Sustainability hiring has ‘cooled’ in recent years – but remains much higher than pre-pandemic

Deloitte analysis of sustainability job postings over the last decade suggests that hiring slowed down after a 2022 peak – but recruitment is still expected to be twice as high in 2025 than before the Covid-10 pandemic.

The report, which draws on labour market analytics firm Lightcast’ database of over 2.5 billion global job postings since 2014, shows that the sustainability talent market has grown significantly over the past decade. Deloitte identified just over 1,500 sustainability job postings in 2014 and around 11,000 in 2022.

“This wave of hiring reflected not just market momentum, but an emerging recognition at some companies that sustainability can drive growth as a business imperative,” the consultancy explains.

In the  last three years, however, hiring has slowed down as economic uncertainty and – more recently – shifts in sustainability regulation and the rapid deployment of AI has made firms more cautious and strategic around talent recruitment.

Deloitte counted just under 8,000 sustainability job postings in 2023, around 7,500 in 2024, and expects just under 6,000 in 2025, though its notes that “demand for sustainability professionals through 2024 remained well above pre-pandemic levels, signaling that this remains a focus area for corporate hiring”.

Chief Sustainability Officer postings peaked in 2022

Like the rest of sustainability roles, postings for directors, heads of sustainability or equivalent roles peaked at less than 1,000 in 2022 – which Deloitte considers consistent with many companies’ typical staffing models. “Just as organisations only have one Chief Financial Officer, even those with mature sustainability functions may have relatively limited openings for the senior-most roles.”

CSO Futures data shows that 44 CSOs or equivalent were appointed in the first half of 2025 – slightly down from 2024. And while CSO recruitment appears to have increased in the second half of the year, certain companies – like Boeing and KFC – quietly lost their CSOs without appointing replacements.

Apple also recently announced that it will no longer have a C-suite leader fully dedicated to sustainability once its current CSO Lisa Jackson retires in January 2026. Instead, Jackson’s sustainability mandate will be transferred to Chief Operating Officer Sabih Khan.

Shifts in sustainability professionals’ seniority levels

The analysis, which is also informed by a survey of 46 Chief Sustainability Officers, highlights recent shifts in the seniority levels companies look for in sustainability professionals.

Since 2020, while job postings have surged across all seniority levels, mid-career saw the highest increase (from 1,305 postings in 2019 to 6,780 in 2022). In 2024, there were roughly six mid-level roles for every senior position posted, and about two mid-level roles for every entry-level position. 

Deloitte warns that the gap between entry-level and mid-level openings could make it difficult for organisations to find the right mid-level talent in the future, as newcomers to the job market are not getting enough changes to gain experience and hone skills – and this trend is set to intensify as AI tools can now substitute some entry-level roles.

Read also: Five ways to improve sustainability talent management for growth

Sectors that hire the most sustainability leaders

Deloitte highlights that every industry has seen expanding demand for sustainability talent in the last decade, but that the highest growth took place in retail (+1,280%) and information technology (+1,140%). Manufacturing has also seen a large increase, from just 232 sustainability job postings in 2014 to 1,341 in 2024.

In-demand skills also reflect a recent shift in how companies approach sustainability. While many of the skills are similar to those desired a decade ago, there is now “greater demand for a dynamic combination of strategic business fluency, technical depth, regulatory knowledge, and cross-functional influence,” notes Deloitte.

Foundational skills include communication, critical thinking, strategic planning, people management, and operations and process optimisation. These are followed by technical, scientific, and regulatory knowledge as the sustainability reporting landscape becomes more mature. Finally, leadership and project management appear among the most in-demand skills for sustainability professionals in job postings over time and regardless of seniority.