Sustainability is the ability of a corporation to look beyond next quarter's numbers.
The old notion that the only duty of a corporation's executives is to increase shareholder value is now, in many quarters, passe. The newer, "socially responsible" view is that a corporation in order to be sustainable--in order to serve the long-term interests even of its shareholders--must concern itself with other sorts of stakeholders. This new way of looking at the corporate world has generated some jobs.
Manager, CSR
The CSR manager works with public relations and internal communications offices.
Many corporations have a manager of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) whose job involves strategy, communication and project design. As part of his communication responsibilities, this individual, in the words of a job description from Tiffany & Co., will collaborate with other departments "to ensure effective internal and external communication programs to build an appropriate CSR profile for the company across the organization."
Within a Budget
The coursework matters more than the degree/department name.
A corporate social investment job also involves budgetary responsibilities, forecasting the expense of CSR initiatives, and keeping the actual expenses within limits.
Qualifications
Qualifications for a corporate social investment position may include an advanced degree in public administration, environmental or sustainability management or related fields, some period of managerial experience, analytical abilities, and articulateness.
