How to Choose the Right Sustainability Consultant: 8 Factors to Consider

At Dazzle, we work with some of the best companies in the game. We have over 100 pre-screened sustainability freelancers in our network, supporting companies in over 15 countries.

And still, we’ve noticed a common trend lately. So many companies these days (and so many sustainability managers!) are becoming a little overwhelmed by the growing complexity of sustainability. And who can blame them?

When you factor in everything from the CSRD to the Green Claims Directive and beyond, it would be unrealistic to expect anyone to keep up with it all. 

Understanding this, many companies have recently been choosing to hire sustainability consultants. These are professionals who specialize in advising organizations on sustainability practices, usually focusing on particular aspects of sustainability. (See, even the sustainability consultants don’t try to focus on everything all at once!). 

You can hire different types of sustainability consultants depending on the specific areas of sustainability you need some help with. While hiring any kind of sustainability consultant is likely to deliver benefits like cost savings, increased efficiency, and improved brand image.

But to maximize these benefits, it’s imperative that you find the right sustainability consultant for your business. Consider the eight key factors below, and we have no doubt you’ll find the right person for the job.

1. Assess Your Objectives/Understand Your Needs

As we already mentioned, there are different kinds of sustainability consultants out there, each specializing in different areas of sustainability. So before you even start searching for your ideal match, you should first clearly define what it is you need help with. 

If you’re looking to incorporate sustainability into your business strategy as a whole for example, you should look to hire a corporate sustainability consultant. Or maybe you just need help improving your energy efficiency? Then it’s an energy efficiency consultant you should be targeting. 

By clearly defining the scope of work required, you can determine which kind of consultant you need. And then, the real hunt begins!

2. Look for Strong Experience and Track Record

Now you know what kind of consultant you need, it’s time to take a look around and see what’s available. 

When comparing potential candidates, degrees and certifications are a plus. But real-world experience and a strong track record is what matters most. So focus mainly on reviewing each consultant’s previous work and success stories, particularly those most relevant to your own needs. 

To really understand what each option can bring to the table, don’t hesitate to ask for references, and contact past clients.

3. Test Up-to-date Knowledge 

One of the main reasons for hiring any kind of consultant is that, quite simply, they know more than you do! And they should always be fully aware of the latest happenings in their field. Through this awareness, they can help you stay a few steps ahead of the competition. 

So before speaking with each candidate, do a little research about the latest relevant hot topics.  You should only consider potential consultants who can comfortably speak about each of these topics at length.

4. Communication and Collaboration is Key

You could hire a sustainability consultant with all the expertise, experience, and up-to-date knowledge in the world. But if they’re incapable of communicating it effectively, or collaborating with your team to put it to good use, then where is the value? 

We can’t stress this enough; communication and collaboration skills are just as important as technical expertise when hiring a consultant. You need someone who can integrate seamlessly with your team, and work effectively with colleagues throughout your organization. 

Long-term sustainability success requires understanding and buy-in from various stakeholders. So your consultant should also be proficient at clearly communicating complex sustainability concepts, and emphasizing their importance. 

5. Check the Cultural Fit

Fitting in with your team is one thing, but for best results, you should try to find a consultant who also strongly believes in your company ethos. Ideally, their values and working style should align seamlessly with yours. That way, you can be confident of a successful, frictionless ongoing partnership. 

6. Ensure They Can Tailor Their Approach

Your chosen consultant should also be able to tailor their services to fit your specific requirements. It’s important to make sure that their approach to things like problem-solving, and strategy development, works well with the way you operate. A good fit here will further increase the likelihood of long-term success. 

7. Review Cost and Value

Of course, if you don’t keep within your budget, the chances of long-term success will be significantly reduced! So you’ll need to choose a sustainability consultant you love, but also one that makes sense financially. To get this step right, it’s all about carefully assessing the value each candidate can offer. 

How much are they going to cost? But also, what is the potential return on investment? Find the right balance here, and the long-term benefits you’ll gain from the partnership will be significant. 

8. Consider a Freelance Consultant  

One way to find the perfect balance could be to hire a freelancer. As freelance sustainability consultants can offer added flexibility, cost savings, and several other key advantages. 

We know first-hand how successful this option can be, and we’re very proud to have facilitated several freelance sustainability consultant success stories recently. 

If you’d like to find similar success with a freelance consultant, Dazzle can help to facilitate that too. 

Hire Your Perfect Freelance Sustainability Consultant Through Dazzle

Choosing the right sustainability consultant for your business isn’t easy. But at Dazzle, it’s what we do! We specialize in finding you the perfect match. 

The Dazzle platform offers the world’s best sustainability freelancers on-demand, all carefully pre-screened to guarantee quality. We have a comprehensive range of sustainability consultants available, all with proven track records. 

And to keep things super flexible, you can choose to work with our freelancers on a project-based, on-demand, or interim basis. Whatever works best for you. 

If you contact us today, we can quickly find you a sustainability consultant who ticks all the important boxes. 

Bringing you a few steps closer to achieving your sustainability goals. 

(Feel free to check out our complete sustainability consultant guide to find out everything you need to know!)