Sustainability
Finding FirstGroup’s Environmental Manager
Decarbonising transport is one of the toughest challenges currently facing the UK Government. Transport is the biggest polluter, responsible for 27% (in 2019) of UK greenhouse gas emissions, excluding shipping and aviation. The case for transport decarbonisation goes well beyond lowered GHG emissions and road decongestion, affecting air quality and health.
FirstGroup plays a key role in accelerating the transition to low-carbon transport. This fits within the company’s ambition to be the partner of choice for innovative and sustainable transport for a zero-carbon future. In December 2019, FirstGroup approached Climate17 for help with identifying an Environmental Manager who could continue to lead and deliver their successful sustainability programme.
Climate17’s mission is to bridge the gap between ‘business as usual’ and a regenerative world, by bringing together purpose-driven people and organisations. We support small businesses and large organisations, such as FirstGroup, alike. We felt honoured to be able to support FirstGroup to continue to lead and innovate to create carbon-free cities.
About FirstGroup – Key Information
- FirstGroup is a British global transport services provider headquartered in Scotland. They operate transport services in Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
- Transporting over two billion people every year, their services help create strong, vibrant, and sustainable local economies.
- First Group works with national governments, local authorities, schools and universities to meet their transport needs.
Understanding The Main Challenges and Deliverables
Sustainability markets are booming. As a result, finding experienced talent that is available and willing to move roles is ever more challenging. We worked in close partnership with FirstGroup to further understand their requirements and help them to build a competitive, attractive package. Given the urgency of FirstGroup’s requirement, we focussed on understanding the challenges and planning ways to overcome them.
The main challenges presented by the brief were finding a candidate who was able to start immediately and be willing to work on a contract basis, as maternity cover. As well as this, they required someone who had both corporate and consultancy project experience, making the pool of suitable candidates considerably smaller.
The main objectives were to find a candidate who could:
- Lead on a wide variety of environmental challenges and opportunities including environmental management systems, competency and training frameworks, and operating procedures.
- Ensure carbon reduction, energy efficiency, fuel, water and waste management were effectively managed through stakeholder engagement and appropriate governance structures.
Finding FirstGroup’s Environmental Manager
Climate17 conducted a full market search, to identify the best suitable candidates available in the market. Thanks to our longstanding and exclusively referred networks, and despite the challenge of time and the role being a 12-month FTC, we were able to quickly identify, approach and engage several passive high calibre candidates, and present FirstGroup with an extensive shortlist. We conducted in-depth biographical and competency interviews to ensure candidates had sufficient technical background, as well as commercial acumen.
Climate17 supported the entire recruitment process. We kept an open and honest dialogue with FirstGroup throughout and provided extensive and objective insights into candidates’ potential for success, as well as areas requiring further development. We provided candidates with in-depth constructive feedback after each interview and closely supported them throughout the interview stages.
The Outcome and Impact
Thanks to the time and effort we invested in thoroughly understanding FirstGroup’s business, culture and expectations, we were able to swiftly identify the right candidate within one week of taking the brief. Our preferred candidate was hired after the first interview, securing FirstGroup their Environmental Manager within one month of engaging with Climate17. Climate17 is still a trusted partner of FirstGroup and continues to support the growth of their sustainability team, which delivers world-class results across all areas of their business. The team is continuing to drive the company’s innovative sustainability agenda, with an increasing number of low carbon and electric vehicles rolled out in several cities including Glasgow and Aberdeen.
To discuss how we can help you with similar requirements, please contact David Ward at dward@climate17.com. David is an Associate Director and leads our Sustainability practice.
Other success stories
Sustainability
Filling Key Positions for ecosecurities
About ecosecurities
ecosecurities is one of the most reputable and well-established companies in the global carbon markets, with almost 3 decades of experience in sourcing, developing and financing emissions reduction and removal projects around the world. Highly impact-driven, they develop high-quality carbon projects based on the principles of environmental integrity, transparency and good practice that contribute not only to climate change mitigation but also to sustainable and inclusive development. They offer experience and tailored services in the origination, development, financing and commercialisation of nature-based solutions (NbS) projects, renewable energy, as well as technology-based carbon solutions.
Partnership Initiation
Climate17 has been recruiting in carbon markets since 2007. Following the financial crash and since the revival of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) in recent years, we have been reconnecting with previous relationships. One of these is ecosecurities, who needed assistance to source and secure two strategically critical roles; a Global Head of Technology Based Solutions and a Global Head of Technical, Carbon Methodologies.
Through full vacancy briefings, we gained deep knowledge and insights into the client and their needs and fully understood the nuances of the roles and their requirements. Subsequently, we delivered on the two roles within 6 weeks.
Our Tailored Recruitment Solutions
Recruiting in carbon markets is challenging due to a limited talent pool with specialised expertise. The rapid growth of the sector since its resurgence has created high demand, leading to fierce competition for qualified professionals and difficulties in retaining talent. Evolving regulations, lack of standardisation, and the need for interdisciplinary skills, including finance, environmental science, and data analytics, further complicates finding and securing the talent. Additionally, sourcing candidates with regional expertise and adaptability to emerging technologies presents challenges of its own.
