What is an ESG Consultant? A Complete Guide to Job Responsibilities, Salary, Required Skills, and Working Styles

“What does an ESG consultant actually do?”
“Can I become one without experience? How much do they earn?”

Many people may be wondering about exactly these questions.

In recent years, as corporate sustainability management accelerates, ESG consultants have become one of the most sought-after specialized roles. Depending on your ability, you can aim for an annual income of over 10 million yen, attracting attention as a promising career path.

This article provides a detailed explanation of ESG consultant job responsibilities, required skills, salary ranges, working styles, and paths to entering the field.

If you are interested in becoming an ESG consultant, please read through to the end.

What is ESG?

ESG is an acronym for Environment, Social, and Governance.

It refers to the idea that in order for a company to grow sustainably over the long term and be trusted by society, the perspectives of environment, society, and governance are indispensable.

For example, in the environmental dimension, climate change and decarbonization are emphasized; in the social dimension, human rights and workplace well-being; and in governance, legal compliance and information disclosure.

Companies that seriously engage with ESG tend to have higher sustainability and improved evaluations from investors and consumers, making ESG increasingly important in corporate management.

What is the Role of an ESG Consultant?

The role of an ESG consultant is to support companies in achieving long-term growth while contributing to a sustainable society and economy.

They take on the role of an expert connecting companies to society, including conceptualizing overall strategies for realizing ESG management, building coordination structures across departments, and advising senior management.

Furthermore, as the importance of non-financial information grows, they contribute to improving corporate credibility by establishing disclosure frameworks to fulfill transparency and accountability regarding ESG matters.

These activities have become indispensable in balancing corporate value and social reputation.

Difference Between ESG Consultants and SDGs Consultants

Both ESG and SDGs are important concepts aimed at a sustainable society, but they differ in their purposes and applications.

ESG is a framework for evaluating corporate initiatives from three perspectives—Environment, Social, and Governance (corporate governance)—and serves particularly as a criterion for investors and shareholders when selecting companies. Rather than short-term profits, emphasis is placed on a company’s ability to continue growing into the future and its capacity to respond to risks.

On the other hand, SDGs are a set of 17 universal goals established by the United Nations—covering issues such as poverty, education, and climate change—serving as a shared global framework for solving social challenges. Collaboration with government agencies, NPOs, and local communities is emphasized, and transparency in activities as well as impact evaluation of positive social contributions are also required.

Recently, job titles such as “sustainability consultant” have also emerged. For those who want to know more about the differences between ESG consultants, SDGs consultants, and sustainability consultants, please refer to the article below.

Background Behind the Demand for ESG Consultants

In recent years, ESG engagement has become one of the key management challenges for companies, and the importance of ESG consultants who support its implementation has been growing.

Below we explain the importance of ESG for companies and the challenges companies face in management.

The Importance of ESG Engagement for Companies

The background behind the growing expectation for companies to engage with ESG in recent years lies in changing values among society and investors.

Social issues such as environmental destruction and human rights violations, which had previously been overlooked, have become visible as management risks, and we have entered an era where corporate trust and continuity are being questioned.

In addition, with the expansion of ESG investing, non-financial information is now directly linked to corporate evaluation.

Against this backdrop, ESG engagement is indispensable for being “a company chosen by society,” and at the same time has become an important management theme for maintaining medium-to-long-term competitiveness.

Corporate Challenges in ESG Management

Implementing ESG management involves complex challenges including regulatory compliance, talent acquisition, and cultural transformation.

As each area of environment, society, and governance requires advanced expertise, there are limits to what can be handled internally alone.

For example, analyzing climate change risks, conducting human rights due diligence, and responding to international disclosure standards (such as TCFD and GRI) are highly challenging for many companies, and a shortage of capable personnel and know-how is a common issue.

Furthermore, some executives view ESG as an obligation or cost and have not yet fully integrated it into their management strategy.

This is why support from ESG consultants with specialized expertise has become increasingly important in addressing these corporate challenges.

Job Responsibilities of an ESG Consultant

Here, we explain the main job responsibilities of an ESG consultant, divided into four categories.

Analysis and Evaluation of ESG-Related Activities

ESG consultants conduct analysis and evaluation of a company’s ESG activities in order to objectively understand the current situation.

They begin by gathering information about business operations and social and environmental initiatives, and identify challenges from perspectives such as greenhouse gas emissions, water resource usage, and consideration for diversity and human rights.

Furthermore, by comparing against the industry as a whole and competitors, they clarify the company’s position and areas for improvement.

Such analysis forms the foundation for building future ESG strategies and is an important task directly linked to enhancing corporate value.

ESG Strategy Planning and Advisory

ESG consultants, based on the analysis of a company’s current situation, formulate ESG strategies that lead to long-term growth and provide implementation support.

