Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Working Capital • Corporate Ethics • Vision Statement

Sustainable Development

Term from Corporate Leadership industry explained for recruiters

Sustainable Development is a business approach that focuses on meeting current business needs while ensuring future generations can meet their own needs. It combines three main areas: protecting the environment, supporting social progress, and maintaining economic growth. When you see this term in resumes, it usually means the person has experience in creating business strategies that are both profitable and responsible towards the environment and society. This concept is similar to "Corporate Social Responsibility" or "ESG" (Environmental, Social, and Governance), which are other terms you might encounter in job applications.

Examples in Resumes

Led company-wide Sustainable Development initiatives that reduced carbon emissions by 30%

Implemented Sustainable Development strategies resulting in $2M cost savings through resource efficiency

Developed Sustainable Development and Sustainability programs across 5 regional offices

Created Sustainable Development Goals alignment strategy for corporate operations

Typical job title: "Sustainability Managers"

Also try searching for:

Sustainability Director ESG Manager Corporate Responsibility Manager Environmental Programs Director Sustainable Business Consultant Chief Sustainability Officer Environmental Strategy Manager

Where to Find Sustainability Managers

Professional Organizations

Online Networks

Job Resources

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop a company-wide sustainability strategy?

Expected Answer: Should discuss stakeholder engagement, goal setting, measuring current impact, creating actionable plans, and establishing metrics for success. Should mention experience with change management and getting buy-in from executives.

Q: How do you measure the ROI of sustainable development initiatives?

Expected Answer: Should explain both financial returns (cost savings, revenue growth) and non-financial benefits (reputation, employee satisfaction, risk reduction). Should mention specific metrics and reporting frameworks.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What experience do you have implementing sustainable practices in business operations?

Expected Answer: Should provide examples of specific projects, such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, or supplier sustainability programs, and discuss outcomes and challenges faced.

Q: How do you engage employees in sustainability initiatives?

Expected Answer: Should discuss communication strategies, training programs, incentives, and creating a culture of sustainability. Should provide examples of successful employee engagement programs.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What do you understand by the term sustainable development?

Expected Answer: Should explain the basic concept of balancing economic growth with environmental and social responsibilities, and demonstrate awareness of current sustainability trends.

Q: What sustainability reporting frameworks are you familiar with?

Expected Answer: Should mention common frameworks like GRI, CDP, or UN SDGs, and demonstrate basic understanding of sustainability metrics and reporting.