Finding the right talent — people with specialized skills and experience, plus the drive to innovate and grow — for your sustainability firm is a mission-critical challenge.
According to LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2023, the talent is out there. Between 2022 and 2023, the concentration of “green talent,” or LinkedIn users who had one or more green skills on their profile, grew in all 48 countries measured. The share of green talent in the workforce rose by 12.3% while the share of job postings requiring at least one green skill also grew by 22.4%.
To keep you ahead in the talent race in this rapidly growing industry, we’ve pulled together this list of executive recruiters and staffing firms specializing in sustainability hires. Some recruiters broadly serve the sustainability field, and others specialize in individual niches such as clean tech. Some firms focus on executive hires or full-time positions; others can help with temporary staffing needs. Find the right recruiter for your sustainability firm’s hiring needs.
Editor’s note: Recruiters did not pay to be on this list. This resource is based on independent editorial research; firms are listed alphabetically. To suggest additions to this list, please contact Senior Executive Media at editor@seniorexecutive.com.
Acre Resources
A global firm with 20 years of experience recruiting for sustainability positions, Acre Resources has regional hubs in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. It has specialty teams focused on recruiting in areas such as climate change, energy and clean tech, sustainable finance, and more. Acre Resources utilizes behavioral assessment tools to recognize the people, skills, and behaviors that align with clients’ needs.
- Locations Served: U.S., UK, EU, and Asia-Pacific
- Roles Filled: Middle and upper management
- Job Types: Executive, contract, interim, and advisory
Direct Recruiters Inc.
Direct Recruiters Inc. has placed employees in sustainability roles for more than 40 years.
- Locations Served: North America
- Roles Filled: Entry to upper management
- Job Types: Executive, contingent, contract, temporary-to-permanent, contract-to-hire, interim, direct hire, project management, and staff augmentation
Dylan Green
Since launching in 2019, Dylan Green has focused on “placing commercial professionals within the clean energy technology market” — in areas such as renewable energy, information technology, and green transportation. Dylan Green has several affiliations the firm encourages clients and employees to apply for, including the Cleantech Leaders Roundtable and Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy, and is a sponsor of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability.
- Locations Served: U.S., UK, and Europe
- Roles Filled: Entry-level roles to upper management
- Job Types: Permanent
EgonZehnder
With offices in 36 countries, EgonZehnder is a global firm presenting top-notch talent to sustainability firms in their executive searches since 2008. Its clients include Fortune 100 companies, nonprofits, private fund managers, and startups. The firm has nearly 600 consultants on hand to assist in structuring an organization’s board committee, measuring and assessing talent, and more.
- Locations Served: Global
- Roles Filled: Upper management
- Job Types: Succession and permanent
Hobson Associates
Hobson Associates is a boutique firm that has been around for more than 50 years, making it one of the oldest and largest privately held recruitment companies in the nation. From CEOs to entry-level analysts, Hobson Associates promises to present three to six candidates per role and notes that most roles are filled within six to 10 weeks. It has placed more than 3,000 candidates and offers expertise in filling niche roles in verticals across sustainability including industrial manufacturing.
- Locations Served: North America
- Roles Filled: Middle to upper management
- Job Types: Permanent
Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry uses its Intelligence Cloud to offer data and analytics that will help you understand the current job market to create a description that finds you the right talent. The firm can fill “one to 35,000” positions as needed. In addition to placing talent, Korn Ferry has consultants to assess skills gaps across your leadership team, increase employee engagement, and identify long-term ESG and carbon neutrality goals.
- Locations Served: Global
- Roles Filled: Upper management
- Job Types: Permanent and interim
Scion Executive Search
Scion Executive Search has been placing leaders in startups, nonprofits, education institutions, and large corporations since 2006. It touts a 98% retention rate at the one-year mark for executives it has placed. The firm claims to have more than 14 million executives in its candidate pool ready to be placed.
- Locations Served: U.S. and remote locations
- Roles Filled: Middle and upper management
- Job Types: Permanent
Shirley Parsons
Shirley Parsons, founded in 2005, specializes in placing sustainability leaders. It has supported more than 1,200 organizations with a 96% customer satisfaction rate. It promotes diversity by offering a blind shortlist to clients, “which ensures that prejudice is prevented.” The firm utilizes a custom MAPP tool, which includes a personality, cognitive aptitude, and mathematical and logic test, to find the best recruits for clients.
- Locations Served: Global
- Roles Filled: Entry to upper management
- Job Types: Permanent, contract, and interim
Stanton Chase
Operating since 1990, Stanton Chase has expanded to 70 offices in 45 countries. Not only does it place executives, but its team of consultants can also assist sustainability startup leaders like you with succession planning, executive assessment, and board services.
Stanton Chase suggests a 12-week hiring process that includes a client needs analysis and role definition, market research, candidate analysis, interviews, and hiring for the role to close the position.
- Locations Served: Global
- Roles Filled: Upper management
- Job Types: Permanent
Weinreb Group
Weinreb Group is a woman-owned sustainability and ESG recruiting agency founded in 1997. Some of its biggest clients include Walmart, Patagonia, Samsonite, and Abbott.
Weinreb Group has a selection of more than 20,000 sustainability professionals waiting to be placed.
- Locations Served: Global
- Roles Filled: Permanent
- Job Types: Permanent
Our Senior Executive Sustainability editors are always adding to our collection of resources for sustainability leaders like you. From a list of annual sustainability conferences to a guide to professional organizations for sustainability leaders, our collection of additional resources offers ideas and inspiration.
