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Developing new ESG skills and refining the ones you have helps align your values with your job.

Naisa Beaumont’s heart has always been in sustainability.

Beaumont, who has a background in environmental science and spent years in compliance and policy, is the Impact Manager at BarkleyOKRP, an advertising firm that works with purpose-driven clients.

Beaumont completed the Certificate in ESG Strategy from Leeds with the desire to shift careers to be more involved in strategic planning around ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). She wanted to upskill and add a certification to her toolkit to increase opportunities and job advancement in roles more aligned with values, impact, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

“I love this field. It’s a field that requires constant upskilling and relearning,” Beaumont said. “It is always shifting and changing, so it’s important to stay on top of things. I enjoy all aspects of the field and bringing everything together. I love this world of ESG and got so much personal and professional fulfillment in the discussions I had with other students.”

Upskilling and advancing with ESG

Beaumont, who vetted a few other similar programs, appreciated how the timing, topics and schedule of the Leeds ESG program fit with her life. Having the certificate and new experience carried her through the interview process as she explored opportunities.

“Just being able to talk the talk and use industry speak—it felt very familiar and comfortable to me and the role I wanted. The program also helped narrow my focus on roles and responsibilities as I applied for new jobs.”

Career pivots to social impact

Beaumont appreciates that everyone in the ESG certificate program comes from different backgrounds and brings different skills and perspectives. Understanding how to create valuable, transferable skills is important. Her advice to professionals seeking ESG opportunities is to make a running list of their strongest skills and remain knowledgeable about how those skills can be applied to a variety of roles. “One of the topics we talked about in the program is reading job descriptions and understanding their required experiences, exploring how to develop the expertise to meet those qualifications. One thing that is understated is that while young professionals need to add skills to their toolkit, later-career professionals also benefit from upskilling and developing transferable skills.”