North America boasts the largest remote workforce with 34 per cent of its respondents fully embracing working from home, according to our 2023/24 Sustainability Census.
An additional 35 per cent work in a hybrid model, demonstrating a strong at-home workforce culture in the region.
Looking at work location comparisons from a consultant vs. in-house perspective, consultants have a considerably higher inclination toward either working from home or adopting a hybrid model, with 82 per cent reporting they work remotely compared to 63 per cent of their in-house professional counterparts.
The new census, conducted by Acre and Carnstone, offers insight into the true state of the sustainability profession to capture an accurate, global snapshot of working in a sustainability-related profession today.
More than 2,253 global sustainability professionals from the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Asia took part in Acre’s biggest-ever Sustainability Census report, a 43 per cent increase in participation from the 2020 CR Salary Survey.
Catherine Harris, Director of Sustainable Business – Americas, said: “This data is interesting and unsurprising, considering the country’s vast geographic expanse, spanning three time-zones and with 11 states larger than the UK alone.
“Major business hubs, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Denver, house substantial talent pools; however, businesses in sectors like food, agriculture and heavy manufacturing grappling with huge emissions challenges, are often situated in remote locations.
“The demand for talent exceeds supply, giving candidates leverage to negotiate remote arrangements with travel.
“Post-pandemic, this trend persists, posing challenges particularly for a sustainability leader whose success in many ways relies on the ability to build relationships and influence senior leaders – many of whom are based at HQ. Business leaders now confront the reality of attracting a small pool of highly specialised individuals with a relatively rare skill set in the country.”
For more information about this and other findings from The 2023/24 Sustainability Census report, including how 65 per cent of sustainability professionals have completed a master’s degree, please click here to download a free copy.
