Making a Mid-Career Pivot into ESG & Sustainability

In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador podcast, we speak with Savills' Asia-Pacific Director of Sustainability and ESG Sam Crispin about his mid-career career pivot into sustainability and ESG.A decision that dates back to his Bachelor's Degree dissertation, but was more recently catalyzed by a realization that the rest of his career was to be focused on promoting sustainable business practices in his industry.Through our conversation, we speak about the "transition", his current role, and how his 25 years of experience in the same industry has helped him better engage internal/ external clients to better understand and adopt sustainable practices, toolsets, and business models.Timestamps:00:18 - Welcome to Sustainability Ambassador Podcast00:49 - Sam Crispin introduction01:20 - Transitioning into ESG role01:45 - Sam's professional background 02:10 - Real estate and sustainability02:50 - The built environment, energy and carbon emissions04:05 - What an Sustainability & ESG Director does05:11 - Leveraging strengths & trusting team as part of job06:50 - Strategic vs. technical approach to the job07:15 - Professional development (online courses, full time programs and certifications)09:50 - Deciding to devote rest of career to sustainability & ESG11:05 - What's the professional opportunity to transition into sustainability & ESG roles11:55 - Advice to others looking to transition12:55 - Professional development (online courses, full time programs and certifications)15:55 - Advice to real estate professionals & students looking to transition into sustainability & ESGAbout Sam Crispin:Sam Crispin leads Savills sustainability and ESG internal reporting and external consultancy in the Asia-Pacific region.He has more than 25 years' experience in city development in mainland China including a range of ESG-related topics such as sponge cities, healthcare and education projects.His involvement in sustainability dates back to 1992 when his Bachelor's Degree dissertation covered the environmental and social costs and benefits of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's biggest hydropower project.He is a Chartered Surveyor and has a Master's Degree in Corporate Environmental Governance from the University of Hong Kong.Follow Sam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samcrispinAbout Collective ResponsibilityBased in Shanghai, Collective Responsibility is a strategic advisory firm founded by Richard Brubaker, one of Asia’s most recognized authorities on sustainability, innovation and responsible leadership.Founded with the fundamental belief that a sustainable world can only be achieved through awareness of issues, finding tangibility in business cases, and development of cross-sector collaboration, Collective Responsibility acts as a knowledge base, catalyst, and facilitator between stakeholders.Our mission is to:– Create a knowledge base and catalyze discussion of issues related to the development of civil society, business sustainability and social development in Asia.– Develop tangible interests, engagement, and action on issues of sustainability (economic, environmental and societal).– Develop organizational capacity with the aim to help create stable and profitable enterprises.Contact Us:[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.