In alignment with the company’s vision and management policies, they support the formulation of specific goals and action plans in each area of environment, society, and governance.

For example, on the environmental side, this includes setting decarbonization targets and scenario analysis; on the social side, human rights response and diversity promotion; and on the governance side, organizational framework development and risk management enhancement.

Tailored to each company’s challenges and resources, they provide comprehensive advice covering internal structure building, employee training, and external communications, supporting the creation of actionable strategies.

ESG Risk Identification and Management

ESG consultants identify risks related to a company’s environment, society, and governance, and design appropriate management methods for each.

For challenges such as disaster risks from climate change, regulatory changes accompanying decarbonization, human rights and labor issues, and accounting fraud, they assess the degree of impact on business operations and derive prioritized countermeasures.

The scope of support includes not only establishing risk assessment frameworks and emergency response procedures, but also building internal structures and operating regular monitoring systems.

An important role of the ESG consultant is to establish mechanisms that allow companies to prepare for future risks and continue to grow sustainably.

Reporting and Disclosure of ESG Outcomes

ESG consultants support information disclosure to appropriately communicate a company’s ESG management initiatives and outcomes to external stakeholders.

Disclosure of non-financial information is essential for gaining the trust of investors and society. Therefore, they design disclosure policies suited to each company based on international standards (GRI, SASB, TCFD, etc.) and industry trends. They propose a variety of communication methods, including support for creating integrated reports and sustainability reports, publishing information on websites, and preparing IR materials.

Additionally, TCFD-related work—such as analyzing climate-related risks and opportunities, conducting scenario analysis, and estimating financial impacts—is also important.

By communicating ESG initiatives accurately and credibly to external parties, they help boost corporate transparency and reputation.

What is the Salary of an ESG Consultant?

The salary of an ESG consultant varies greatly depending on the working style, experience, and employer.

As a general trend in consulting roles, skills and achievements are easy to evaluate, and performance-based compensation is common. Since ESG consultant itself is a relatively new profession, there is no clear data on average annual salary.

As a full-time employee, the following are examples of job postings:

Taking these into account, those without experience or early-career professionals can expect to start at around 5 million to 6 million yen per year, while those at the manager, director, or partner level can earn over 10 million yen annually.

On the other hand, for those working as freelancers, the estimated annual income is approximately 12 million to 16 million yen. However, compensation varies significantly depending on the content of the projects undertaken and the level of expertise required.

※Reference: ESG-related project listings on freeconsultant.jp(Calculated based on compensation for ESG-related projects listed as of August 2025, assuming 100% utilization)

As demand in the ESG field continues to grow, this is a career path where building expertise and a track record makes it highly likely to achieve favorable compensation.

What Does It Take to Become an ESG Consultant?

To succeed as an ESG consultant, in addition to basic consulting skills, specialized knowledge and expertise unique to the ESG field are required.

Here, we introduce the skills and qualifications that are valued for ESG consultants.

1. Basic Skills as a Consultant

To succeed as an ESG consultant, fundamental skills required of consultants are indispensable.

Specifically, the following capabilities are required:

Among these skills, logical thinking and communication skills are particularly important.

Since ESG is a highly specialized and complex field, the ability to correctly grasp and organize challenges and communicate them clearly to others is essential.

Please refer to the article below for a detailed explanation of the basic skills required of consultants.

2. Specialized Knowledge in ESG and Understanding of Trends

ESG consultants are required to have specialized knowledge specific to the ESG field.

Specifically, an understanding of the following areas is necessary:

In addition, the ability to grasp overall market trends, including developments in ESG investing and competitors’ strategies, is also important. Given how rapidly this field evolves, maintaining an antenna for the latest information is essential.

3. Valued Qualifications and Complementary Skills

While obtaining qualifications is not mandatory for ESG consultants, they are highly valued as evidence of knowledge and expertise, and can work in your favor during job changes and career advancement.

Examples of qualifications that tend to be valued include the following:

In addition, business-level English proficiency and holding a specialized academic degree (master’s or doctoral) in ESG-related fields such as environment, climate, or human rights are also strengths.

These skills and qualifications not only enhance your expertise and credibility but are also effective in broadening your evaluation by companies and increasing the likelihood of securing projects.

For other recommended qualifications for consultants, please see the article below.

Working Styles of ESG Consultants

In recent years, as interest in ESG has grown, diversity in how ESG consultants work has also emerged.

Beyond working for a company, activities as freelancers or through side jobs are also expanding, enabling flexible working styles tailored to one’s career and lifestyle.

Here, we explain the main working styles of ESG consultants.

1. Working at a Consulting Firm

The most common working style for ESG consultants is employment at a consulting firm.

