CORPORATE INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY

How Will Sustainability Help with Careers in This Major?

Focusing on sustainability for upcoming entrepreneurs is essential for the future of business. Entrepreneurs may find themselves in many different industries such as technology, food production, energy, health, real estate, automotive, etc. 

Many companies are now finding ways to apply sustainability within their research and development (R&D) teams, and they are succeeding. These teams promote sustainable ideation within existing companies for a cleaner, greener future. Additionally, Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIENT) students that focus on sustainability will apply their knowledge to innovations when consulting for existing companies. 

It is better to begin with sustainability than correct consumptive practices. Having a strong understanding of sustainability early in a career can help ensure that future businesses begin with sustainability at their core. CIENT students are the future and so is sustainability. A good resource to learn more about social entrepreneurship and gain a better understanding of the field is the Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), a leading platform for social impact start-ups in for-profit and non-profit settings.

Sustainability-Focused Career Pathways

Entrepreneurship

Being an entrepreneur means creating and developing a unique product or business venture. Entrepreneurs can capitalize on sustainability issues while making a positive impact on the world. These ventures can help solve sustainability issues, similar to what B-Corporations do. Entrepreneurs can also create traditional ventures but must consider the effects and make sustainable processes and systems early on to conduct socially and environmentally sound business.

Corporate Innovation Teams

Corporations have innovation and development teams, sometimes called R&D teams. These professionals find and nurture the best innovations for the company. They can use sustainability knowledge when choosing products, services, or processes the business should develop and also determine how to create them sustainably.

Startup Companies

Innovation and entrepreneurship experts can use their skills to help develop startup companies into successful businesses that last. Incorporating sustainability during a company’s early years allows businesses to avoid drastic process change in the future and build a solid base. This could be a specific position with in a startup commpany, or these professionals could work as a sustainability consultant for many different companies.

Learn More About How to Land and Build a Sustainability Career

If reading about these sustainability career options sparks your interest, check out our resources on how to talk about sustainability with recruiters, as well as career fair tips and sustainability career searches.

ADVANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF CORPORATE INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY

Learn what sustainable supply chain is all about and its importance

Learn the important things to know in this field

Learn how sustainability fits into your courses

Learn how sustainability relates to your career