Let me guess your situation.
You're the "sustainability person" at your company.
Maybe your title is Sustainability Manager. Maybe it's ESG Lead. Maybe it's "oh yeah, Sarah handles that" while you also do three other jobs.
Either way: You're alone.
And you're drowning.
In a recent study of 28 sustainability professionals, 43% held the only explicit 'sustainability' role in their organization.
Let me say that again: Almost half of sustainability professionals are working alone.
No team. No backup. No one who understands what you're dealing with.
Just you, a laptop, and impossible expectations.
If you're feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering if you're cut out for this...
It's not you. It's the model.
Let me show you why—and what actually works.
The Loneliness Nobody Talks About
Sustainability professionals frequently reflected on how working on climate change created "stress that is above and beyond the normal stress of work," with one Chief Sustainability Officer noting: "uniquely in this job...is that this is all-encompassing – it doesn't end with one patient, it's everything."
Here's what that feels like in practice:
It's Tuesday. Your CEO asks for an update on Net Zero progress.
You're supposed to know: - What our Scope 3 emissions are (you don't have the data) - If we're on track for 2040 targets (you haven't calculated that) - What our biodiversity impact is (that's a thing now?) - Whether our suppliers are compliant (you sent them a survey, 3 responded) - If we're ready for CSRD (you've read about it but...)
And you're supposed to have answers. Because you're the sustainability person.
Except you're one person. And this is 47 different jobs.
Many participants said it felt like extra work to be responsible for explaining different sustainability topics to co-workers, with the scale of work involved requiring a team even though they're working alone.
So you stay late. You work weekends. You try to learn carbon accounting AND circular economy AND biodiversity AND... everything.
And you still feel like you're failing.
Because you are. Not because you're bad at your job. But because your job is impossible.
Why Companies Keep Doing This (Even Though It Doesn't Work)
"So why do companies hire one person for a 10-person job?"
A few reasons:
1. They Don't Understand The Scope
Leadership thinks: "Sustainability is important. Let's hire a Sustainability Manager."
They're imagining someone who coordinates sustainability efforts. Makes sure everyone's thinking about environmental impact. Keeps them out of trouble.
They're not imagining someone who needs to: - Master four different carbon accounting methodologies - Understand supply chain transparency systems - Design circular business models - Navigate ESG reporting frameworks - Engage stakeholders across 12 countries - Track 50 different regulatory requirements
That's not a job. That's a department.
2. Budget Constraints
"We can afford one person. Maybe two if we're lucky."
So they hire one person and expect them to do the work of five.
It's like hiring one IT person and expecting them to do software development, cybersecurity, help desk, infrastructure, and data analytics.
Nobody would do that for IT. But sustainability? Sure, one person can handle it.
(Narrator: They cannot.)
3. It's What Everyone Else Is Doing
Lingering economic uncertainty and corporate backpedaling on ESG priorities have companies cautious about filling positions, leading to sustainability teams staying lean even as responsibilities grow.
Other companies have a "sustainability person." So we need one too.
Nobody stops to ask: Is this actually working for them?
Spoiler: It's not.
4. They Don't Know What They Don't Know
The sustainability landscape in 2025 is witnessing a shift from experimentation to execution, with companies realizing that fragmented sustainability initiatives are insufficient to drive competitive advantage.
Two years ago, sustainability was a nice-to-have. Some goals. A report. Good PR.
Now it's: - Regulatory requirements (CSRD, CSDDD, etc.) - Investor expectations (ESG is top 3 criteria) - Customer demands (B2B buyers walking away over this) - Supply chain requirements (everyone wants your data)
The job exploded. But the team size didn't.
What Actually Happens (The Burnout Cycle)
Let me walk you through the typical trajectory:
Month 1-3: Enthusiasm
You're excited! You're going to make a difference!
You dive in. You learn. You make plans. You start projects.
Month 4-6: Reality Check
You realize: - Your projects are moving slower than expected - You don't have data you need - Other departments aren't responding - You're behind on everything
Month 7-9: Overwhelm
Where managers were more supportive of sustainability professionals driving several initiatives, participants' enthusiasm combined with too much autonomy led to overwork and burnout.
You're working 60-hour weeks.
