Career Pathways in Business and the Environment
Private corporations are increasingly stepping forward as leaders in the realm of social and environmental sustainability. By re-thinking their operations and products, companies are actively driving change and making a positive impact.
Students across Yale are eager to join this movement. Our Pathways program seeks to support students in their pursuit of careers in the private sector that focus on doing good for communities, ecosystems, and the planet.
About
With this program, we aim to support students who want to pursue a career at the intersection of business and the environment...who want their work to accelerate the transition to a just and thriving world.
Each month we feature people working in various roles and sectors so students can hear firsthand what their jobs are like, how they might consider following a similar (or different!) pathway, and engage in conversation with people doing the work.
Our different types of programs, events, and resources are listed below. We hope you join us at an upcoming event or download one of our career guides!
Business & Environment Internship presentations
In this series, returning students help incoming students by sharing their recent summer experiences at the intersection of business and the environment.
Interesting, informative, and often humorous, these talks give personal accounts of experiences and highlight the many possible career pathways for students considering work in this space.
CliMates
CliMates is a weekly get-together of everyone interested in learning more about sustainability - from SOM, YSE, and beyond - to discuss trending sustainability topics and how industries are adapting.
Every session will have 3 parts:
- ~20 min presentation about a sustainability topic given by a peer/ close contact. To broaden our exposure and deepen our knowledge.
- ~20 min for small group discussion about the topic. To share additional knowledge, spark new ideas, allow yourself to shape an opinion, and practice voicing it.
- ~20 min open time for career advice / community catchup. To help each other in our recruiting journeys and get to know each other better.
Pathways Guest Speaker Series
Speaker Series
This speaker series invites senior-level sustainability-oriented professionals to discuss the work they do and the journeys they have taken in their careers. By sharing their stories, speakers provide a set of possible roadmaps for students to follow (or avoid). From the outside, roles at the intersection of business and the environment can be difficult to navigate. This series is meant to offer a look at the types of roles that exist, how people have gotten there, and offer practical career guidance.
Small Group Discussions
In an effort to create opportunities for students to engage in more intimate dialogue with alumni and people in the field, we organize a series of small group chats as part of the Pathways in Business and the Environment program.
We call these our "What the Heck Do I Actually Do?" events since they get at more of the day-to-day aspects of different roles.
These are meant to provide an informal, small-group environment for students to learn from those who are newer to their fields and what the day-to-day of their work entails. These conversations are meant to be candid conversations, offering practical advice as students think about entering a particular field.
No presentations! Just informal conversations with people actively engaged in their fields.
CBEY offers many options for one-on-one coaching sessions about your career path, venture, innovative idea and beyond. Members of the Yale community can schedule time with one of our fellows, experts, and mentors.
Visual Guides to Career Pathways
Corporate sustainability can mean various different programs, jobs and skills to different people in the field of business and the environment.
This downloadable guide is meant to:
- provide a guide for students to think about the many faces of corporate sustainability across sectors, companies and organizations
- provide resources, courses, events and alumni examples to help students understand their career options
Clean Energy Guide
Global renewable energy employment has seen staggering growth in recent years. The renewable energy industry now employs more than 10 million people around the world, nearly double the number employed just five years prior.
This downloadable guide aims to:
- provide a “pathway” for current students interested in a career in the clean energy sector and share a summary of where Yale energy alumni are today
- help current students best position themselves during their limited time at Yale
Food & Ag Guide
One of the most pressing issues facing humans today is how to best address the immense challenges and opportunities in our global and local food systems.
This downloadable guide aims to:
- offer insight into the various types of roles that exist in this space, including agriculture, supply chains, marketing & retail, policy & advocacy, and finance.
- highlight the resources at Yale, in New Haven, and beyond to help students get the most out of their time at Yale.
Partners
Career Pathways in Business and the Environment is a collaboration of:
- The Yale Center for Business and the Environment
- Career Development Office at the Yale School of Management
- Office of Career and Professional Development at the Yale School of the Environment
- Business and Environment Learning Community at YSE
- Business and Environment Club at SOM
- Many of the wonderful Student Clubs and Interest Groups at Yale!