Following these two successful placements, ecosecurities showed interest in strengthening our partnership and turned to us with new vacancies to fill. We then agreed on a commercially attractive and exclusive project-based partnership.
Similar to our previous approach, we started with full vacancy briefings with hiring managers, followed by regular check-ins and summary reports. We conducted a focused headhunt using our own networks and LinkedIn to tease out the more passive candidates, in addition to advertising on our website, LinkedIn page and other paid prominent jobsites. With identified candidates, we arranged and conducted screening calls to ensure they met the role requirements, were the right cultural fit, and that expectations like salary, location etc were aligned. Once qualified, we sent CVs with profile summaries for review to the ecosecurities hiring team. We set up all Teams interviews and managed all candidates throughout the hiring process.
We strive to always find candidates who genuinely believe in the work being done, and approach the search with focus, determination and perseverance, alongside utilising our strong network of extensive connections.
We always remained flexible in our approach and tailored our services according to ecosecurities’ evolving needs. Staying in close contact and continually asking for feedback and adjusting and refining the search as needed, allowed us to build up a strong rapport with the key team members and hiring managers.
The Outcomes
Through a collaborative approach and shared commitment to positive impact, Climate17 has been instrumental in building ecosecurities’ workforce and supporting its ongoing growth and success.
Interested in collaborating? Let’s work together to make a difference. Reach out to me at amy@climate.17.com or on +44 (0)7754853847.
Otherwise, our UK Sustainability page might provide you with the insights and information you are seeking regarding our presence and expertise in this dynamic market. We look forward to working together!
Sustainability
Strategic Recruitment at Carbon Architecture
About Carbon Architecture
Carbon Architecture is an energy and sustainability consultancy that began as a small, independent firm focused on energy efficiency. Over the years, it has evolved into a leading company offering a wide range of solutions, including decarbonisation and energy management. Carbon Architecture has built a reputation for delivering cutting-edge, innovative solutions to help businesses reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. As a forward-thinking consultancy, they have consistently invested in the growth and development of their team, recognising that attracting the right talent is crucial to their success.
Partnership Initiation
From the early days of Carbon Architecture, we have been a trusted recruitment partner, helping them build the team that has fuelled their growth. The company was experiencing rapid expansion and required a strategic approach to recruitment that would enable them to continue delivering high-quality services to their clients. The challenge was to recruit a diverse range of professionals, from recent graduates to senior-level consultants and a new Head of Department, who could not only meet the technical demands of the roles but also align with the company’s culture of innovation and sustainability.
Challenges & Our Consultative Solutions
We worked closely with Carbon Architecture to develop a deep understanding of their business objectives and talent needs, allowing us to tailor our recruitment approach, ensuring that we deliver candidates who not only had the required expertise but also shared the company’s vision and values.
The recruitment process for Carbon Architecture presented several challenges. As the company continued to expand, they needed to fill multiple roles across different levels, from graduates to senior consultants. Additionally, the Head of Department role was crucial in guiding the company’s strategic direction and scaling operations, making it essential to find the right fit for this leadership position.
By understanding complexity of the recruitment requirements, we adopted a consultative approach. We worked with Carbon Architecture’s leadership team to refine job specifications, ensuring that each role was clearly defined and aligned with the company’s growth strategy. Our tailored recruitment efforts focused on identifying candidates with both the technical expertise and the passion for sustainability that Carbon Architecture values.
To source the right talent, we leveraged our extensive industry network, as well as specialised job platforms, to target professionals with proven experience in energy efficiency, carbon management, and sustainability. For senior roles, we employed headhunting techniques and relied on referrals to attract seasoned experts with strong leadership capabilities.
The Outcomes
Through our partnership, we successfully placed 19 candidates in key roles, enabling the company to expand its team and continue its growth. This included five graduates who have brought fresh perspectives and enthusiasm to the team, three mid-level energy consultants who are contributing to practical expertise to client projects, and three senior energy consultants who are driving high-impact initiatives and mentoring junior staff.
We additionally filled the Head of Department role with a visionary leader who has been instrumental in scaling the company’s operations and refining its service offerings. This appointment has helped Carbon Architecture strengthen its position as a leader in the energy efficiency and sustainability sectors.
Our collaborative approach ensured that all new hires were successfully integrated into the company, with ongoing support provided through the recruitment process. The results have been a robust and dynamic team that is well-equipped to meet the growing demands of the industry.
Through our collaborative approach, we have played an instrumental role in supporting Carbon Architecture’s ongoing growth and success. Our ability to navigate the complexities of the recruitment process, while aligning with the company’s strategic goals, has enabled us to deliver results that have strengthened their workforce and reinforced their position in the energy efficiency and sustainability space.
Interested in collaborating? Let’s work together to make a difference. Reach out to our team here.
Otherwise, our UK Sustainability page might provide you with the insights and information you are seeking regarding our presence and expertise in this dynamic market. We look forward to working together!
Sign up to our newsletter
Jobs, insights, resources and more. A monthly update, straight to your inbox.