Sustainability Consulting
Sustainability consultants advise companies on how to best manage, and ultimately reduce, energy, water, waste and emissions. Leeds School of Business MBA alum Tim Weiss is a Senior Consultant and VP of Product Development at POINT380, where he works with Fortune 500 companies to set sustainability goals to reduce the effects of climate change and mitigate climate risks globally. This career requires a very unique skill set and a knack for analyzing data.
“I use my quantitative skill-set every day, whether it’s finance, data analysis, or emissions accounting,” says Weiss. “As a sustainability consultant you have to use data to craft actionable strategies for companies to align their sustainability objectives with overall business objectives.”
Making an Impact
Recently, Weiss and his team worked with their client, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), to set the first supply chain emissions reduction goal that aligned with the requirements of the Paris Agreement. In order to successfully achieve reductions in HPE’s supply chain, POINT380 has engaged with HPE’s major suppliers all over the world to ensure alignment and encourage action across the supply chain. After the completion of the project, they discovered that their work had amplified HPE’s impact in many ways beyond what they had hoped, and consequently, POINT380 has focused on supply chain on subsequent projects.
Leeds MBA Experience
During his MBA at the Leeds School of Business, Weiss was able to develop a network of fellow students and alumni that enabled his career transition. Weiss says that his collaboration with other students in his cohort was the most valuable part of his educational experience. His participation in the Net Impact Club provided additional support and expanded his network through CESR.
“The MBA program gave me many of the tools that I needed to market myself and to be valuable to any team from day one,” says Weiss.
Advice from Weiss
For those interested in pursuing a similar career, Weiss has the following advice:
“The number one skill in almost any job is being a good team player; it’s a skill I continue to develop throughout my career,” Weiss says. “It’s a cliché, but communication is key. I continue to work on tailoring my communication style for the various people I engage with everyday.”
Weiss also stresses the importance of being capable of using both the left and right sides of your brain. Sustainability consulting requires the ability to analyze data and use that data to tell a compelling story; neither skill is valuable without the other.
Meet alumni like Weiss at the CESR Alumni Reception, coming up on Oct. 3rd, 2019, and at the MBA Careers in Sustainability Alumni Panel on Oct. 10th. Develop your professional capabilities at the Consulting Skills Workshop on Sept. 25th.
Keep in touch and learn about sustainability jobs, research and upcoming events through CESR’s biweekly newsletter.