From major audit-affiliated firms such as Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and PwC Consulting, to generalist and ESG-specialized firms, you can be involved in projects spanning diverse industries and themes.

A major attraction is the ability to accumulate a wide range of practical experience in ESG strategy planning, disclosure support, risk management, and more. Training programs and accumulated case studies are also well-developed, making it an environment conducive to building expertise.

However, handling multiple projects simultaneously is common, and in some cases the workload can be demanding. High skills are required, including language proficiency and project management abilities.

2. Working in an ESG Promotion Division of a Business Company

In recent years, more companies have been establishing in-house ESG promotion divisions, and building a consulting career within a company is also an option attracting attention.

The main responsibilities include formulating the company’s own ESG strategy, creating integrated reports, conducting internal awareness activities, and managing supply chain risks. A key feature is being able to promote ESG activities over the medium to long term while being deeply involved with a specific company.

Working on ESG implementation integrated with business operations can also make it easier to feel a sense of accomplishment and purpose. On the other hand, the themes you can be involved with tend to be limited, and those who want to work on a variety of projects may feel it is not enough.

3. Working as a Freelancer or Side Job

Working as a freelancer or on a side-job basis in ESG consulting is also increasing. By leveraging your own expertise, you can flexibly engage in projects specialized in specific themes or industries.

A major attraction is the freedom to choose your own working hours and location, making it also suitable for those who value work-life balance. Being involved with multiple companies simultaneously also allows you to build broader knowledge and a diverse track record.

However, you also need to handle sales to acquire projects, contract negotiations, and administrative tasks yourself, and there is an aspect of instability. To be continuously trusted, self-management skills and networking are indispensable in addition to specialized skills.

For those interested in working styles such as a day-in-the-life schedule of a current consultant, please also refer to the article below.

How to Become an ESG Consultant: 3 Main Routes

Here, we introduce the three representative routes for becoming an ESG consultant.

1. Stepping Up from an ESG-Related Role

Those who are already engaged in ESG-related work, such as in ESG promotion divisions or IR departments, can leverage their experience to expand their career into ESG consulting.

In particular, experience in creating integrated reports, disclosing non-financial information, handling stakeholders, and managing ESG projects is highly evaluated as practically applicable skills.

Additionally, having on-the-ground problem-solving skills and a practical sense brings realism to proposals for clients. If you are aiming for a career change, take stock of your ESG work experience and organize your achievements and points of ingenuity.

Supplementing your understanding of international standards such as TCFD and GRI, as well as foundational knowledge of evaluation indicators, will further strengthen the impression that you are ready to contribute immediately.

2. Career Change from Another Consulting Field

Those with consulting experience in other fields such as strategy, IT, HR, or operations improvement are also in a favorable position to make a career change to ESG consulting.

This is because general consulting skills—such as problem-solving, analytical thinking, project management, and building client trust—are also required in the ESG field.

For example, strategy consultants can apply their skills to formulating overall ESG strategies, while IT consultants can leverage their expertise in building ESG data infrastructure.

With an eye toward a career change, acquire basic knowledge in the ESG field while clearly articulating how your past projects and skills can contribute to specific ESG domains.

3. Starting a Career from Scratch (No Experience)

ESG consulting is a profession that can be pursued even without experience, but preparation in advance is necessary.

Those with an academic background in ESG-related disciplines (environment, social studies, law, etc.) or work experience related to social issues in education, government, or NPOs may have room to leverage that background.

In addition, analytical skills, communication abilities, and proposal skills developed in previous roles are also important skills that can be applied.

If you are aiming for a career change without experience, first acquire foundational knowledge through SDGs certification or ESG training courses, and it is important to clearly communicate “why you are pursuing the ESG field” and “how you can contribute” in your motivation statement and resume.

Furthermore, by utilizing a recruitment agency and focusing on job openings that welcome candidates without experience, the chances of success increase.

The consulting-industry-specialized job placement service “ConsulNext.jp“ provides thorough support throughout your job search, from reviewing your career history to introducing job openings and preparing for interviews.

Frequently Asked Questions About ESG Consultants

Here, we answer frequently asked questions about ESG consultants in a Q&A format.

Summary

ESG consultants are specialists who support the sustainable growth of companies from the perspectives of environment, society, and governance.

In today’s world where ESG management is highly valued, the demand for professionals with specialized knowledge and the ability to execute is growing. The work is wide-ranging and requires high skills, but it is also highly rewarding and offers the potential for a high income.

For those looking for a job that allows them to contribute to society while growing, please consider taking on the challenge of becoming an ESG consultant.

The consulting-industry-specialized job placement service “ConsulNext.jp” provides thorough support throughout your job search, from clarifying your career direction and selecting companies to apply to, through to interview preparation.

Those who wish to take a new step in the ESG field are welcome to use our free consultation.