Green Jobs and Green Careers

Presented by theUMaine Business SchoolNet Impact ChapterProf. Terry PorterApril 27, 2011

Why Business? Why US Business?“Of the world’s 100 largest economic

entities, 51 are corporations and 49 are countries” (Institute for Policy Studies)

“The U.S. produced approximately 33% of the world’s waste with 4.6% of the world’s population in 2004” (Miller 1998).

“USA has the largest per capita footprint in the world –9.57 hectares. If everyone on the planet lived like an average American, we would need 5 planets to support us all” http://www.buynothing.biz/blog/index.php?itemid=13

Why Now?Global warming, resource

depletion, poverty all increasingIncreasing interdependence

means that events in one part of the globe automatically affect events in other parts

We need to lessen our impact, on the earth and on each other

The Opportunity93% of CEOs now believe sustainability

will be critical to the future success of their companies (UN)

80% of CEOs believe sustainability will be embedded in the core business strategies of most companies in the next 15 years (UN)

Sustainability consulting is a “booming industry” that is expected to outpace all other small- and mid-size sectors in revenue and job growth in 2011 (The Wall St. Journal)

Sustainability

Sustainable Business: "..Business activities that help meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (UN: Brundtland Commission 1987)

The Triple Bottom Line

Businesses and development that are economically viable, socially acceptable, and deliver a net positive or neutral environmental performance.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

“A commitment to improve community well-being through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate resources.”

Competitive Advantage Cost savingsWaste reductionNew products and product

differentiationSupply chain managementReputation, goodwillSatisfy customer and activist demandRegulatory compliance, barriers to

entryCrisis avoidance and mitigation

Where are the green jobs?They’re everywhere!Business has more power than

any other institution to influence change in the status quo

Every organization needs managers and business expertise

Four sources of green jobs

Corporate

Government

Non-Profits

Individual

Corporate and Mainstream business jobs I

Direct--work for:◦ Companies with

CSR missions◦ Sustainability

Officer ◦ CSR Director◦ VP of Corporate

Citizenship◦ Compliance

Officer◦ Volunteer

Program manager

Whole Foods Market

Whole Trade Pineapple

Corporate and Mainstream business jobs II

Indirect◦ Companies with

conventional missions seeking to improve sustainability footprint

◦ Change can be made from any department

◦ Operations, HRM, Supply chain management, Accounting and reporting, Marketing and brand management

Global Sustainability at ESPN

Corporate and Mainstream business jobs III

Restructuring the global economy will create not only new jobs in current businesses and industries;

It will create whole new professions and specialties within professions. For example:◦Life Cycle Assessment Manager◦LEED Green Building Associate

Green jobs in governmentIn Maine

Green jobs in not-for-profitsCause related organizations

◦Maine Audubon◦Amnesty International◦Habitat for Humanity

Green opportunities for individualsConsultingSocial entrepreneurship

◦B-Corps◦Ashoka

Skills for green job seekersEducate yourself! Seek and

follow your passionTalk with others who share your

interestsDefine for yourself what

sustainability means in businessBe willing to be a self-starter and

a trailblazer in challenging the status quo

Network, network, network!Join student and professional

sustainability organizations◦Net Impact◦UMaine Business School MBA track◦Maine Businesses for Sustainability◦Greenbiz

Attend meetings and ask lots of questions

Seek or create an internshipInformational interviews: ask others

what they do

Final Thoughts

Never give up!

Build a network of

like-minded

colleagues.

Verify! Don’t believe everything you hear.

Learn something new every day.