How to become a sustainability consultant in the UK

Most people come in through a relevant degree, an apprenticeship or a switch from a neighbouring career such as finance, engineering or energy management.

The National Careers Service lists environmental science, environmental studies and environmental sustainability as the usual degrees, with biology, chemistry, geoscience, ecology and agricultural science as related routes, and the Environmental Practitioner Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship as the apprenticeship route.

Progress is then marked by professional membership of a body such as ISEP and, later, Chartered Environmentalist status.

There is no single required degree.

The National Careers Service names environmental science, environmental studies and environmental sustainability for environmental consultancy, and for corporate responsibility and sustainability work lists environment and sustainability, energy and engineering, transport and logistics, economics, community development and business management.

A postgraduate degree is common at senior level: ISEP’s 2025 report found 37% of respondents with a “head of” job title held a sustainability or environment-related postgraduate degree.

Yes, in England.

The Environmental Practitioner degree apprenticeship (ST0778) is a level 6 route with a typical duration of 60 months.

The Sustainability Business Specialist integrated degree apprenticeship (ST0748) is a level 7 MSc route with a typical duration of 24 months; from 1 January 2026 level 7 apprenticeships are government-funded only for apprentices aged 16 to 21, or under 25 with an EHC plan or care experience.

The National Careers Service also lists a Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

IEMA became the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP).

Members voted for the change on 9 December 2024, and the new name and post-nominals launched on 17 July 2025.

PIEMA became PISEP, and the other grades became GradISEP, AISEP, MISEP and FISEP.

The Chartered Environmentalist and Registered Environmental Practitioner designations did not change, and ISEP says the assessment process did not change either.

CEnv is awarded by the Society for the Environment through its licensed professional bodies, so you first join a licensed body at an appropriate grade.

You then demonstrate eleven competences and master’s-level (level 7) thinking, which a relevant master’s degree or written work judged to be at that level can show, supply two sponsors, and complete a professional review interview.

A master’s degree is not required.

At ISEP, Full membership and CEnv can be applied for together.

ISEP publishes its fees.

As published on 30 September 2026, Associate membership is £176 a year (£279 in the first year, including the application fee), Practitioner £215 (£353), Full £234 (£570), Full and CEnv £300 (£702) and Fellow £268 (£604); Affiliate is £165 and Student £33.

Check ISEP’s membership page before applying, because fees change.

Yes, and the rules have made finance skills more useful.

UK SRS S1 requires sustainability-related financial disclosures to be for the same reporting entity as the financial statements, and to explain the connections between them.

Since the FCA’s final rules of 30 September 2026, listed companies in five categories report against UK SRS on a comply-or-explain basis for periods beginning on or after 1 January 2027.

The accountancy bodies, ICAEW and ACCA, publish their own sustainability resources for members.

No official statistic covers the job title.

The Home Office going rate for SOC 2152, Environment professionals, which names environmental consultants and sustainability officers, is £37,200, a median across the whole occupation.

ISEP’s 2025 report puts its Graduate members’ average salary at £37,069.

Our salary guide sets out every benchmark and what it measures.