Having spent over 20 years in executive search across supply chain, I’ve seen many functions grow in sophistication and talent depth — but few have evolved as rapidly and unpredictably as Sustainability and ESG. The challenge for businesses today is not just understanding why they need sustainability leaders, but how to find and hire the right ones.
Unlike established functions such as supply chain, operations, or procurement — where talent pipelines are well-trodden and structures are consistent across industries — sustainability is still an emerging discipline. It is a function where context is everything. What “sustainability” looks like in one organization, industry, or market may be entirely different from another. This makes hiring top talent in this space highly nuanced — and calls for a tailored, knowledge-driven approach to search.
Why Sustainability Hiring is So Complex
Sustainability is no longer an add-on to existing roles. It’s fast becoming a dedicated function in its own right. But unlike other functional areas with a long-standing legacy of talent, sustainability doesn’t benefit from decades of defined career paths or talent pools sitting in obvious locations. Instead, identifying best-in-class sustainability professionals requires deep understanding of where this talent originates, how it’s shaped, and what truly differentiates an effective hire.
Several factors multiply the complexity of sustainability hiring:
- Diverse interpretations of the role based on industry, company size, and maturity of sustainability initiatives.
- A lack of functional legacy — meaning candidates are often “borrowed” from adjacent disciplines.
- Premium demand for proven talent, especially those emerging from high-profile sustainability “academies” — organizations renowned for embedding sustainability into their core operations.
- The need to balance strategic and operational understanding, especially in markets where sustainability is only beginning to gain traction.
Where Sustainability Talent Comes From: Functional Origins
When companies ask us where to search for sustainability leaders, we point to a variety of source functions that naturally foster these skill sets. These include:
- Operations, Supply Chain & Facilities — professionals with firsthand exposure to resource management, logistics, and operational efficiencies.
- Strategic Procurement & Risk Management — those driving supplier selection based on sustainability practices, including Scope 1 and 2 emissions management.
- Quality Management & Systems — experts in setting and auditing standards that align with sustainability targets.
- Research, Development & Innovation (R&D) — pushing new sustainable product development and material science innovations.
- Packaging — especially critical in sectors focused on reducing environmental impact.
- EHS (Environment, Health, Safety) — with natural overlaps in compliance, waste management, and emissions control.
- Government Affairs and Regulatory — interfacing with agencies on evolving compliance landscapes and societal impact.
Each of these areas brings its own “bias” and lens to sustainability, making it essential for organizations to think carefully about what their specific needs are — strategic vision, operational execution, regulatory compliance, or stakeholder engagement.
By Industry: Where Sustainability Practices Are Most Mature
In Asia Pacific, some industries are leading the charge in developing high-caliber sustainability talent, often due to regulatory pressures, consumer demand, or investor scrutiny:
- Retail & Apparel Manufacturing/Sourcing — especially in relation to labor practices, modern slavery, and ethical sourcing.
- Agriculture, Commodities & Raw Materials — where working with rural communities and sustainable agriculture practices is critical.
- Packaging — focused on circular economy and waste reduction
- Food & Beverage Manufacturing — driving sustainable supply chains and community engagement.
- FMCG & Chemicals — where product lifecycle management and environmental impact are under intense focus.
- Academia, NGOs, and Government Agencies — building frameworks that shape broader market practices and policy.
These industries produce talent with deep, practical knowledge of the real-world challenges of sustainability, from managing supply chain transparency to creating measurable impact on the ground.
Geographic Considerations: Sustainability Talent by Market
Singapore remains the most developed market for corporate and strategic sustainability talent in Southeast Asia. Here, we see candidates with boardroom credibility, able to influence corporate direction and engage with global investors.
However, demand is growing fastest in emerging markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, where companies are now seeking operationally focused sustainability leaders — those who can act as conduits between manufacturing sites, supply chain partners, and government agencies. In these markets, candidates need practical experience and strong relationship-building skills with on-the-ground operational leaders.
Interestingly, South Asia, especially India, has also developed deep pools of talent within MNC environments where sustainability practices have been embedded over longer periods.
Sustainability: A Nascent but Fast-Evolving Talent Pool
One fascinating observation from recent work is how young this leadership talent pool is in Southeast Asia — many sustainability leaders have only been in role for two years or less. This underlines the fact that, as a standalone function, sustainability is still nascent and growing.
- “Can we develop internal talent into sustainability roles?”
- “Which functions inside our business give us the right people to upskill?”
- “How do we attract and retain external talent in a competitive market?”
Interestingly, many organizations are now looking first internally — recognizing that deep knowledge of operations and internal networks are critical success factors for sustainability leaders.
Where the Best Talent Comes From
While environmental science and management consulting are strong feeders of sustainability talent, in manufacturing sectors, there is often a preference for people with operations backgrounds — those who “speak the language” of production, understand supply chains intimately, and can influence real operational change.
Notably, gender diversity is far stronger in sustainability than in many technical supply chain disciplines — something we hope will influence broader diversity improvements in related functions.
Final Thoughts: The Emergence of Industry Trailblazers
As someone who has spent a career searching for the very best talent in supply chain, it’s always exciting to see a new function emerge — and sustainability is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic. Watching professionals evolve from adjacent fields and become industry trailblazers is a fascinating part of what we do.
Looking ahead, the role of sustainability leaders will only become more critical — for operational success, brand reputation, investor relations, and regulatory compliance. As the function grows in both strategic importance and complexity, so too will the need for specialist, informed search methodologies to find the right people.
About Connexus Global, we’re excited to continue supporting organizations in navigating this evolving landscape and identifying the leaders who will define the future of sustainable business in Asia Pacific and beyond.