You're learning new frameworks at night. You're responding to emails on weekends. You're trying to be everywhere at once.
And you're still falling behind.
Month 10-12: Survival Mode
You stop trying to do everything well. You start triaging: - What will get me fired if I don't do it? (Do that) - What's important but not urgent? (Ignore it) - What's a "nice to have"? (Laugh and move on)
You're not thriving. You're surviving.
Month 13+: Burnout or Exit
Sustainability career experts note the current economy has sustainability practitioners regularly reaching out about job loss and seeking support, with more resumes and calls than normal coming in.
Either: - You burn out (exhausted, cynical, going through motions) - You leave (find a company with an actual team) - Or you adapt (more on this later)
Most people don't make it past 18 months.
Not because they're weak. Because the model is broken.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Calculates
Okay, so hiring one person for a five-person job costs that person their sanity.
But what does it cost the company?
Cost #1: Slow Progress
One person can only do so much. So projects move slowly.
Your competitor with a sustainability team? They're lapping you.
Cost #2: Superficial Work
You don't have time to go deep. So everything's surface-level.
Your CSRD assessment? Basic. Your carbon strategy? Generic. Your circular economy plan? Copied from a template.
You're checking boxes. Not creating value.
Cost #3: Expensive Mistakes
Sustainability professionals must link their work to strategic objectives and demonstrate business value, especially as 70% of EBITDA is potentially impacted by sustainability challenges.
When you're overwhelmed, you make mistakes: - Wrong carbon accounting methodology (have to redo it) - Missed a regulatory requirement (potential fine) - Chose the wrong consultant (wasted €50K) - Made a claim that wasn't quite accurate (greenwashing risk)
Each mistake is expensive. And you're more likely to make them when you're drowning.
Cost #4: Turnover
You leave after 15 months. Company hires someone new. They take 3 months to onboard. They burn out after 15 months.
Repeat forever.
Average cost to replace you: €50K-€80K in recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity.
Multiply by turnover rate. Ouch.
What Smart Companies Are Doing Instead
Alright, real solutions:
Model #1: The Coordinator + Specialists Approach
Instead of hiring one person to do everything...
Hire ONE strategic coordinator (maybe full-time, maybe fractional) whose job is: - Understand company's sustainability priorities - Identify specific challenges that need solving - Find specialists to solve them - Coordinate execution - Report on progress
That's it. They don't need to be expert in carbon AND circular AND biodiversity.
They need to be expert in knowing who to call for each thing.
Then: - Need CSRD assessment? Bring in specialist (12-week project) - Need Scope 3 calculation? Bring in specialist (8-week project) - Need circular design? Bring in specialist (16-week project)
The coordinator manages the process. Specialists do the work.
Companies embedding sustainability into cross-functional teams from supply chain to marketing to R&D position the role as mission-critical to delivering future business performance rather than a siloed compliance function.
Result: Work gets done faster, at higher quality, without burning anyone out.
Model #2: The Distributed Model
Some companies are going even further:
The trend of embedding accountability for sustainability into operational lines of business is a goal that has often been equated with a maturing of the profession—empowering functions like finance, operations, HR and brand teams to own ESG outcomes.
Instead of one sustainability person, they make sustainability part of everyone's job: - Operations owns carbon reduction - Product owns circular design - Procurement owns supplier engagement - Finance owns ESG reporting
Each team has sustainability KPIs. Each team brings in specialists as needed.
No single person drowning. Distributed ownership.
Model #3: The Fractional Model
Can't afford a full-time person? Don't hire one.
Hire a fractional sustainability lead (2-3 days/week). They: - Set strategy - Identify challenges - Coordinate specialists - Report to leadership
Cost: €40K-€50K/year instead of €70K+ for full-time
Impact: Often better, because they're not overwhelmed
Plus they work with multiple companies, so they see what works elsewhere. You get cross-pollination of ideas.
How Challenge-Based Work Changes Everything
Here's where this gets interesting.
All three models above rely on one thing: Being able to quickly bring in specialists for specific challenges.
