What is a Sustainability Consultant?

As climate change becomes a growing concern, businesses are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. But where do they start? This is where a sustainability consultant comes in. Their job is to help businesses become more environmentally friendly, reduce their carbon footprint, and meet customer and regulatory expectations—all while making their operations more efficient and cost-effective.

At Climate Logic, sustainability consultants provide expert advice and tools to guide businesses through this journey. But what exactly does that mean? Here’s a breakdown of what sustainability consultants do and how they help organizations become greener.

1. Carbon Accounting: Measuring and Managing Emissions

Every business, no matter how big or small, has a carbon footprint—the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases it produces through its operations. A sustainability consultant helps a business calculate these emissions, understand where they come from, and create a plan to reduce them.

For example, a company might discover that most of its emissions come from its supply chain, energy use, or transportation. With this information, a consultant can recommend ways to cut emissions, such as switching to renewable energy, improving efficiency, or working with suppliers who have lower emissions.

Why It Matters:

• Helps businesses understand and reduce their environmental impact.
• Meets customer and investor expectations for sustainability.
• Often saves money by improving efficiency (e.g., using less energy).

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2. Climate Risk Management: Preparing for a Changing World

Climate change isn’t just about reducing emissions—it’s also about adapting to changes that are already happening. Sustainability consultants help businesses identify climate risks, such as:

• How extreme weather (like floods or heatwaves) could impact operations.
• Whether supply chains are vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.
• The risks of new laws and regulations on carbon emissions.

Once risks are identified, a consultant helps create a plan to reduce these risks. This might include diversifying suppliers, improving infrastructure, or adjusting business strategies to become more climate-resilient.

Why It Matters:

• Prevents unexpected disruptions to business operations.
• Helps companies comply with future climate laws and regulations.
• Protects businesses from financial losses caused by climate-related events.

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3. Impact Strategy Development: More Than Just Sustainability

Many businesses want to go beyond just reducing harm—they want to make a positive impact. Sustainability consultants use a double materiality approach, which looks at:

1. How a company’s actions impact the environment and society.
2. How environmental and social factors impact the company’s success.

This helps businesses develop strategies that are good for both the planet and their bottom line. For example, a company might shift from using plastic packaging to biodegradable materials, which reduces waste while also appealing to eco-conscious customers.

Why It Matters:

• Helps businesses create long-term value through sustainability.
• Aligns business goals with environmental and social responsibility.
• Attracts eco-conscious customers and investors.

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4. Stakeholder Engagement: Getting Everyone on Board

Sustainability isn’t something a business can do alone—it requires involvement from employees, customers, and suppliers. A consultant helps create strategies to engage and motivate these groups.

For example:

• Employees: Running workshops to teach sustainability practices.
• Customers: Creating marketing campaigns that highlight eco-friendly initiatives.
• Suppliers: Encouraging more sustainable sourcing and production.

Why It Matters:

• Employees are more motivated when they feel they are contributing to something meaningful.
• Customers prefer companies that care about sustainability.
• Stronger relationships with suppliers help businesses achieve sustainability goals.

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5. Website Emissions Reduction: The Internet’s Hidden Carbon Footprint

Did you know that the internet produces more emissions than the airline industry? Every website needs servers, and those servers require electricity—often generated from fossil fuels. A sustainability consultant helps businesses reduce website emissions by:

• Optimising images and code to make the website load faster (which uses less energy).
• Switching to green web hosting powered by renewable energy.
• Reducing unnecessary data transfers (e.g., autoplay videos, heavy scripts).

Why It Matters:

• A faster website improves user experience and search engine rankings.
• Reduces hidden carbon emissions that many businesses overlook.
• Supports a company’s sustainability goals in the digital space.

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6. Climate Education Facilitation: Helping Businesses Understand Climate Change

Many people want to take action on climate change, but they don’t fully understand the science behind it. Sustainability consultants educate businesses through interactive workshops, like Climate Fresk, which break down the causes and effects of climate change in a simple and engaging way.

Why It Matters:

• Helps businesses make informed decisions about sustainability.
• Encourages a company-wide culture of climate action.
• Gives employees and leaders the confidence to talk about sustainability.

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7. ESG Reporting: Proving Your Sustainability Efforts

Governments, investors, and customers are increasingly demanding transparency when it comes to sustainability. ESG reporting (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a framework that businesses use to track and report their sustainability efforts.

A sustainability consultant helps businesses:

• Collect accurate data on emissions, energy use, and social impact.
• Create reports that meet regulatory requirements.
• Use reports for marketing and investor relations.

Why It Matters:

• Builds trust with customers and investors.
• Ensures compliance with sustainability laws and regulations.
• Helps businesses track progress toward their sustainability goals.

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Why Sustainability Consultants Matter

Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s becoming essential for businesses that want to succeed in the modern world. A sustainability consultant provides expert guidance to help companies reduce their environmental impact, comply with new regulations, and build long-term strategies for a more sustainable future.

By working with sustainability experts like Climate Logic, businesses can take meaningful action to protect the planet while also improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing their reputation.

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Ready to Make Your Business More Sustainable?

If you’re interested in learning how your business can reduce its carbon footprint and develop a strong sustainability strategy, Climate Logic can help. Get in touch to get started today.