Environmental consulting, or sustainability consulting industry has emerged as an important focal point for companies across the globe. From being a niche field, with few, specialized players in the late 1990s, the industry has evolved to the point where every major consultancy in the firm now places heavy emphasis on the inclusion of environmental consultancy services in their offerings. Growth in this industry has primarily been driven by increased public awareness about the debilitating impact of human activities on the environment. As citizens around the world became more environmentally conscious, companies pivoted their products and services to accordingly match the new set of demands by their consumers. Governments, too, were compelled to enact stricter regulations and enforce harsh penalties on the defaulters. Many politicians often used environmental issues as a key campaigning platform to persuade their voters.
As a result of these changes, companies and governments now demanded environmental consultants to help them navigate the new landscape in order to make the most effective use of their resources without risking backlash for damaging the environment. Over the years, environmental consultants have also expanded their offerings to include long-term corporate strategy, PR and communications, technical expertise and audit and impact assessment.
While growth has been moderate over the last decade, the industry is slowly but surely picking up the pace. With the world waking up to the gravity of the threat posed by climate change, sustainability consulting is set to experience a strong
growth in the years to come. More and more companies are looking to introduce circularity within their business models and supply chains. Governments have laid out ambitious plans to take measures that promote sustainability. With this increased pressure to act more responsibly towards nature, there is an undeniable need for environmental consultants in the future.