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The top 10 sustainability salary increases for the year ahead
6 min read | Paul Gosling | Article | Recruiting Salary and pay Job searching | Salary & pay
Sustainability remains an important business agenda for organisations, and employers are seeking out professionals who can align their operations with ever-growing legislation, frameworks and stakeholder expectations.
We surveyed nearly 11,000 employers and employees across the UK, including 186 sustainability professionals, for our Hays UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2025 guide. In addition to offering a comprehensive look into salaries across the sector, the guide uncovers some of sustainability’s key hiring challenges and industry trends.
Here, though, we’re addressing three key questions:
Green roles have seen strong salary growth, with 94% of sustainability employers increasing pay over the last 12 months – and as was the case the year prior, not a single employer we surveyed cited a decrease.
Salaries across the sector have climbed by an average of 2.6% over the last year, edging above the UK average (2.4%). This upward trend looks likely to continue into 2025, with 84% of employers expecting sustainability salaries to increase in the coming year.
Employers may feel compelled to keep salaries competitive amid ongoing skills shortages, which most organisations (88%) have experienced. Mid-level roles were the most difficult for employers to recruit for (57%), meaning hiring managers may be required to broaden their parameters when securing sustainability professionals. The sustainability sector is still a relatively new one, and employers cannot expect all the required experience to be readily available. In this vein, 75% say they’re likely to hire a professional who does not possess all the required skills for a role, with the intention of upskilling them.
While sustainability salaries have increased across the board, some fields have exceeded this average increase. Social impact and nature-based solutions have heightened in profile, and green professionals that can report on and fulfil these growing functions have seen an uplift in demand.
Among the highest of these pay rises have been for ESG specialists (4.4%) and energy managers (3.6%), reflecting the need for professionals who can help organisations navigate the latest regulations and sustainability frameworks.
Our research shows that nearly half (48%) of sustainability employees plan on moving jobs in the coming year. Of those looking to make a move, a lack of future opportunities (42%) and dissatisfaction with salary and benefits (42%) are the main drivers.
However, higher salaries and greater career prospects are not the only factors influencing candidate movement. It’s also clear that sustainability professionals desire greater flexibility from a job, with over half (51%) saying that they would not consider a role that doesn’t offer hybrid working.
Beyond these considerations, sustainability staff are prioritising organisations with a clear purpose (85%), and unsurprisingly, those committed to sustainability (83%). Effectively communicating these credentials during recruitment and onboarding processes will be key when attracting in-demand green talent in 2025.
And for professionals dissatisfied with their current pay, flexibility or long-term career prospects, now’s the time to tap into a buoyant sustainability hiring market. With four in five employers (80%) looking to take on green professionals in the next 12 months, you’ll want to keep an eye on our latest vacancies when considering your next move.
Take a look at our UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2025 guide for more details on the industry insights and salary trends that will shape the sustainability sector in the year ahead.
Paul Gosling, National Director for Sustainability Recruitment, Hays
Paul has been a specialist recruiter in environment and sustainability for over 25 years. He started recruiting into the sector in 1995 after finishing his BSc in Environmental Science and he’s worked with thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies over the past 20-plus years to support their growth and development in this dynamic and critically important sector.
During this time, Paul has built a wealth of knowledge and he’s recognised as a leading expert on overcoming the unique recruitment challenges facing the environment and sustainability sector.
