Sustainability / ESG Consultant

Measuring a company's energy use, emissions and waste; finding cheaper and cleaner options; preparing sustainability and ESG reports; checking data for accuracy; advising on supplier and customer standards; working with finance, HR and operations teams.

A day in the work
You may start by checking a client's monthly energy bills and waste records in a spreadsheet. Mid-morning, you might join a video call with a factory team to fill gaps in their data. Afternoons often go on writing one section of an ESG report and checking it against the reporting format. The day ends with a short note to the client on which two or three fixes matter most.

1. Step 1 · Class 10–12Any stream works. Maths and science build data skills. Join an eco-club or a science project on waste or energy, so you learn to measure and explain a problem.
2. Step 2 · Bachelor's (3–4 years)Any degree is accepted. Common starting points are B.Sc in environmental science, chemistry or life sciences, B.Tech, B.Com or economics.
3. Step 3 · After the bachelor'sDo an M.Sc in sustainability or environmental science, or an MBA with a sustainability focus. Some need entrance tests. Fees vary a lot, so compare the fee pages.
4. Step 4 · During studyLearn the main reporting rules and standards. In India, SEBI's BRSR format applies to listed companies. Global guidance includes GRI standards and the GHG Protocol. Private ESG or GRI certificates exist; check who issues them and what they are worth to employers. (reported — check with the official body)
5. Step 5 · First job (0–3 years)Start as an analyst or associate in a consultancy, a company's sustainability or CSR team, or an NGO. Build skills in Excel, data tools and report writing.

• Master's routebachelor's, then an M.Sc in sustainability or environmental science.
• MBA routebachelor's, then an MBA with sustainability or ESG as the specialisation, often aimed at corporate roles.
• Work-first routea bachelor's, a job in a company's environment, health and safety or CSR team, then ESG certificates while working.

Fees from: TISS: fee table for MA/MSc in Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability Studies · SGT University: M.Sc Environmental Sustainability · Jindal Global University: online M.Sc in Environmental Change & Sustainability · TISS Admissions: MA/MSc in Disaster and Climate Risk Assessment for Sustainability (self-financed) fee table. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Pay depends on your experience, the employer and the city. Entry-level roles in small firms pay much less than senior roles in large companies or global consultancies.

• Class 7–9Track your home or school electricity or water use for one week. Write down what you find and one way to cut it.Open link ↗
• Class 10–12Join or start an eco-club at school. Measure the school's waste for a month and share a simple chart with your principal.
• College or afterWork through the free NPTEL course on life cycle analysis. Note how one product's environmental impact is measured from start to end.Open link ↗

• Most of the demand in India comes from large listed companies. SEBI's BRSR report applies to the top 1,000 listed companies by market capitalisation, and the rules for suppliers and customers changed in 2025 (reported).
• The rules are changing often. Always check the latest SEBI circular before you advise a client or plan a course.
• There is no single licence. Your credibility comes from your degree, your certificates and the reports you have worked on.
• Like science but unsure about a master's? Environmental scientist and GIS roles are close alternatives.