition planning.
  • ‘Social’ includes how a company manages workplace culture and its’ wider impact on society. This aspect of ESG relates to how organisations contribute to a fair and equal society. This may refer to diversity, equity and inclusion policies within the organisation, promoting positive workforce physical and mental wellbeing and ensuring their supply chains are free from abuses such as modern slavery. It also relates to the impact their organisation has on wider society; ensuring the safety of products and security of customer data, as well as investing in local community projects.
  • ‘Governance’ relates to decision-making and implementation in an organisation, including ensuring an organisation is conducting its activities compliantly and ethically. It links to the transparency and decision-making behind the environmental and social elements of ESG and includes practices such as preventing bribery, being transparent about executive salaries and accurately reporting on financial performance and strategies to stakeholders.  

This webpage will focus on environment and sustainability, and the ‘green economy’ more broadly. You may also be interested in Corporate Social Responsibility. More information on these sectors can be found in the Banking, Investment and Markets, Financial Services and Accountancy and Financial Management pages. 

Further reading:  

Example job roles: 

ESG covers a broad range of areas and there are many different job roles that may fit within the sector. Some job roles related to environmental consultancy and governance include:  

Other job roles related to social elements and governance more broadly include: 

Skills employers look for

ESG covers a broad range of job roles, so the skills required will vary depending on your area of specialism within ESG. Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here. These are meant as a guide and should be considered in addition to fully exploring the role requirements outlined in the person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for.  

  • Business skills and general commercial awareness – understanding current trends and developments in the relevant sector is essential, including knowledge of relevant legislation.
  • Data analysis skills – ability to interpret and analyse data and apply this to support decision-making and inform strategy.
  • Data collection and general research skills – experience in different measurement methodologies, surveys and research methods, and ability to evaluate whether sources are trustworthy and valid.
  • Flexible approach and collaborative skills - to work effectively with others on solving problems.
  • Interpersonal skills and ability to persuade – to build relationships and encourage others to adopt advice.
  • Passion for sustainability – committed to sustainability and making a positive impact in this area.
  • Project management skills – working to deadlines, prioritising tasks and staying within budgets may be required when working in ESG-related projects.
  • Understanding of sustainability/ESG principles – understanding frameworks (e.g. UN Sustainable Development Goals) and challenges in the area will inform decision-making.
  • Written and verbal communication – to communicate value of sustainable practices across different organisational levels and teams.  

To develop these skills, Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.    

Gaining Experience

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in: 

Volunteering 

  • Browse the BCorp Directory to find organisations who are on their BCorp accreditation journey
  • CharityJob – filter by selecting ‘volunteer’ roles and choosing relevant causes (which could include Environment, Research, Charity Support)
  • Do IT – national database of volunteering opportunities
  • Exeter Students' Guild – variety of volunteering projects including in environmental areas for students in Exeter.  Students in Cornwall can explore opportunities in the Students’ Union.
  • Green Careers Hub – useful guide on building practical experience in green careers through volunteering, suggesting UK-wide organisations e.g. Carbon Literacy Project and Greenpeace.
  • Handshake – also promotes external volunteering opportunities that may only be advertised to Exeter students.
  • Reach Volunteering – offers both project-based and long-term opportunities. Use the textbox to search for relevant opportunities (e.g. use keywords like ‘governance’ and ‘environment’).
  • The Conservation Volunteers - have volunteering opportunities and community groups to build connections, skills and experience in conservation and sustainability sector.
  • The Wildlife Trusts – offer volunteering in hands-on wildlife conservation (including surveying) and other roles requiring IT, administrative or financial skills.
  • Vinspired – volunteering opportunities for young people aged between 14 and 30.  

There are also various volunteering opportunities overseas: 

University of Exeter Employability Schemes 

  • Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements
  • Exeter Award: The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university
  • Grand Challenges: project week working in interdisciplinary groups to design solutions to real world challenges. Highly relevant for building experience for ESG roles as all challenge topics link to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
  • Green Consultants: award winning programme to develop skills in environmental and sustainability sector. The programme comprises online training, a project, and a paid internship in the sector
  • Professional Pathways: suite of sector specific training courses and paid 35-hour internships across various sectors. All sectors would provide transferrable skills, but the Charity & Development and Marketing pathways may be most relevant to ESG roles
  • The Global Leaders Experience is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience. 

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities 

Undertaking relevant work experience will allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply by making a speculative application. Before visiting the sites below you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

  • Browse the BCorp Directory to find organisations who are on their BCorp accreditation journey
  • CharityChoice – UK’s charity directory with information covering 160,000+ registered UK charities. Specific database for Environmental charities can be accessed here.
  • Handshake – identify and follow employers who have Handshake accounts. Filter by industry ‘Environmental services’.  

Finding part-time work  

Many students work part-time during their studies. Part-time jobs are often in hospitality or retail which offer great opportunities to develop transferrable interpersonal, communication and teamworking skills. Search for part-time work on the websites below:  

  • General job sites like Indeed or Find a job are useful for finding part-time jobs. You can use filters to only show part-time work, and set the location as Exeter or Penryn/Falmouth.
  • You could also have a look at Handshake, our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students 

Virtual work experiences 

  • Bright Network – offer a 4-day virtual internship programme amongst other virtual work experiences.
  • Forage - undertake job simulations developed by leading companies. Search under Career Interest of ‘Consulting’ and ‘Project Management’ where there are simulations relevant to environment and sustainability.

Finding advertised graduate roles, placements and internships

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  

Graduate schemes and internships 

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page. 

Placements  

  • Bright Network - advertise internships and industrial placements. Use key word searches such as ‘Sustainability’ - roles are sometimes based in sectors such as: Management & Operations; Engineering, Energy & Infrastructure; Sales, Recruitment & Commercial, Recruitment & Commercial.
  • Gradcracker – specialist STEM placement and internship platform, including advertising roles in Environment and Sustainability.
  • Higherin (formerly known as Rate My Placement) - advertise internships and placements. Roles may be housed under ‘Business’; ‘Engineering and Manufacturing’, ‘Transport and Logistics’ or ‘Property’, depending on area of interest. 
  • Collection for placements on Handshake 

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad.  

Further sources of support 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

For help with making speculative applications you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page.

Further study and professional development

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to develop their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. Use the sites below to research your further study options.  

If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study information page for more information about choosing further study.  You can also visit our applying for Postgraduate Study page.  

  • Find a Masters is a comprehensive global search engine for Masters courses
  • Prospects outlines courses related to environmental consultancy 

There are also various Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) which can develop your knowledge and skills relevant to a career in sustainability. See under the ‘Qualifications’ section of Prospects ‘Going green, getting hired’ guide for open-access courses.  

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector.