What is a Sustainability Coordinator? Job Description, Role, & Salary

August 11, 2023

Organizations and companies across industries are constantly seeking new ways to transcend limitations and expectations to integrate more sustainability initiatives into their processes. Sustainability coordinators are tasked with being the backbone of operations in executing these initiatives, leveraging their professional skills and knowledge to help implement short and long-term strategies based around sustainability.  

To meet the shifting needs and demands of economies and consumers in a more sustainable way, the sustainability coordinators of tomorrow require the proper background and expertise needed to meet these goals. Let’s look at sustainability coordinators and the role they play in the modern organization, what their job entails, credentials needed to become one, and how understanding sustainability as a foundational corporate principle impacts every aspect of future business professionals. 

What is a Sustainability Coordinator?

A sustainability coordinator executes and supports the environmental sustainability projects and initiatives set forth by an organization. Essentially, while the sustainability projects begin with and are directed by high-level executives in an organization such as the chief sustainability officer, sustainability coordinators do the work, making these visions and strategies a reality. Sustainability coordinators work with upper management to provide feedback, reports, and advice on how to properly achieve environmental best practices and ultimately meet the criteria for sustainable business operations with optimized efficiency. 

The sustainability coordinator holds a crucial role in an organization, being the facilitator of environmental sustainability projects while ensuring accuracy and strong company performance.  

Sustainability Coordinator Job Description

A sustainability coordinator’s job description can vary depending on an organization’s industry, but here are some common duties and responsibilities: 

  • Coordinates and facilitates sustainability projects and initiatives in all phases of execution to meet the objectives set forth by the company. 
  • Adhere to relevant local governmental regulations pertaining to environmental best practices promoting sustainable solutions. 
  • Ensure sustainability program processes and operations compliance with environmental, governmental, and industrial regulations. 
  • Develop and present reports on sustainability project performance levels and challenges to upper management. 
  • Collaborate with members of other departments and levels within the organization to help promote sustainability initiatives and foster an eco-friendly corporate culture. 
  • Identify areas of inefficiency and unsustainable corporate practices and provide solutions to help boost environmentally sustainability. 
  • Present proposals for sustainability projects with factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and integration with other initiatives. 
  • Forge relationships with suppliers and other stakeholders and leverage these relationships towards conducting successful sustainability projects. 
  • Connect with different channels of communication and media for marketing initiatives. 

What Makes an Effective Sustainability Coordinator?

Becoming an effective sustainability coordinator requires possessing a healthy balance of skills ranging from technical, hands-on abilities to intangible skills that serve as a differentiator in the way a coordinator operates. Sustainability coordinators work across levels of an organization and may play a different role in a wide variety of ways, so having flexibility is a key characteristic to be effective in this role.

Some of the key skills that make a good sustainability coordinator include: 

  • Coordinating and successfully implementing multiple tasks and projects at the same time while being results- and detail-oriented, staying within budget restrictions, and meeting deadlines.  
  • Establishing and maintaining meaningful work relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and other parties who play a role in completing sustainability projects.  
  • Ability to follow and understand directions. 
  • Research, data management, and data reporting skills to produce in-depth analysis of project performance. 
  • Creating and managing important documentation to be shared with other stakeholders. 
  • Critical thinking skills to solve problems and enact creative thinking to provide solutions. 

An effective sustainability coordinator does more than just follow directions and expectations set by upper management. Sustainability coordinators need to be proactive critical thinkers able to understand information for themselves, create new ideas for sustainability projects, and provide solutions to challenges that arise. 

Outlook for Sustainability Coordinators

The job demand for environmental scientists and specialists like sustainability program coordinators is projected to increase by 8 percent between 2021 and 2031. Demand is expected to increase even more in the coming years as corporations and organizations continue to embrace sustainability and eco-friendly beliefs in their foundational business principles. As of September 2024, the sustainability coordinator position reports an average salary of $58,188 per year. 

How to Become a Sustainability Coordinator

Becoming a sustainability coordinator is a rather viable career option for individuals in the sustainability industry. The coordinator position is often associated more with entry-level roles and would appeal to professionals with that level of credentials and capabilities. Acquiring degrees and certifications showcasing a specialization in sustainability empowers individuals to become more well-versed and skilled to meet the demands of organizations searching for sustainability professionals. 

Whether you want to pursue a career in sustainability or want to upskill and add important skills to help boost your career prospects and performance at your current organization, continuing your education with a certificate in corporate sustainability is a great place to start. 

Take the next steps toward prioritizing corporate sustainability in your firm by enrolling in the online Global Certificate in Corporate Sustainability, offered by Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and the UBC Sauder School of Business. 

* National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, and do not guarantee actual job growth. The information provided is not intended to represent a complete list of hiring companies or job titles, and program options do not guarantee career or salary outcomes. Students should conduct independent research for specific employment information.