Traditional approach: - Need Scope 3 help - Post job on LinkedIn - Wait 8 weeks - Maybe find someone - Maybe they're good
Challenge-based approach: - Need Scope 3 help - Post specific challenge ("Scope 3 for food manufacturing supply chain, EU + Asia, 12 weeks, €30K") - Get proposals from specialists who've done this before - Pick one - Start within days
Speed: 8 weeks → 1 week Quality: Maybe good → Proven track record Cost: Salary + benefits + overhead → Project fee
This is how you avoid the team-of-one trap.
Instead of hiring one person to do everything (badly, while burning out)...
You build a network of specialists you can tap for specific challenges (well, without burnout).
Real Example: From Burnout to Balance
Let me show you how this works in practice:
The Old Way:
Maria is Sustainability Manager at a €300M manufacturing company. She's the only sustainability person.
Her responsibilities: - CSRD reporting (she's learning as she goes) - Carbon footprint (she's using a template) - Supplier engagement (no one responds to her emails) - Circular economy (she read a book about it) - Biodiversity (new requirement, no idea where to start)
She works 65 hours/week. She's exhausted. She's considering quitting.
The New Way:
Maria's role changes. She's now "Sustainability Coordinator."
Her responsibilities: - Understand company's sustainability priorities - Break down big goals into specific challenges - Find specialists for each challenge - Coordinate execution - Report progress
This quarter: - CSRD Challenge: Posted. Got 9 proposals. Picked specialist who'd done pharma manufacturing before. 14-week project. €48K. Done. - Scope 3 Challenge: Posted. Got 7 proposals. Picked specialist with food supply chain experience. 10-week project. €32K. In progress. - Biodiversity: Not urgent yet. Will tackle Q3.
Maria now works 45 hours/week. She's coordinating, not drowning in technical details. Specialists are doing what they do best.
Results are better. Timeline is faster. Maria's not burned out.
For Solution Providers: This Is Your Opportunity
If you're a sustainability consultant or specialist, here's what you need to know:
There are thousands of Marias out there. Overwhelmed, alone, desperate for help.
They don't need someone to take their job. They need someone to solve specific problems.
If you can position yourself as: - "I solve [specific problem]" - "For [specific industry]" - "Here are 10 examples of me doing exactly this"
You'll have more work than you can handle.
Because having just one other staff member responsible for sustainability made a huge difference to improving motivation—these professionals are desperately seeking collaboration and support.
They're not looking for competitors. They're looking for partners.
Be that partner.
The Platform Solution (Why This Matters)
Look, companies need to find specialists fast.
Specialists need to find companies with relevant challenges.
Right now, both sides are using LinkedIn and hoping for the best. It's inefficient.
Challenge-based marketplaces solve this: - Companies post specific challenges - Specialists with relevant experience propose solutions - Both sides save time, get better matches
It's not magic. It's just better matching.
And better matching means: - Companies get work done faster - Specialists get relevant opportunities - Neither side wastes time on mismatches
Everyone wins. Including Maria, who finally has a sustainable workload.
What To Do If You're The Team Of One
If you're reading this and thinking "yep, that's me"...
Here's what to do:
Step 1: Stop Trying To Do Everything
You can't. It's impossible. Accept it.
Step 2: Prioritize Ruthlessly
What three things MUST happen this quarter?
Not 10 things. Three.
Step 3: Find Specialists For Those Three
You don't need to become an expert in everything.
You need to find experts who already are.
Step 4: Reframe Your Role
You're not "the person who does all sustainability work."
You're "the person who makes sustainability work happen."
Big difference.
Step 5: Propose The Model Change
Go to your boss: "I can keep trying to do everything and making slow progress. Or I can coordinate specialists and we'll move 3x faster. Which do you want?"
Most will choose option two. If they don't... maybe it's time to find a company that gets it.
The Bottom Line
While educational institutions provide ample guidance on technical skills, more support is needed around soft skills related to personal resilience, motivation, and persuading others to take action in sustainability roles.
The team-of-one model is broken.
It burns people out. It slows progress. It wastes talent.
Smart companies are shifting to coordinator + specialists.
One person setting direction. Multiple specialists executing.
It's not just better for the company. It's better for you.
Because sustainability work is hard enough without being alone.
You don't have to be a superhero. You just need to know who to call when you need superpowers.
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Feeling overwhelmed by your sustainability workload? Post your most urgent challenge on iWinForest and get help from specialists who've done it before. You don't have to solve everything alone.
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